PE-MC-EAE

Promoting English as Means of Communication in European Adult Education

2013 - 1 - ES - GRU06 - 73300

THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

IN THE ITALIAN, ROMANIAN, SPANISH AND TURKISH
SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION

Istituto Statale d'Istruzione Superiore "Buonarroti - Fossombroni", Arezzo, ITALY

Liceul Tehnologic de Servicii "Sfantul Apostol Andrei", Ploiesti, ROMANIA
Centre de Formaci d'Adults Josepa Massans i Dalmau, Tarragona, SPAIN
nn Teknik ve Endstri Meslek Lisesi, Istanbul, TURKEY

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INDEX
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................3

1.

THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE ITALIAN SYSTEM OF EDUCATION ...........4
1.1.
STATE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION................................................................4
1.2.
ADULT EDUCATION ................................................................................................................4

2.

THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE ROMANIAN SYSTEM OF EDUCATION .....6
2.1.
STATE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION................................................................6
2.2.
ADULT EDUCATION ................................................................................................................7

3.

THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE SPANISH SYSTEM OF EDUCATION .........9
3.1.
STATE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION................................................................9
3.2.
ADULT EDUCATION ................................................................................................................9

4.

THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE TURKISH SYSTEM OF EDUCATION .......11
4.1.
STATE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION..............................................................11
4.2.
ADULT EDUCATION ..............................................................................................................11

5.

GENERAL CONCLUSIONS ...........................................................................................................13

5.1.
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS.....................................................................................................13
5.2.
COMPULSORY EDUCATION .................................................................................................13
5.3.
COMPULSORY EDUCATION STAGES .................................................................................14
5.4.
STATE SECONDARY SCHOOL .............................................................................................15
5.5.
STUDENTS RATIO IN COMPULSORY EDUCATION ............................................................15
5.6.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN COMPULSORY EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM ...................................16
5.7.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN SECONDARY EDUCATION ..........................................................17
5.8.
CONTENT LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING (CLIL) ....................................................18
5.9.
ADULT EDUCATION ..............................................................................................................18
5.10. ENGLISH IN ADULT SCHOOLS .............................................................................................19

REPORT AUTHORS ..............................................................................................................................21

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INTRODUCTION

This research comes out of the need of all the partners involved in the project - Istituto
Statale d'Istruzione Superiore "Buonarroti - Fossombroni", Arezzo, ITALY; Liceul Tehnologic de
Servicii "Sfantul Apostol Andrei", Ploiesti, ROMANIA; Centre de Formaci d'Adults Josepa
Massans i Dalmau, Tarragona, SPAIN; nn Teknik ve Endstri Meslek Lisesi, Istanbul,
TURKEY- to get to know and to compare the different educational systems in the four countries
before creating and designing materials which is the main aim of this project.
Before analysing in detail how English language is taught and learnt in adult education
across these countries, a general but careful analysis of compulsory education has been carried
out.
Secondary education has been distinguished from adult education, even though, in Spain,
it is considered a part of it.
The study of English language has been examined in detail both for what concerns
compulsory education in general and Secondary school.
In the section which follows, regarding adult education, some aspects strictly related to this
particular kind of students have been examined.
In the final part of the report, devoted to the general conclusion, we tried as much as
possible to compare all the aspects which distinguish or level the different systems of education
in the four participating countries especially regarding the study of English language.

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1. THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE ITALIAN SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

1.1.

STATE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

In Italy education is compulsory from the age of 6 up to 16, that is 10 years altogether.
There are two main stages: 6-11 Primary education and 11-14 Middle education.
Secondary education lasts 5 years (14-19) and its made up of two stages: the first two years
which have recently become compulsory and other three years with the state final exam and the
diploma.
The average number of students per class is 25.
The English language is compulsory for 10 years, 3 hours a week.
At the end of Primary education the expected level reached by the students should be A1
while the average level of English at the end of Secondary education is B1-B2.
In all Secondary schools -lyceum, technical and vocational schools ESP (English for
Specific Purposes) is taught in the fourth and fifth year (literature, culture and civilization,
business English and communication, etc.).
The English teacher has not to be a mother tongue.
Usually 20/25% students get a certificate in English language. The most common English
certificates are UCLES-Cambridge and Trinity College-London. The Highest level tested is B2.

1.2.

