Pearson launches first of its kind Global Scale of Languages in French, Italian and Spanish to mark European Day of Languages
London, Great Britain, 26 September 2023 – Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, has launched its Global Scale of Languages (GSL) - a first of its kind scale which will bring unparalleled clarity and simplicity to language learning in different languages. The Global Scale of Languages will initially cover French, Italian and Spanish, with German and other languages to follow.
For the first time, learners will be able to benchmark their proficiency and track learning progress in French, Italian and Spanish using Pearson’s simple scale from 10 to 90. Students benefit as they can now pinpoint their proficiency in different languages on a common scale, set themselves personalised learning targets and benchmark progress as they move from beginner to fluency.
Teachers and institutions benefit as they can quickly and efficiently develop teaching resources using Pearson’s Global Scale of Languages, tackling the time and resource constraints frequently cited by teachers. Free materials are available now for teachers to build lesson plans and tutorials, outlining clear learning objectives in each language. The frameworks will enable teachers to plan lessons and courses of study, evaluate current language proficiency levels, measure progress, set targets and personalise the learning journey of each student.
The Global Scale of Languages will enable Pearson to reach even wider audiences by offering more learners a new, innovative, way to learn a language. It is built on the same design principles and expertise as Pearson’s flagship Global Scale of English – a globally recognised assessment and proficiency framework used by millions of English language learners and teachers around the world.
Gio Giovannelli, President, English Language Learning, Pearson, said:
“Learning a language is so important in today's globalised economy. We know there is an estimated 1.5billion people learning English right now, with millions more worldwide either currently learning, or wanting to learn, languages such as French and Spanish.
“The Global Scale of Languages is the first language scale of its kind, and we are incredibly proud to launch it today on the European Day of Languages. We hope that many more people will be able to use our innovative Pearson language learning solutions to discover the joy of communicating in another language.”
During 2024, Pearson will make the Global Scale of Languages available direct to consumers and businesses through its products such as Mondly by Pearson, Versant by Pearson assessments and Wizard by Pearson language schools. For instance, customers using the Mondly by Pearson app will be able to check their progress against the Global Scale of Languages as they advance through their daily lessons.
Notes to editors
Pearson published new research today detailing the methodology behind the Global Scale of Languages and its correlation to the Global Scale of English.
About Pearson
At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to add life to a lifetime of learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That’s why our c.20,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world’s leading digital media learning company, serving customers in nearly 200 countries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learning isn’t just what we do. It’s who we are. Visit us at pearsonplc.com.