In today’s interconnected world, English is a key that unlocks global conversations. It opens doors to cross-border collaboration and countless cultural, educational and professional opportunities. It is no wonder then that many young people and their parents see mastering English as an essential step towards a successful future, nor that education systems across the world are investing heavily in teaching English.

English is the most highly sought after foreign language in the world. It enters the lives of many young people today from an increasingly early age, not only through school but also television, computers and mobile phones. However, despite its growing importance in education policy worldwide, relatively little is known about how English is learnt and taught across the globe.

In many countries, school students have more lesson hours for English language than ever before. At the same time, English’s position as a global lingua franca means young people across the world encounter English in the digital and physical world on an almost daily basis. In this context, how do today’s 15-year-olds learn English? To explore this question and as part of the introduction of the Programme for International Student Assessment’s (PISA) Foreign Language Assessment in 2025, the OECD analysed the situation in five countries: Finland, Greece, Israel, the Netherlands and Portugal. This chapter provides an overview of this research, including rationale, key objectives and methodology. It also summarises key findings for each country and comparative insights.

Digital technologies have a crucial role to play in the teaching of foreign languages. However, to fully realise their potential and have a positive impact on foreign language learning, they need to bring an added pedagogical value to classroom practice. This chapter presents ways in which today’s digital technologies, including emerging artificial intelligence (AI) tools, can be used in formal learning environments to nurture foreign language proficiency. It considers the development of linguistic knowledge, as well as students’ reading, listening, speaking and writing skills. Finally, the chapter outlines some ongoing challenges to the application of digital technologies in foreign language teaching and learning and ways in which teachers can be supported to take advantage of these tools.

The OECD visited Finland in May 2023 to explore the question: how do 15-year-olds learn English? This chapter presents findings from this case study visit and wider research. It provides key contextual information about learning languages in Finland in formal education and beyond. It also describes the main findings from interviews and short surveys with students, English teachers and school leaders, as well as observations of English lessons. These findings include perspectives on the ways in which 15-year-olds in Finland encounter and use English outside school, insights into the perceived strengths and challenges of English language teaching and learning in schools, and examples of the ways in which digital technologies and other resources support the teaching of English in Finland.

In April 2023, the OECD visited three schools in Greece to speak to students, English language teachers and school leaders about how 15-year-olds learn English. This chapter presents the key findings from these visits and broader evidence. First, it gives an overview of the educational and linguistic context of Greece. It then explores the ways in which students in Greece are exposed to English outside school, including their extensive participation in private, non-formal language education. Next, the chapter provides insights from students and their educators into how English is taught and learnt in schools and the resources available to them, including digital technologies and textbooks. The findings include their perspectives on the strengths and challenges of teaching or learning English in schools in Greece, and ideas for improvements.

The OECD team visited Israel in June 2023 to explore how 15-year-olds learn English. This chapter presents findings from this case study visit and further research. It provides key information about the linguistic and educational context in Israel. It also describes the main findings from interviews with students, English teachers and school leaders, as well as observations of English lessons. The findings include insights into the interactions 15-year-olds have with English outside school, approaches to the teaching and learning of English in school, and the resources – including digital technologies – available to schools in Israel to support students to improve their English. The case study included schools from the Hebrew and Arabic state-education streams and a school from the state-religious stream.

In June 2023, the OECD visited three schools in the Netherlands to interview students, English language teachers and school leaders about how 15-year-olds learn English. This chapter presents the key findings from these visits and wider evidence. First, it gives an overview of the Dutch context, including people’s exposure to different languages and the key characteristics of the education system. It then explores how students in the Netherlands experience English outside school and their attitudes towards mastering English. Next, the chapter describes approaches to teaching and learning English in schools and the ways in which students with different needs are supported. Finally, the chapter considers the resources available in Dutch schools to support English language learning and how these resources, including digital technologies, are used.

In April 2023, the OECD visited three schools in Portugal to interview students, English language teachers and school leaders about how 15-year-olds learn English. This chapter presents the key findings from these visits and further evidence. First, it gives an overview of the linguistic and educational context of Portugal. It then explores the ways in which 15-year-olds in Portugal are exposed to English outside school. Next, the chapter provides insights into how English is taught and learnt in schools and the resources available to support English learning. The chapter also considers the ways in which students with different needs are supported to learn English and how digital technologies influence 15-year-olds’ exposure to the language and their learning experiences.

Despite the widespread policy attention English language teaching and learning has received in recent years, internationally comparable information about the ways in which students in different countries learn English is scarce. To support countries to gain insights from each other, this chapter presents findings from case studies of how 15-year-olds learn English in Finland, Greece, Israel, the Netherlands and Portugal, identifying key similarities and differences within and across countries. It explores the ways in which students in different countries encounter English outside school in both digital and real-world environments. It also considers students’ and teachers’ perspectives on the ways in which they learn and teach English in school, as well as the resources – including digital technologies – that are available to support learning.