Study Area

Learning a foreign language has become more important than ever in today's globalized world. With businesses expanding globally and many countries becoming more diverse, being able to communicate effectively in another language can open up countless opportunities. In this article, we will take a look at some statistics on foreign language learning around the world.

Language learning around the world

According to the European Commission, Europeans are becoming more multilingual. In 2012, 54% of Europeans surveyed could have a conversation in at least one additional language besides their mother tongue, while in 2023, this number rose to 59%. In general, EU citizens are in favor of multilinguism: 86% of the surveyed citizens agree that everyone should speak at least one other language than their mother tongue and 69% more than one additional language.

After English, French (11%) German (10%) and Spanish (7%) are the most spoken foreign languages in the EU.

In the United States, only 20% of the population is bilingual, compared to 56% of Europeans. However, a recent survey by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages found that there is a growing demand for language learning. They reported a 26% increase in enrollment in college-level language programs since 2013.

In Japan, there has been a recent push to improve English language education in preparation for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Despite this, Japan still struggles with low levels of English proficiency. According to the English Proficiency Index from 2024, Japan is ranked 92 out of 116 countries surveyed, below countries like Vietnam and Brazil.

Language learning in school

In India, English is an official language and is taught in schools starting in the primary years. However, recent statistics show that only about 10% of the population speaks English, although this is still a significant number given India's population of 1.4 billion people. It means India's total English-speaking population is second only to that of the U.S., where a little over 300 million people speak the language.

In the United States, Americans are falling behind when it comes to language learning. According to a survey from Preply, 70% of Americans (surveyed) regret not learning a foreign language. In contrast to other countries, American students are not subject to federally mandated foreign language requirements. This means that, prior to starting college, just 20% of students from public schools have learned foreign languages. By the time they reach college, this number decreases to 10%.

Hopefully, it will get better. The National Center for Education Statistics reported that the percentage of public schools in the United States offering bilingual education programs increased from 13% in 2004 to 39% in 2018.

In the meantime, more than 90% of students in Europe learn another language in school.

Whether you learned a language at school or not, Global Lingua's online courses allow you to start from scratch or resume your efforts to become fluent in a foreign language!

Language learning at work

39% of employers in the United Kingdom consider language skills a high priority, particularly in finance, law, and hospitality.

Being bilingual gives you more opportunities at work, but it also helps you get a better salary! A research by Rosetta Stone reveals that employees who speak more than one language can earn up to 10% more than their monolingual colleagues.

According to a survey by FluentU, 64% of language learners experienced plateaus during their language studies, which may result in lower motivation. Surmounting these plateaus is essential for ongoing advancement! 

These statistics show that while progress is being made in foreign language learning, there is still a long way to go, especially outside of Europe. However, as the world becomes more connected and globalized, the importance of learning another language cannot be denied. Whether it is for business, travel, or personal enrichment, knowing another language can open up countless opportunities and experiences. That’s why online language classes are still important and relevant for all the people who want to learn a new language efficiently.

Sources:
European Commission. (2023). Europeans and their languages. 
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. (2017). Enrollments in Languages Other Than English in United States Institutions of Higher Education, Fall 2016.
Times of India. (2018). Only 10% in India speak English.
Japan Times. (2018). Japan’s English skills remain stuck at the bottom.
Canadian Language Benchmarks. (2017). French-English bilingualism in Canada: Facts and Figures.
Preply: Foreign Language Education Statistics: 70% of Americans regret letting their foreign language skills slip.