For 62% of Brazilians who didn’t study English, not knowing the language was indifferent to their careers, according to the Opinion Box survey, carried out by Pearson in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and Chile. On the other hand, according to information published by Valor Econômico, the study points out that 33% of the Brazilian population who don’t speak English feel disadvantaged in the labor market because of their lack of ability.

Also according to the survey, 9% of Brazilian interviewees say they have an advanced level of English, 21% have intermediate knowledge, 50% of the population have a basic understanding and another 20% say they have no understanding of the language. 

In addition, the majority of Brazilians said they did not feel any confidence when doing tasks in English, such as writing an email (64%), presenting a work project (73%), conducting a job interview (70%) or asking for basic information on an international trip (66%).

Among the countries analyzed, the population of Mexico was the most confident in all the activities listed, since almost half of its population has intermediate or advanced knowledge of English (48%).

Although English is an important global language, language learning is influenced by a complex combination of cultural, economic and educational factors. There is a growing effort in countries like Brazil to improve English proficiency, with both public and private sector initiatives to promote the teaching and practice of the language. Investing in corporate English teaching can have a significant impact on the ability of Brazilian companies to compete globally, improve their operations and offer better opportunities for their employees.

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Source: Valor Econômico