Scientists Named the Simplest Way to Learn English

Researchers from the Institute for Economic Research (ifo) are confident that watching series and films in their original language with subtitles can improve language proficiency by at least one level, reports DW.

Using subtitles instead of dubbing films and series improves viewers' foreign language skills. This is the result of a study presented by the Munich Institute for Economic Research (ifo), known for its studies and forecasts on current economic issues. The researchers focused on the English language.

In Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands, which predominantly use subtitles for English-language film and television content instead of dubbing into the native language, significantly higher results are noted on average in English language exams than in Germany, France, and Italy, where dubbing is preferred. "The difference is enormous: in countries with subtitles, the level of language proficiency is on average a whole level higher," states Ludger Wößmann, director of the ifo Center for the Economics of Education, in a press release published by the institute.

Researchers studied data from 36 European countries and the results of English language tests such as TOEFL and the English Proficiency Index, which assesses the level of English proficiency among adults. Also, to ensure that general differences in academic performance do not distort the calculations, data from the European PISA study, which assesses the functional literacy of schoolchildren in different countries, were used. "We measured not only the correlation between subtitles and English language knowledge but also how English language knowledge differs from all other skills (for example, mathematics) between countries using dubbing and subtitles. Other factors that may play a role, such as the similarity of the national language to English, were also included in the analysis," explained Frauke Baumeister, one of the participants and co-authors of the study, in a conversation with DW.

As a result, it was found that frequent listening to the original audio accompanied by subtitles improves listening comprehension and speaking skills in English. "Language is learned not only in school but also, above all, in everyday life," the researcher believes. "Subtitles are a simple and economical way for millions of people to improve their English in passing, without special classes."

Using subtitles to learn a language is a long-established method that both teachers and parents recommend to their children. As observations show, the effect of the acquired knowledge lasts for a long time. "The choice between dubbing and subtitles is not just a matter of taste. It affects the level of English proficiency in society and the ability to communicate in a globalized world," the researcher believes. "If Germany and other countries where dubbing prevails had started using subtitles earlier, the average level of English proficiency in these countries would be significantly higher."