European Survey on Language Competences
Introduction
In 2005, the European Commission outlined The European Indicator of Language Competence and proposed a detailed strategic approach for the creation of a European Survey on Language Competences. The survey aims to provide member states with comparable data on foreign language competence and knowledge about good practice as well as progress towards the objective of improving foreign language learning. The contract to carry out this survey was awarded to SurveyLang, an international consortium made up of eight organisations, each one a leader in its own area of expertise.
The survey has tested the two most widely taught official European languages (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish) in each country from a representative sample of pupils in secondary education. It has assessed the students’ proficiency in listening, reading and writing and test results were related to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
The results of the survey have provided individual countries with independently produced data on language proficiency on which to base their language learning policy. The data are comparable across both languages and countries. The pan-European context of the survey means that the questionnaire and test data enable countries to explore those factors which have an impact on language learning and that they provide information for shaping language policy across the whole European Community.
The ESLC in Flanders
In Flanders, students in the final year of lower secondary education were be tested for French and students in the second year of upper secondary education were tested for English. For each language, about eighty schools were sampled systematically so as to be representative of the whole student body in the year that was tested. Within each school, a random sample of about 25 students has participated.
A full field trial of the systems took place in 40 schools per language between November and March of the school year 2009-2010. The main survey test administrations took place in the Spring of 2011. The final report will be delivered to the European Commission, the Flemish Ministry of Education, the schools and the media in the summer of 2012.
Research team
Supervision
- Core project supervisor: Prof. Dr. Rianne Janssen
- French: Prof. Dr. Piet Desmet and Prof. Dr. Ilse Magnus
- English: Prof. Dr. Liesbet Heyvaert
- Prof. Dr. Sarah Gielen
Research
Karolien Declercq and Katrijn Denies
K.U.Leuven | Centrum voor Onderwijseffectiviteit en -evaluatie
Van Den Heuvelinstituut, lokaal 03.41B
(VHI 3de verdieping A-gebouw)
Dekenstraat 2 - bus 3773
3000 Leuven, Belgium
Tel: +32 16 325633