ADULT EDUCATION

ISIS Buonarroti Fossombroni school is a State Technical Secondary school and it has
been the seat of adult education in town since 1966.
There are courses in Italian language for immigrants with final exams and certifications,
computer and English classes. There are two courses for adults: Social Studies and
Accountancy. Both courses are structured in four years and at the end there is a final State
exam so that the students can get their Diploma. There are seven classes altogether.
Classes start in early September and finish in the middle of June, and lessons are from
6.25 pm to 10.35 pm from Monday to Friday.
Students are aged from 16 to 65.
Most students have already attended from 1 to 3 years of Secondary school and more the
50% of them are working. Most of them interrupted their studies because they failed at school or
because of family problems, they had to go to work and earn a living.

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Students come back to school to get a qualification because the Diploma represents a
valuable tool to improve their working position, to get a job, if they are unemployed, or simply for
personal ambition or to go to university. At the moment, mainly due to the economic recession,
most of our students attend our courses because they need re-qualification and to get new
skills. So adult courses represent a second chance for these people who, for different reasons,
couldnt follow the normal route towards the Diploma. Some of the students are at risk of
social exclusion due to economic hardships and a lot of them are migrants trying to become part
of the Italian society.
The majority of them have already studied English but sometimes there are some real
beginners, mainly among older adults.
The number of weekly lesson isnt enough to reach the expected level at the end of the
course.
The learning material used at school is not generally addressed to adults but to teenagers
so it lacks of topics suitable and interesting for adults. English teachers mainly use the already
made published materials but some of them create their own ones.
Teachers are partly free in choosing topics since they have mainly to follow the Ministry of
Education suggestions and guidelines.
There isnt any subject taught in English but IT, Maths and Economics could be suitable.
All the four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) have to be improved with
particular attention to speaking.
The language skills mainly required to adult students outside school are speaking and
writing.
Some of them sometimes use English outside the school, when they go on holiday abroad
or for their job.

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2. THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE ROMANIAN SYSTEM OF

EDUCATION

2.1.

STATE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

Children start compulsory education when they are 6 years old up to 17, that is 11 years.
Compulsory Primary education consists of 9 compulsory years of studies. Primary
education (grades 0 to 4: 5 years, from 6 to 10 years old) and Lower Secondary or Gymnasium
(grades 5 to 8: 4 years, from 11 to 14 years old). Secondary education - High school lasts 4
years, grades 9 to 12 and students age varies from 15 to 19 years old. The first 2 years are
compulsory, then the next 2 years are for those who want to sit the Baccalaureate exam at the
end of High school or vocational classes for a future job, but very few give up this opportunity,
therefore the majority of students attend the High school entirely. Those who decide to give up
High school choose vocational classes and a specialism which will allow them to find a job as
soon as they graduate, but they cannot sit the Baccalaureate exam.
Average number of students per class is between 25 and 34. This number is decided after
the exam students sit at the end of the eighth grade (14 years old) and according to the final
marks and the preferences they have shown. There is a national computer-based repartition.
Pupils study English for 9 years, as long as the State Primary Education lasts1. During the
first 3 years (grades 0 to 2) pupils study English 1 hour per week; during the next 2 years
(grades 3 and 4) they study it 2 hours per week; during Lower Secondary (grades 5 to 8) they
study English every year 2 hours per week as well. Children from the Lower Secondary have
the possibility to study English for 3 hours instead of 2 if there is an intensive course (this is a
way to attract students and their families and for this the school has not only to ask permission
from the school inspectorate, but also to organise an exam to select the best students to take
part in the intensive class). English studied in High school is compulsory and it is studied all 4
years, no matter if it is one kind of education or another. There are usually 2 or 3 hours of
English per week, but depending on the specialism of High school this number can increase to
6 (another 3 optional classes of English at Philology Theoretical High schools).
Teachers who teach English in State Primary Education are Romanian natives.
At the end of Primary school (grade 4) the level is A1 and at the end of the Lower
Secondary (grade 8) the level is A2. On one hand some students can reach B1 if they are
interested in English and teachers work extra with them during the English classes; on the other
hand, there are students who cant manage to reach even the A1 level. Students level of
1

