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Research on the ESOL level in France

The Education First Proficiency Index

Education First, founded in Sweden in 1965, publishes the largest global study of English proficiency each year, the EF EPI (English Proficiency Index), via Signum International AG. The 2023 study included results from over 2.2 million people in 113 different countries and regions.

According to the 2023 study summary, although the different levels in Europe dominate the top of the index: "Europe is in a bit of a slump this year with a number of high and very high proficiency countries reporting slightly lower scores. Starting from an already high base, the longer-term trend in Europe has been one of steady improvement, both in and outside the EU. Still, several of Europe’s largest economies (France, Spain, Italy) have not reached the same proficiency level as their neighbors" » (p5, EPI 2023)

If we look at the table below, we can see that France's position since 2016 may seem acceptable on a global level with a relatively stable ranking among the top 60%-73% of countries in the world. However, if we compare the English proficiency level of the French to other European countries, we can see that despite an increase that began in 2016 with a peak in 2020, France remains in the lower part of the table, falling dramatically in 2023 and thus ranking among the lowest 12% of countries in Europe.

If we compare France to its Latin neighbors mentioned in the 2023 study, they too have fallen, but Spain remains relatively stable compared to its 2016 level, still remaining among the weakest in Europe but better ranked than France in 2023 (in 35th place worldwide while France is now 43rd). As for Italy, the results have continued to improve since 2016 despite some slight fluctuations, and it too is better ranked than France at the end of the 2023 test (in 35th place tied with Spain).

Should we be concerned about the level of English proficiency in France? What is the reason for this decline?

Before we try to comprehend the situation, it would be worthwhile to focus on another element that the 2023 study seems to have brought to light: the level of English among the 18-20 age group. Even though there has been a decline in young people's English proficiency in Spain since 2015, falling from a test score of 571 to 514, thus a drop of 57 points, in France and Italy, however, the decline has been more pronounced since 2020 (for Italy a drop of 36 points in three years and for France, a drop of 33 points, whereas the level was fairly stable in these two countries until 2020).

France

Spain

Italy

According to the study's summary, "However, this is a case where what looks like a worldwide trend is actually only a trend in a few large countries. In most places, youth English proficiency has been stable, or if it has declined, that drop aligns neatly with the interruption of education systems during the pandemic. It is not yet clear if learning loss due to COVID will self-correct over time, but in subsequent cohorts we would expect to see a rebound. The more difficult challenge is for those countries experiencing a longer decline among the youngest cohort, where education systems are teaching English less well than before." (p. 4, EPI 2023)

Spain seems to fall more into this category, but as the study indicates, we will have to wait a few years to determine whether the decline in France is simply linked to the pandemic.

According to our findings and research (mentioned during the first stage of the creation of the Technique Leader Harrison©), even if the level in France returned to its pre-Covid level, France would still be among the lowest 30% of European countries. This is because the performance of an individual, whether student or teacher, is closely linked to their well-being during learning, and this well-being is also inseparable from the quality of human relationships.

Therefore, as we have been demonstrating since 2015, if: "in an optimal learning environment, it takes an adult about 150 hours of instruction and practice to improve by one CEFR level." (p. 40, EPI 2023), while we achieve the same result in 32 hours, without any specific teaching tools but solely thanks to the Technique Leader Harrison©, this demonstrates that we are achieving excellence not only in the transmission of knowledge but also in the field of human relations. To learn more, we invite you to consult our section on the social sciences.

Here are the global and European scores as well as the results obtained in the English Proficiency Index tests documented by Education First from 2016 to 2023.

What about 2024? What is the level of English among the French according to the latest Education First study?

The 2024 Education First study reveals that there has been a global decline in English proficiency for the fourth year in a row, with 60% of countries showing a decline compared to last year's level, although these declines appear to be minimal. However, not only is there a more significant decrease within the European Union, this year France has been relegated to 49th place, a drop of six places compared to 2023.

If we take a quick look at Spain and Italy, the other two countries the 2023 report identified as struggling, Spain has virtually maintained its 36th position, while Italy has experienced a dramatic decline of 11 places classed 46th worldwide (but still above France, 49th). Nevertheless, France is the European Union's worst performer, ranked last in the EU and 33rd out of the 35 countries in geographical Europe, just above Turkey and Azerbaijan (both considered as having low levels of English proficiency).

Another concern is the 18-20 age group, which even though it has seen an end to its long overall downward trend has continued to spiral lower in France. What is even more striking is the global ranking and the level of young people in another European country that has been at war since 2022: Ukraine (ranked 45th globally in 2023, two places below France, 43rd, rising to 40th in 2024, six places above France currently 49th).

If we compare the evolution of the 18-20 age group in these two countries, we note that despite Covid-19 (which marked a sharp drop in English proficiency in France in 2020) and the outbreak of war with Russia in 2022, proficiency in Ukraine has continued to rise.

France

Ukraine

The idea that unexpected factors like the pandemic may be responsible for the decline in English proficiency in France is no longer sufficient to explain the constant and confirmed decrease in young French people's competency, especially when other countries with more complicated learning situations are achieving better results. As we have previously noted, if we want to reverse this trend in France, there will have to be a change in the way knowledge is transmitted; otherwise, we will continue to see a decline in English proficiency, which the use of new technology will certainly compensate for to a certain extent, but at the expense of autonomy, independence, and quality in human relationships.

To learn more about effective and mutually beneficial ways of transmitting knowledge, we recommend our book "Succeeding & Achieving Excellence in Knowledge Transmission and Human Relations."