25/07/2025
Cambridge and OECD have published a new paper revealing more about the forthcoming PISA Foreign Language Assessment (FLA) - a major survey on how English is taught and learned in schools around the world.
For the first time ever, English language ability will be assessed as part of the global PISA study. The results of the PISA FLA will offer unprecedented insights into what makes English language teaching and learning effective in school systems around the world
Experts in Cambridge partnered with OECD to develop the English language tests that are being used in the study. The two organisations have co-authored a paper, which goes behind the scenes to look at the study, how it is shaped by global expertise, and the impact the results will have on teachers, students, policy-makers and educators in the field of foreign language learning. The release of the new paper coincides with the ongoing delivery of the English assessments used for the study, which are currently taking place around the world.
“The PISA FLA will mark a turning point for English teaching communities around the world, unlocking valuable insights into what makes effective English teaching and learning,” commented Dr Angeliki Salamoura, Head of Operational Research at Cambridge University Press & Assessment. She continued: “Anyone involved in decision-making for English language education will know the importance of international comparable data on how English is taught and learned around the world - but we have surprisingly little access to data of this nature. The results of the PISA FLA will help teachers, schools and policy-makers make important decisions on where to focus resources in terms of English language education.”
The new paper examines the impact and scope of the survey and how it will shape language policy in the future. It explains that, alongside testing language proficiency, the PISA FLA will also collect and analyse key information about what makes successful language learning – insights which will give policy-makers, educators, and teachers clear guidance on how to improve English language education globally. It also covers how the survey will create a much-needed international benchmark of language proficiency, by reporting against the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and dives into the fundamental importance of learning another language in our increasingly globalised world.
Dr Salamoura added ‘Learning a language, such as English, can have a positive impact on employability, improve people’s critical thinking skills, and boost their cultural awareness, which are all essential skills in today’s interconnected world’.
About Cambridge’s role in the PISA FLA
In close collaboration with OECD, Cambridge University Press & Assessment developed the English language tests for the first PISA FLA which will be a game changer for English language education all over the world. Cambridge brings its own unique combination of assessment expertise, research capability, and an extensive portfolio of international benchmarking tools.
Read the full paper.