English as a compulsory subject before 2013 English was optional for the first 3 years of primary school (grades
0 - 2) and parents could choose it as a subject for their children or not, but now it is compulsory for every grade.
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English at the end of Secondary school is supposed to be B1-B2, but it is only as a suggestion
in the national curriculum, because the reality shows that uninterested students are still
beginners with an A1-A2 level and there are also students interested in attending foreign
universities and they can reach C1-C2 level according to the university requirements.
Private English certificates are not compulsory; the Cambridge exams are held at the
British Council in Bucharest (and sometimes its representatives organise exams in High schools
if there are many students who enroll) and only students interested in attending universities
abroad sit the exams requested by those institutions or the students who think that they need
those certificates in their future career; usually the level tested is B2-C2; on the other hand,
there is a national compulsory examination of linguistic competences before the Baccalaureate
exam which students sit at the end of High school and it certifies the level of English required
those interested in English can get B2, but a great percentage of students get A1-A2; students
who get an international certificate dont have to sit the examination in school. The percentage
of students getting a certificate in English if we talk about the national linguistic examination,
100% of students get the certificate with different levels according to the skills tested (and rarely
happens to be zero at some skills for the weakest students because A1 is easily obtained); the
percentage of students who get an international certificate is quite high, because there is a good
rate of students who are interested in getting Cambridge certificates (these certificates allow
them to be able to get scholarships from foreign universities).
In some High schools English literature is compulsory along with grammar and
communication, in others literature is not studied, depending on the type of High school.

2.2.

ADULT EDUCATION

There are two types of students involved in adult education: those who left school earlier
(due to varied reasons: urgent need to find a job to survive financially, early marriage, changed
interests) and return to continue education, graduate High school and get the Baccalaureate
exam; and the majority are those who graduated High school and want to continue their
education with a post-Secondary school (not university) in order to get a diploma in a specialism
to get a better job they can enroll adult education even if they didnt get the Baccalaureate
exam, but they have to get this diploma before the graduation of the adult education.
Those who left school earlier come back to graduate and get the Baccalaureate diploma
because this is what gets them a qualification and helps them find a job, keep their actual one
or find a better paid one, and even personal ambition and self-esteem can motivate them quite
often; those who graduated High school and have(nt) the Baccalaureate exam enroll in a postPE-MC-EAE

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Secondary school in order to get a diploma in a certain specialism but lower than university to
improve their position at work or simply because they dont have the financial possibility to go to
the college.
More than 50% of adult students work and their age varies from 19 to late 50s.
Although adult students have studied English at school, the majority are real beginners,
either because theyve studied for a small number of years or because they were not interested
to learn a foreign language.
The number of English lessons per week is not enough to reach the level expected at the
course (usually 1-2 hours per week).
English teaching materials used in school are not specially designed for adults, teachers
decide what is best for them to use. Most of the time they choose to copy materials from
different textbooks and to bring them to classes due to financial possibilities of students. But
sometimes these materials dont have interesting and suitable topics for adult learners so
teachers have to design their own, either starting from other materials or simply inventing new
ones.
There are no optional subjects and teachers are partially free in choosing the topics
because the Ministry of Education suggests the main guidelines and teachers have to improvise
and use imagination and creativity in designing every lesson because there are neither
textbooks provided by school nor the free possibility to photocopy the printable materials.
There are no other subjects taught in English in my school, but probably those related to
the specialism of school could be taught in English.
The language skills which have to be improved are speaking, writing and listening.
Speaking and listening are the skills mainly required to adult students outside school
because they have to be able to communicate at their jobs.
The only chance students have to speak English is if they go abroad or their work brings
them the chance to interact with foreigners; only some of them went abroad for work and fewer
on holiday.

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3. THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE SPANISH SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

In Spain all regions have different systems of education, so we will focus on the one within
CFA Josepa Massans is framed: the Catalan one.

3.1.

STATE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

In Catalonia most children start school when they are 3, but it is not compulsory until they
are 6. The compulsory education lasts 10 years until they are 16. (The system changed 20
years ago, because in the past it was only compulsory to stay at school until you were 14).
Nowadays there are two compulsory education stages (Primary education from 6 to 12,
and Secondary from 13 to 16). There is also a pre-compulsory level (from 3 to 6 years,
Educaci Infantil (Nursery school) and several post-compulsory options: Low and High
Vocational Schools and Batxillerat (2 extra years at a Secondary school for those students
who want to enter the University).
Studying a foreign language is compulsory during Primary and Secondary School. Most of
the schools choose English. They usually start teaching English when students are 8 years at
Primary School (some schools even before, when they are 6 or 7). At Secondary School
students have English during all their school years. So, in the end, students have been taught
English 3 hours a week for 8 to 10 years.
The average number of students per class is 20-25 at Primary schools and 25-30 at
Secondary.
The mother tongue of the English teacher is usually Catalan or Spanish.
The level reached at the end of Primary school is A1. The aimed level when they leave
compulsory school at 16 is B1-B2.
At the moment students who have finished Secondary school dont get any specific
English certificate. Nevertheless, at this moment Catalan Education Authority is thinking about
it, in order to give a B1 English certificate to those students who finish Secondary school
successfully.

