Catalonia proposes delay on English
- Equitat.org published a Catalonia-focused report urging schools not to intensify English before ages eight or nine, arguing earlier starts alone do not improve outcomes. - The report says Catalan students average 10 years of English study yet score 69 in compulsory secondary tests, below the 70-point benchmark. - It lands amid weak English results and wide gaps by school complexity in Catalonia. (equitat.org)
A Catalan education report says schools should wait until ages eight or nine to intensify English teaching, instead of pushing it hard from age three. (equitat.org) (es.ara.cat) The report, published Tuesday by Equitat.org, was led by applied linguistics researcher Elisabet Pladevall Ballester. It argues that starting earlier does not automatically produce a significant advantage in English. (equitat.org) (es.ara.cat) Its recommendation is to build stronger first-language foundations in Catalan in the early years, then reinforce English from fifth grade, around ages eight or nine. The proposal favors early oral exposure, routines and repetition before heavier formal instruction. (es.ara.cat) (equitat.org) The argument comes from Catalonia’s own results. Students reach the end of compulsory secondary school after an average of 10 years studying English, yet score 69 points in basic-competency tests, below the 70 points needed to meet the benchmark. (equitat.org) (elperiodico.cat) The report says performance also worsens over time for many pupils. Between sixth grade and the fourth year of secondary school, the share of low-performing students rises from 14% to 25%, while the share at a high level falls from 60% to 46%. (equitat.org) Equitat.org also points to a social gap. Students in high-complexity schools score 61 points in English basic-competency tests, versus 78.3 in low-complexity schools, a spread of 17 points. (equitat.org) That gap extends beyond school hours. The report says one-third of children and teenagers in Catalonia take extracurricular English classes, mostly private, and argues that English proficiency should not depend on family income. (equitat.org) The report sets out seven measures, including aligning school assessments with European language standards and defining clearer stage-by-stage targets for English. It also calls for teaching that balances theory with speaking once students are older. (equitat.org) (es.ara.cat) The proposal does not call for removing English from early schooling. It calls for changing the pace: less early intensity, more structured reinforcement later, after pupils have stronger language bases to build on. (es.ara.cat) (equitat.org)
