English Learning Among University Students: A Global Trend

English is a widely spoken language, with approximately 1.35 billion speakers worldwide, accounting for 17% of the global population. It is the official language in 75 countries, and an additional 20 countries recognise English as an official language without it being recognised by law. In 2023, the United Kingdom had the highest number of students learning English as a foreign language, with around 419,000 students. The United States ranked third, with approximately 144,000 students. In the US public school system, the percentage of students who were English learners increased from 9.4% in 2011 to 10.6% in 2021, totalling 5.3 million students.

In 2019, English language learners (ELLs) made up 10.4% of the K-12 student population in the US

In 2019, 10.4% of K-12 students in the US were English language learners (ELLs). This equates to around 5 million students. The percentage of public-school students who were identified as ELLs has been steadily increasing since 2011, when it was 9.4% (or 4.6 million students). The only disruption to this upward trend occurred between 2019 and 2020, during the first school year of the coronavirus pandemic, when the number of ELLs fell from 5.1 million to 5 million.

In fall 2021, across the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the percentage of public-school students who were ELLs ranged from 0.8% in West Virginia to 20.2% in Texas. In 2021, 13 states had ELLs representing 10% or more of their public-school students, with more than half of these states located in the West. These states were Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington.

Spanish was the most commonly reported home language of ELL public-school students in fall 2021, with 4 million students, representing 76.4% of all ELLs and 8.4% of all public-school students. Arabic was the second most common home language, with 130,900 students. In fall 2021, a higher percentage of public-school students in lower grades were ELLs than in upper grades. For example, 14.7% of kindergarteners were ELLs, compared to 6.1% of 12th graders.

ELLs can participate in language assistance programs to help them attain English proficiency and meet academic standards. In fall 2021, 93.1% of ELLs (or 4.9 million students) received services in English Language Instruction Educational Programs (LIEPs) in public elementary and secondary schools.

In 2021, 10.6% of public school students in the US were English learners

The percentage of English learners in US public schools varies by state. In 2021, the highest percentage of English learners was in Texas (20.2%), while the lowest was in West Virginia (0.8%). In 13 states and the District of Columbia, English learners made up 10% or more of public school students. These states include Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington.

The number of English learners in US public schools has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Between fall 2019 and fall 2020, the first school year of the pandemic, the number of English learners in public schools decreased from 5.1 million to 5.0 million.

English learners in US public schools come from diverse backgrounds and speak a variety of languages. In 2021, Spanish was the most common home language of English learners, with 4.0 million students, followed by Arabic with 130,900 students. English was the third most common home language, with 116,800 students, which may include students from multilingual households or those adopted from other countries. Other common home languages include Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Russian, Haitian, Hmong, and Urdu.

In terms of racial and ethnic composition, English learners in US public schools were predominantly Hispanic, making up 77.9% of the total. Asian students made up 9.7%, White students 6.1%, Black students 4.2%, students of Two or more races 0.8%, American Indian/Alaska Native students 0.7%, and Pacific Islander students 0.6%.

English learners in US public schools have access to language assistance programs to help them attain English proficiency and meet academic standards. In fall 2021, 93.1% of English learners (4.9 million students) received services in English language instruction educational programs (LIEPs).

In 2023, the US had around 144,000 students learning English as a foreign language

In an increasingly globalised world, the demand for bilingual and multilingual skills has increased substantially. In 2023, the US had around 144,000 students learning English as a foreign language, making it the third-highest country in terms of students learning English as a second language. This is part of a broader trend of English language learning, with English being the most studied language in the world.

English is the most commonly studied language in Continental Europe, with an estimated 96% of students learning English. It is also the most common language on popular language-learning apps, such as Duolingo, and is the official language in 75 countries. This demand for English language skills is driven by its status as an official language in numerous countries and its widespread use in domains such as business, education, and technology.

The United Kingdom had the highest number of students learning English as a foreign language in 2023, with approximately 419,000 students. Australia followed the US, with almost 169,000 foreign students. The English language learning market has experienced a decrease in revenue in recent years, possibly due to the increasing availability of free online platforms and the implementation of English learning systems by companies and schools. However, 2022 showed signs of improvement.

Revenue generated by the English learning market was significantly lower in 2020 and 2021 due to travel restrictions implemented to limit the spread of COVID-19. Nonetheless, the global language services industry has grown, with expected revenues of around $55 billion projected for 2022. The need for bilingual and multilingual skills will likely continue to increase as the world becomes more interconnected.

In 2022, California had the highest proportion of people who speak a language other than English at home

In 2021, about 43.9% of California's population spoke a language other than English at home. This figure rose to 44% in 2022, giving California the highest proportion of non-English speakers in the US. This is a notable increase from 1980, when only 1 in 10 people in the US spoke a language other than English at home.

California's large population of non-English speakers is likely influenced by the state's high number of foreign-born residents, with over 1 in 4 people in the state born outside of the US. The most commonly spoken non-English language in California is Spanish, followed by Chinese, Tagalog, and Hindi.

In 2023, the United States had around 144,000 students learning English as a foreign language, placing it third after the United Kingdom and Australia. However, these figures do not include students who speak English as a second language but are not enrolled in language assistance programs. As of fall 2021, there were 5.3 million English learners in public schools in the US, constituting 10.6% of public school students. This number has been increasing since 2011, when 9.4% of public school students were English learners.

English is an official language in 75 countries, meaning 39% of countries have English as an official language

English is an official language in 75 countries, meaning 39% of countries recognise English as an official language. This includes 57 sovereign states and 28 non-sovereign entities, such as territories and administrative divisions. English is also the primary language of many more countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In 2021, there were 5.3 million students in the US public school system who were learning English as a second language. This figure had increased from 4.6 million in 2011. In 2023, the UK had the most students learning English as a foreign language, with around 419,000 students. This was followed by Australia, with almost 169,000 students, and the US, with around 144,000 students.

English is the third most common first language in the world, with over 527 million native speakers. However, it is the single most popular second language, with 76.4% of English learners in the US speaking Spanish as their first language. When native and non-native speakers are combined, English is the most widely spoken language in the world, with an estimated 1.5 to 2 billion speakers. English is also the most studied language by non-native speakers, with some experts predicting that it will be spoken by 2 billion people by 2050.

English is the official language of several important international institutions, including the United Nations, NATO, and the European Union. It is also the official language of aeronautics and maritime communications and is used by astronauts on the International Space Station. The spread of English across the globe can be attributed to the historical influence of the British Empire and, more recently, the United States. English is also the most common language used in the sciences, with 95% of articles in the Science Citation Index being written in English.

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