3.2.

ADULT EDUCATION

According to experience and statistics done in CFA Josepa Massans, a vast majority of
adult school students have already attended Secondary school. Most of them left school
because of failure, but there are some (mainly those who are older than 35) who left school to
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work when school was only compulsory until 14 years. Nowadays, these students need to get a
Secondary degree to access a vocational school.
Minimum age is 18, but they can also attend an adult school if they are 16 or 17 and they
have got a job contract.
About 40% of students are working at the moment.
They come back to school to get a qualification and improve their chances to find a better
job.
The majority of students have already studied English. Nevertheless, some of them are
real beginners.
The number of weekly lessons (and average of three hours) is not enough to reach the
expected level at the end of the course.
The learning material used in school is not mainly addressed to adults. English teachers
usually use ready-made published materials which lack of topics for adult learners. So, English
teachers often create their own materials.
Even though grammar, vocabulary and use of English contents are fixed by the official
curriculum, English teachers are quite free to choose topics for their classes.
There is no other subject taught in English. Maths and TIC could be suitable to be taught
in English.
Listening and speaking have to be improved.
Listening and speaking skills are mainly required to adult students outside school.
They rarely use English outside the school. Only few of them have ever been abroad,
mainly on holidays.

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4. THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE TURKISH SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

4.1.

STATE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

Children start compulsory education when they are 6 years old and they continue up to 18,
that is 12 years.
Nowadays there are three compulsory stages, they are called 4+4+4. The first 4 years
are called Primary; the second 4 years are called Secondary and the last 4 years are called
Post-secondary. Before they start their post-Secondary education, when they are 8th grade,
they need to take an exam in order to choose the High school that they want to go to. In general
there are 5 types of High school in Turkey: Anatolian High school, technical and vocational High
school, religious High school, fine arts High school and standard High school.
The average number of students per class is 35-40.
Studying a foreign language is compulsory in all stages. Students begin to study English
when they are in the 2nd grade (7 years). In the first three years they study English 2 hours per
week; then in the 5th and 6th grade (10-11 years) they study English 3 hours per week and
when they are in the 7th and 8th grade (12-13 years) they have 4 hours English per week. In
post-Secondary, they study a foreign language between 2-6 hours per week. It differs according
to the type of High school they are in.
The mother tongue of the teachers isnt English.
Until 12 years old, they are supposed to reach A1 level and when they finish Secondary
school (14 years) their level reaches A2. They are supposed to reach B1 level when they
graduate from post-secondary stage (18 years).
These students dont get any certificate of English when they graduate from postSecondary school.

4.2.

ADULT EDUCATION

Students in Turkish adult schools must have a diploma of Secondary school before they
enroll in adult education. Otherwise, they cant study there.
Minimum age is 16.
Many of them are working and they come to school at the weekends or after 5 pm on
weekdays depending on their schedule.
Most of them left the school because of the failure, there are some students who left the
school because they needed to work and earn money.

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They especially come to school to get a diploma and a certificate in order to run a
business.
Almost all of them have studied English, however they must be considered real
beginners.
The number of weekly lessons isnt enough to reach the expected level.
Generally, the learning material used in classes isnt addressed to adult students. So
teachers create their own learning materials.
There isnt any subject taught in English, but ICT is suitable to be taught in English.
All four skills have to be improved.
They almost have no chance to use English outside the class.

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5. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS

5.1.

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS
ITALY

Primary; 5

ROMANIA

Primary; 5

SPAIN

YEARS

Secondary; 4

Primary; 4

Secondary; 4

Lower Secondary; 4

Primary; 6

TURKEY

Secondary; 5

Middle; 3

Post-Secondary; 4

Secondary; 4

10

11

12

13

Post-Sec.; 2

14

15

16

17

18

19

In all countries, Italy, Romania, Spain and Turkey, children start compulsory school at 6
years old. The full system of education lasts 13 years in Italy and Romania, 12 in Spain and
Turkey. Students finish their education route when they are 19 years old in Italy and Romania,
18 in Turkey and 16 in Spain.
In all countries education is divided in 3 stages, but in Spain the third stage is not
compulsory. In Romania, the last two years of the Secondary school arent compulsory either,
but in practice all students finish Secondary education. So, the length of compulsory education
is different in each country. Turkish compulsory education is the longest (12 years), Romanian
compulsory education is 11 years long while in Italy and Spain compulsory education is 10
years long.

