As ING forms may have different employment situations in a t...

         English’s rise as an international language has been accompanied by an increase in emphasis on English language education in traditionally EFL setting. Learners worldwide are often accustomed to taking mandatory English language classes within their national school systems, and assessing practices used within these educational systems are often positioned as gatekeepers for further educational progression. In Japan, for example, English is compulsory for all students, and is often the only foreign language taught in school. Success in English language tests in high school directly impacts learners’ access to higher education due to the fact that English tests make up a large component of junior high school, high school, and university entrance examinations. Upon entering university, undergraduate students take at least two years of English classes, even in unrelated majors. In China, English education is compulsory in primary schools from Grade 3, although many schools start earlier than this. Like Japan, it’s also compulsory in most Chinese colleges and universities for the first two years, and the College English Test is becoming an increasingly predominant measure of success in these programs, with some universities requiring it for graduation. South Korea also tests English in the national College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), which is necessary to enter South Korean universities. Neighboring countries in Asia are also starting to follow suit; in Vietnam, over 90 percent of children are engaged in English language study, and it is compulsory in most secondary schools, where all students must pass an English test in order to graduate. Similar situations can be found across Europe and Latin America. In Italy, for example, English language has been promoted in educational policy that encourages Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), where students are taught subjects such as history, mathematics, sciences and sport through English. Thus English knowledge not only affects performance on language tests but also the teaching of other subjects of study.