Proficiency Levels: A View From The Classroom

Is learning English easier for northern Europeans than for their southern counterparts? Speak Up asked Tom Anthonis, a Belgian educator who has been teaching English for over ten years. He believes this is true and that it all comes down to the roots. It is particularly apparent in his native Belgium, where both French and Flemish are spoken, two languages with different origins.

Tom Anthonis (mild Flemish accent): The fact of speaking a Germanic language has a big influence on learning English. It is closer to the English language, so it is easier for people who speak Germanic languages. It is easier for Flemish people to learn English than it is for French, because our language is simply closer to it. Furthermore, our culture is also more focused on the English culture, as we listen to more English music and we have lots of English TV programmes.

GREATER EXPOSURE

Anthonis believes that exposure to the language in everyday life accounts for the difference in proficiency between the north and the south of Europe, more so than the quality of education.

Tom Anthonis: Basically, it is more difficult to teach English in Mediterranean countries. I think the biggest difference is the presence of English in daily life, in publicity, in music, on TV programmes… English is everywhere in northern countries like Holland or Denmark and it’s less present in Southern countries.

NON-NATIVE TEACHERS

There is a general idea that English as a foreign language needs to be taught by a native teacher. Tom Anthonis disagrees, particularly when it comes to older students.

Tom Anthonis: I sometimes have the feeling that it’s even better to have a non-native teacher who had to learn English as well, so sometimes [he or she] knows better where and what to explain. Also, sometimes the link to the native language can be important. The older students are, the more the need for grammar.

ORIGINAL LANGUAGE

Despite lagging behind the north, he already sees a rise in the level of English in the south of Europe, a trend he expects will continue.

Tom Anthonis: I think Mediterranean countries did [made] a great effort in improving it over the past years, because I can see myself that young people speak much better English than, let’s say, ten years ago. And without any doubt it will improve more, thanks to technology and thanks to the presence of more English in, for example, music and on TV, the possibility of watching series in [the] original [version] and not in dubbed languages — all of this, without any doubt, will improve the level of English.

INTERACTION IS KEY

And Anthonis had some advice for students of English who start later in life.

Tom Anthonis: For people learning English later in life I would advise [them] to look for situations that give you the possibility to interact in English. I’m thinking of many ways you can do this: doing a hobby, starting a cooking course, go walking with groups of people, speaking in English will give you that possibility to interact and to learn faster.