5.2.

COMPULSORY EDUCATION
COMPULSORY EDUCATION
12

10

11

12
10

10
8

ROMANIA

SPAIN
TURKEY

YEARS

ITALY

4
2
0
ITALY

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ROMANIA

SPAIN

TURKEY

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5.3.

COMPULSORY EDUCATION STAGES

FIRST STAGE

SECOND STAGE

THIRD STAGE

COUNTRIES
AGE

AGE

AGE

Italy

6 - 11

PRIMARY

11 -14

MIDDLE

14-16

First 2 years of SECONDARY

Romania

6 - 11

PRIMARY

11 -15

LOWER SECONDARY

15-17

First 2 years of SECONDARY

Spain

6 - 12

PRIMARY

12 -16

SECONDARY

Turkey

6 - 10

PRIMARY

10 -14

SECONDARY

14-18

POST-SECONDARY

In Italian compulsory education there are 3 stages. The first stage (6-11 years old) is
called Primary Education, the second stage (11-13 years old) is called Middle Education and
the third stage (14-16 years old) are the first two years of Secondary Education.
In Romanian compulsory education there are 3 stages. The first stage (6-11 years old) is
called Primary Education; the second stage (11-15 years old) is called Lower Secondary, and
the third one (15-17 years old) are the first two years of Secondary Education.
In Spanish compulsory education there are 2 stages. The first stage (6-12 years old) is
called Primary Education and the second stage (12-16 years old) is called Secondary
Education.
In Turkish compulsory education there are 3 stages, it is called 4+4+4. The first stage 610 years old called Primary Education; the second stage: 10-14 years old called Secondary
Education and the last stage 14-18 years old called Post-Secondary Education. If they fail twice,
they have to quit and join adult education.
From these data we can deduce that in the Italian, Spanish and Romanian educational
systems there are some optional years at the end of Secondary Education that arent still
vocational or academic education.
Regarding exams, in the Italian compulsory education there are 2 exams: one at the end
of the Middle Education (13-14 years old) and another, the state final exam, at the end of the
Secondary Education (19 years old) to get the diploma. In the Romanian compulsory education
there are 2 exams: one at the end of the Lower Secondary Education (14-15 years old) in order
to choose the High school that they will attend and a Baccalaureate exam which students sit at
the end of High school (19 years old). In Spain there isnt any exam for the compulsory
educational system but there is an official exam for students who want to enter university after
post-secondary education (Selectivitat). Finally, in the Turkish compulsory education there is an
exam at the end of Secondary Education (14 years old) in order to choose the High school that
they want to go to.

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5.4.

STATE SECONDARY SCHOOL

SECONDARY SCHOOL

5
5

4
ITALY

ROMANIA

YEARS
2

SPAIN
TURKEY

1
COUNTRIES

0
ITALY

ROMANIA

SPAIN

TURKEY

Secondary Education is 4 years long in Romania, Spain and Turkey. Only in Italy it is 5
years long. In all of these countries Secondary Education is made up of 2 stages except for Italy
where there are 3.
STUDENTS

FIRST STAGE

AGE
ITALY

14 -19

ROMANIA

15 -19

SPAIN

12 -16

TURKEY

14 -18

5.5.

SECOND STAGE

2 years

OTHER STAGES

2 years
COMPULSORY

1 year

NOT COMPULSORY

2 years

NOT COMPULSORY

2 years
COMPULSORY

NOT COMPULSORY

2 years

2 years
COMPULSORY

COMPULSORY

4 years
COMPULSORY

STUDENTS RATIO IN COMPULSORY EDUCATION

NUMBER OF STUDENTS PER CLASS

45
Maximum

students

Minimum

45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

34
30

25

Italian

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25

Romanian

30

25

Spanish

30

Turkish

Secondary Education

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The highest number of students per class is in Turkey with 30-45 students, while in Italy,
and Spain the number of student is between 25 and 30 and in Romania is between 25 and 34.

