English in Italy

An overview of the state of English knowledge in Italy, and what we can do to improve the current situation.

Transcript

1. English in Italy Alessandro Desantis “Keep your language. Love its sounds, its modulation, its rhythm. But try to march together with men of different languages, remote from your own, who wish like you for a more just and human world.” ― Hélder Câmara, Spiral Of Violence
2. Let’s look at some data The EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) is a report which ranks over 60 countries and regions by the average knowledge of English of their adult inhabitants.
3. So, how’s it going in Italy? Not very well, apparently. The 2013 EF EPI report gathers data from English tests taken between 2007 and 2012. It places us at the 32nd place. Our English knowledge level is “low”.
4. ...we can’t be that bad! I beg to disagree. We’re the third worst country in Europe, and one of the worst in the world.
5. But we’re making progress, right? +1.9 points in six years is not exactly the definition of “progress”.
6. We’re doing better than France, though. On a side note, France’s ranking has been rapidly decreasing since the first edition of the EF EPI because of reasons which are yet to be clearly determined.
7. A disconnected university Italy’s main issue is the lack of an accademical system strongly linked to the international labour market. In order to fix this, many universities are starting to provide English-only lectures.
8. Bureaucracy and economy In the last years, economical difficulties and a suffocating bureaucratic system have led many young people to emigrate. In 2012, almost 500.000 students have emigrated to Germany, Spain and the UK.
9. But we can still fix it!
10. The positive effect of immigration In the last decade, immigration in Italy has incremented by 283%. This will inevitably lead to an internationalization of culture and communication.
11. Since 2004 English is a mandatory subject for all Italian students older than six and the scholastic system has been completely rearranged. By the end of 2013 about 2.000 Italian teachers will have finished a course to improve their English skills. Towards an economy of knowledge
12. There was no image in the last slide, so here’s one of an obese unicorn to make up.
13. Reasons for learning English
14. It helps in business A growing number of important companies are adopting English in their work environments because it helps develop and spread their businesses on an international scale. In the next years, the knowledge of English will probably become a mandatory requirement for employees of medium and large businesses.
15. It’s the key to globalization The benefits of knowing English are not only economical: in today’s globalized world, the importance of a universal language cannot be overstated. English is the primary means of communication and exchange. It can really improve our chances of building relationships with people who belong to different cultures and yet have so much in common with us.
16. It improves life’s quality The EF EPI report shows a slight correlation between English knowledge and life quality. Obviously, it’s difficult to teach the language to people who are in need of food and water, but once survival is assured, English should be a top priority in the education process in order to provide a solid cultural background.
17. Don’t worry…
18. Conclusions Knowing English is extremely important in today’s world, as it can help us improve the economy, build stronger relationships and live a better life. Our country should adapt to its European and international fellows and create an educational system which is able to teach English as a practical skill, thus creating workers ready to be inserted in the labour market.
19. References • http://www.ef-italia.it/epi/ • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EF_English_Proficiency_Index