For the first time, the annual “EF English Proficiency Index” has collected English proficiency data on immigrant adults learning English as a second language in predominately English-speaking countries.

The news is not good for the United States. U.S. learners scored significantly worse than any of the other English speaking countries examined, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Language skills were ranked “low” on EF’s global scale, with average scores also falling below many mainly non-English-speaking countries such as Argentina, South Korea, and Hungary.

EF Education First, a large international language trainer that has conducted the proficiency research since 2009, attributes the problem to the overall profile of U.S. immigrants. While Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia draw large numbers of immigrants from countries that are relatively English-proficient and well-educated (varying by country; India and the Philippines would be two examples), a large portion of adult English learners in the United States were born in Mexico or Central America.

Latin America has the lowest levels of English proficiency of any region in the world according to the EF study and schooling there has been documented by other research and testing measures as often inadequate.

In its report, EF makes recommendations not only for better English training but also for better English language testing worldwide. EF calls for tools that define skills clearly and that “take into account current thinking on communication as the primary goal of English study” as well as the current role of English as common language between non-native speakers.

We are proud that TOEIC meets this challenge. Its focus on real-world English for international workforce needs, along with tools that make it easy to define what instruction individuals need and what they can and cannot do with existing proficiency levels, makes it an ideal choice for training placement, hiring, and many other purposes. Contact us to learn how TOEIC can meet your needs.