5.6.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN COMPULSORY EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

THE STUDY OF ENGLISH IN COMPULSORY EDUCATION

11

10

12

10

11

9
YEARS 6

0
Italian education

Romanian education

Spanish education

Turkish education

English language is a compulsory subject in compulsory education along all school routes
in all countries. In the Turkish compulsory education study of English starts in the second year
of Primary School and in Spain the year in which they start depends on school policies (most
schools start on the first year of compulsory education but some of them on the third year of
compulsory education).
Generally speaking, we can say that in the Italian and Spanish compulsory education
pupils study English for 10 years, while in Romanian and Turkish education they study English
for 11 years.
The number of hours1 per week of English language and the English level reached at the
end of the studies is shown below.
HOURS PER WEEK
compulsory education
ITALY

ROMANIA

1
2
3

SPAIN

TURKEY

2
3
4

1 hour - first 3 years (Primary School)

2 hours - since fourth year (end of Primary and along Secondary)
3 hours - class starting the 5th grade (Lower Secondary) if there is an intensive
English course subject to a permission from the school inspectorate

2 hours - first 3 years (since 2nd year of Primary School)

3 hours - fifth and sixth year (Secondary school, 5th and 6th grade)
4 hours - seventh and eighth year (Secondary school, 7th and 8th grade)

In the Italian and Romanian schools the length of a lesson is between 50 and 60 minutes; in Turkey, 40 minutes;
and in Spain, 60 minutes.
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THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE ITALIAN, ROMANIAN, SPANISH AND TURKISH SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION

According to the different curricula, the students are expected to reach the following levels
from the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

ITALY

AIMED LEVEL AT THE END OF THE STUDIES

(compulsory education)
A2
A1
A2/B1
A2/B1

ROMANIA
SPAIN

16
11- Primary school
15- end of Lower secondary
16

A1
A2

TURKEY

AGE

12- Primary and Secondary school

14- end of Secondary school

English teachers, in all countries, are not expected to be native speakers of English and,
actually, a vast majority of them arent.

5.7.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN SECONDARY EDUCATION

English language in Secondary Education is a compulsory subject in all countries and

students study English for 4 years in Romania, Spain and Turkey. Only in Italy they study
English for 5 years.
Secondary
Education
Italian

STUDY ENGLISH
YEARS
5

HOURS PER
WEEK
3

Romanian

2-6

Spanish

Turkish

2-6

- 2 or 3 at High school depending on the specialism, increased with

another 3 optional classes per week at Philology / Theoretical High
schools

- 3 hours - 9th grades, but in Anatolian High school: 6 hours.

- 2 hours - 10th-12th grades, but in Anatolian High schools 4 hours

The English level that should be reached at the end of the studies is B1-B2 in each
country, even if actually in most of the cases it is not reached. The table below shows if there
is/are a national language examination of the English level reached and how many students
attend this examination.
AIMED
LEVEL

National CERTIFICATES

ITALY

B1-B2

NO

ROMANIA

B1-B2

YES
National compulsory examination before the Baccalaureate exam

LEVEL

TESTED

STUDENTS

B2

100%

Students sit for a B2 examination but they can be accredited B1, A2, etc. according to the level shown in the
different skills.
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THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE ITALIAN, ROMANIAN, SPANISH AND TURKISH SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION

AIMED
LEVEL

National CERTIFICATES

LEVEL

TESTED

STUDENTS

(end of High school), and English competence examination is

part of the Baccalaureate exam. Students who get an
international certificate dont have to sit the examination in school

SPAIN

B1-B2

NO

TURKEY

B1-B2

NO

In Romania and Italy theres a tradition to accredit English level through an external
international examination (Trinity, Cambridge, UCLES, IELTS, etc.). Most of state schools in
Romania and Italy offer students extra classes and assistance to attend these examinations. On
the other hand, in Spain and Turkey state schools usually dont offer this opportunity, so if
students are accredited, it is mainly by private interest.

5.8.

CONTENT LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING (CLIL)

CLIL is becoming more and more popular in secondary schools in all four countries but up
to now it depends on school policies. One of the problems for this to be spread is the lack of
teachers prepared to teach their subjects in English. Nevertheless, there is a new law in Italy
and, starting from school year 2014-2015, it will be compulsory that at least one subject is
taught in English in the last year of secondary school.

5.9.

