How does the English language help in the economic development of the country?

Researchers say that the countries that have higher levels of English language skills have stronger economies and the citizens enjoy higher per capita income levels and enjoy a better quality of living. Education First has been accumulating English language proficiency data for several years and they have come across some important methodological changes.

Education First Findings in 2013 Report

Some Asian countries like Vietnam and Indonesia have realised that there are a lot of advantages if the citizens of a country are good at English language skills. The tracking study began in the year 2007 and the BRIC countries that include Brazil, Russia, India and China have seen an improvement in the English proficiency of the citizens.

In most European countries like France, English proficiency has decreased. According to the report, the seven English nations that have strong English are small European nations whose size forces them to accept an international outlook.

The Middle East and North Africa are the two world’s weakest regions in English and have very poor levels of English proficiency. Not knowing English has been a competitive disadvantage for the Latin American economies. Therefore, if you are someone who is interested in working with some of the best countries across the world, you should pursue a spoken English course from a reputed institute.

Relation between English Skills and Economic Development

Education First reports that there is a positive correlation between the national EPI scores and such indicators as exports per capita, service exports, gross national income per capita and quality of life. The report further states that the economic performance and English skills of the population are directly connected.

The indicators also found that in at least one in every 60 countries and territories that have been surveyed, a rise in the English proficiency level was connected to the rise in per capita income. On an individual level recruiters and HR managers across the world also report that job seekers who have excellent English speaking skills have been able to earn 30% to 50% higher salaries in comparison to job seekers who do not know English. It is therefore a good idea to opt for English speaking classes.

The report also says that there is a weaker correlation between the indicators like literacy, life expectancy and standards of living that further proves the link between English proficiency and economic development. EF notes that no country that is ranked in the moderate or the higher proficiency bands fall below the “Very high human development” benchmark on the Human Development Index.

Why English Plays an Important Role in Driving Economic Development?

According to EF reports there is a correlation between English proficiency and economic development as English as a skill drives export economies, attracts foreign investments, boosts service exports and enables international business and cultural links.

At the end of the report, some best international practices for building English proficiency are mentioned. These include:

· Making English language skill development a part of the core school curriculum.

· Investing in English language teacher training.

· Testing the English proficiency levels in the National exams that include the completion and entrance examination at the secondary as well as the post-secondary levels.

· Setting a National standard for English training programs.

A lot of attention will be given to the national rankings in the EPL and how the fortunes of the countries on an individual level rise and fall in the years to come. Since there is a connection between English proficiency and the economic development of a country, more emphasis will be put on English skills development. More money would be invested in English language training and the government and educational policies related to English language development skills. These indicators not only reflect the progress of a country in strengthening its proficiency level but also its potential as an international education market in the long run. English skills matter as they give people access to a wider range of information, a diverse international network and more job opportunities. This can also matter at the national level because they tell us a lot about the level of innovation, competitiveness and prospects of a country.

EF 2022 English Proficiency Index

The key points of this report are:

· Proficiency in the English language increases the connectedness of society. This report shows that places that have higher English proficiency are less conservative and much more open and fair.

· English proficiency levels in Europe are the highest in the world and continue to progress with lower proficiency groups trying to catch up soon.

· The regional average in Asia dropped a little due to lower scores in China and the Philippines. Most other countries have improved the proficiency band.

· English proficiency levels in Latin America are among the fastest in the world but the level of the younger generation in this region have dropped a little since 2020. This probably happened due to long school closures at the time of the pandemic.

· The regional score of Africa has remained stable however there is a significant difference in the English proficiency level among different age groups and between men and women.

· The level in the Middle East has not however changed much since the last decade the gender-related English proficiency gap has however decreased.

· The results indicated some important correlations between English proficiency levels and greater connectivity, technological adoption, higher level of innovation and social mobility.

Findings at The Individual Level

For the first time, men outpaced the proficiency level of women globally. Now men in every region (2/3rd surveyed) of the world have higher scores in comparison to women. The difference is however less in some regions.

· The English proficiency level of all cohorts over 25 years has risen but the youngest cohort is declining.

· English also increases economic competitiveness. Organisations that have operational proficiency in English can attract more diverse talents and also adopt ideas from vast sources.

· English speakers are positioned better for collaboration both internally as well as externally.

· The English proficiency level is higher in big cities in comparison to rural areas but the top-performing city in the country is not always the capital.

Conclusion

High proficiency in English is part and parcel of a future that is connected, prosperous and healthy. It will therefore be a good idea to pursue a spoken English course as English is certainly here to stay.