ACTA SZEKSZARDIENSIUM - Pécsi Tudományegyetem Illyés Gyula ...

the choice of gen y: live to learn or learn to live
4. Focusing on Language Acquisition
It goes without saying that students with no or little foreign language skills are in
disadvantage in their future career over the ones who possess this trait. Bad news
is that while 56% of the EU citizens speak at least one foreign language besides
their mother tongue, according to the Eurobarometer 2006 survey, (Europeans
and their languages: Summary 2006), 71% of the Hungarian population does not
speak a foreign language (Internet Ref. 6). Good news is, that in language learning
(especially in English) a positive trend seems to emerge, and it is particularly true
for Generation Y and the adult population with a college degree. This complies with
the EU survey, according to which English is spoken by 51% while German is 32% of
the population in the European Union. It is obvious from the results that in Hungary
the efforts of the educational policy makers are paid off, and the euro billions are
well invested. The findings of the survey conducted on behalf of the government
training centre (OFI) is positive about the 2003 World-Language project designed
to enhance foreign language competence of high school students learning foreign
languages intensively in class for a whole academic year (called: NYEK), similar
to the EU-sponsored training programs covering all levels of formal education
from elementary to adult level. The system of foreign language testing in and
off school and the evaluation of language tests in secondary school has finished,
and students are reimbursed the fees of successfully absolved language test from
Tempus Funds. Language competitions, trainings, courses and conferences are
organized, and owing to several EU projects, e.g. Erasmus, Leonardo, Grundtvig,
Comenius, students can go abroad to improve their professional skills and immerse
in the culture in the country of the target language. There is a big demand for this,
because the language competence of students in trade schools falls far behind the
achievement of students studying in a secondary school of different type (Internet
Ref. 7). Sponsored from European Union Funds (TAMOP, HEFOP) a few of the
subprojects on languages focuse on improving the standard of language learning
in vocational training with special emphasis on students with considerable social
drawback (Nikolov 2009). The document of 163 items issued by the Ministry of
Education goes further: Education for Everyone! Action Plan 2006-2010 prescribes
that starting from 2010/2011 academic year every student in secondary school
is entitled to have an access to studying English, su p.se they have the desire to
do so (Internet Ref. 8). (The deadline has been modified to 2012-2013 due to the
recession). The purpose behind the act is clear: provide the students with the chance
of studying the language most of them would like to learn, and which is believed to
give them tangible advantage in the long run.
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