ADULT EDUCATION

The majority of adult students in Italy, Romania, Spain and Turkey have already attended
Secondary school but they didnt get the diploma.
They gave up education for different reasons: mainly they keep failing subjects for a while;
some others interrupted their studies because they had to go to work and earn for a living, or
they had family problems, early marriage or new interests.
The reasons why they come back to school are different. The first one is to get a
qualification to improve their working position, to find a better job or, if they are unemployed, to
get a job. In all four countries, mainly due to the economic recession, students now attend
courses because they need re-qualification and to get new skills.
Most of them look for a certain specialism (lower than university) to find a job, to improve
their working position or simply because they cant afford to go to the college. Some of them are
at risk of social exclusion due to economic hardships.

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THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE ITALIAN, ROMANIAN, SPANISH AND TURKISH SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION

In Italy and Spain it is to notice the high percentage of migrants trying to get a diploma to
have better chances to integrate in society and labour market.
GET A
QUALIFICATION

IMPROVE THEIR
POSITION / RUN A
BUSINESS

FIND A JOB

PERSONAL AMBITION /
IMPROVE THEIR POSITION PERSONAL /
GO TO UNIVERSITY

ITALY
ROMANIA
SPAIN
TURKEY

In Italy, Romania, and Turkey the percentage of adult students who are working is over
50% while in Spain is under 40%.
Adult education in all four countries means people are over eighteen, most of the students
being in their twenties and thirties. In Romania students cannot attend adult education if they
arent over 18, but in Italy and Spain they can access adult education from 16 years old if they
prove they cannot attend a normal secondary school because of different reasons: they have a
job that doesnt allow them to attend a normal secondary school, they are top sportsmen, etc. In
Turkey, students who have failed for two years in secondary school must attend an adult school
even if they are 15 years old.
In the Italian Adult School system classes start in early September and finish in the middle
of June, and lessons are from 6.25 pm to 10.35 pm from Monday to Friday. In Romania classes
start at the end of September and finish in the second half of June (they can have extra
practical classes for the summer). Lessons start at about 4 pm and finish about 9pm, but there
are some groups that can have morning classes. In Spain classes start in the second half of
September and finish in middle June. Adult schools have classes the whole day (morning
groups, afternoon groups and evening groups). In the Turkish Adult School system classes also
start in September and finish in June; classes for adults are at weekends or after 5 o'clock on
weekdays.

5.10.

ENGLISH IN ADULT SCHOOLS

In all countries most adult students have already studied English at Secondary school but
they have a very poor level of English. In Italy, Romania and Spain we find some real beginners
who studied French or Russian when they were young. They are usually the oldest people in
the lessons.

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THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE ITALIAN, ROMANIAN, SPANISH AND TURKISH SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION

The number of weekly lessons is not enough to reach the level expected at the end of the
course.
In all four countries teachers have to follow the Ministry of Education curricula but they are
quite free to choose topics, methodology and materials. In all countries the learning material
mainly used at school is not addressed to adults and these materials lack of topics suitable and
interesting for adult learners in each country. In all four countries English teachers tend to use
the ready-made published materials but they also create their own materials. Moreover,
Romanian teachers have to prepare every lesson by themselves because there are neither
textbooks provided by school nor the free possibility to photocopy the printable materials.
Adult students don't usually use English outside school. Italian adult students sometimes
go on holiday abroad and this is a good opportunity to speak English. Only few adult Romanian
students have been abroad for working or on holiday where they have had the chance to use
English. Only few adult Spanish students have been abroad on holiday. Few of the adult
Turkish students have been to other countries to work or on holiday.

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REPORT AUTHORS

Sorina Monica ANDREI

Liceul Tehnologic de Servicii "Sfantul Apostol Andrei"
Maurizio BONATESTA
Istituto Statale d'Istruzione Superiore "Buonarroti - Fossombroni"
Yolanda CABR SANS
Centre de Formaci d'Adults Josepa Massans i Dalmau
Alessandra GATTESCHI
Istituto Statale d'Istruzione Superiore "Buonarroti - Fossombroni"
Rafael GUINOVART BELLMUNT,
Centre de Formaci d'Adults Josepa Massans i Dalmau
Nazan GVEN
nn Teknik ve Endstri Meslek Lisesi
Sebasti POY ALEGRET
Centre de Formaci d'Adults Josepa Massans i Dalmau
Kezban Sevda YIYIT
nn Teknik ve Endstri Meslek Lisesi

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