Build success beyond the classroom: Critical thinking and assessment

It's incredible that thousands of languages are spoken worldwide, each with its own set of challenges for learners. A question that often pops up is: "Which language is the hardest to learn?". Today we take a closer look at this question and consider different factors that make learning a language challenging.

What is the hardest language to learn? 

Learning a language is a complex process that involves several components, including phonetics (sounds), morphology (word formation), syntax (sentence structure), semantics (meaning), and pragmatics (communication in context). These factors all contribute to the perceived difficulty of a language.

Language difficulty

The U.S. Foreign Service Institute ranks languages based on their difficulty for English speakers. Factors include similarity to English and script complexity.

FSI Language Difficulty Rankings

• Category I: Easiest languages (e.g. Spanish, French, Italian)
• Category II: Moderately difficult languages (e.g. German, Indonesian)
• Category III: Difficult languages (e.g. Russian, Hebrew, Arabic)
• Category IV: Very difficult languages (e.g. Chinese, Japanese, Korean)

In theory, you should also be able to apply this the other way around to work out how hard It would be for someone to learn English. But it isn't quite as simple as that in practice.

As digital testing becomes more widespread, a common perception still persists: that remote testing or at-home tests are somehow lower in quality than traditional test center exams. For institutions and governments, this raises an important question: does the delivery format impact the standard of assessment? 

The reality is, the quality of the test is defined by design, scoring and security, not by location. 

PTE Express is built on the same core principles as established English proficiency tests, including rigorous test development, validated content and standardized scoring processes. The academic integrity of the test remains consistent regardless of whether it is taken in a test center or from home. 

In many ways, remote testing introduces additional layers of oversight. PTE Express incorporates advanced features such as biometric identity verification, AI-enabled monitoring and fraud detection algorithms to ensure that each test session meets strict security standards. These systems provide continuous monitoring and create detailed audit trails, offering institutions greater transparency into how tests are conducted and validated. 

For US institutions evaluating large volumes of international applicants, this ensures that remote scores can be trusted to meet the same standards as in-person testing without limiting access based on geography.

Governments also benefit from scalable, secure testing solutions that support broader participation while maintaining compliance and integrity. Agents, in turn, can confidently recommend remote testing options knowing they deliver both accessibility and credibility. 

The bottom line 

Remote testing is not a lower standard, but it is an evolution of English testing delivery. PTE Express demonstrates that it is possible to maintain high-quality, secure and globally consistent assessment in a fully online format. 

Every student learns differently. Some learners enjoy speaking in front of the class while others prefer to write their answers first. Some understand new English words quickly while others need more time, pictures or examples.

As a language teacher, you cannot create a separate lesson for every student. However, you can use inclusive teaching strategies to make lessons more accessible. This helps all students take part, understand new ideas and build confidence.

Here are a few simple ways to design accessible language lessons for all learners.

1. Give clear instructions in different ways

Clear instructions help students understand what they need to do. However, listening to instructions once may not be enough for everyone.

Try explaining a task aloud, writing the steps on the board and showing an example. Use short sentences and break longer activities into smaller steps. For example, before a writing activity, show students a short example paragraph. Then give them a simple list of steps to follow.

These inclusive classroom strategies can help learners understand tasks more easily and work with greater independence.

2. Use different types of learning materials

Pictures, audio recordings and written text can help language learners understand and remember new information.

For example, when teaching vocabulary about food, show pictures, say each word aloud and write it on the board. Students could then listen to a short conversation about ordering food in a restaurant. Using different types of materials gives students more ways to understand the same information.

Make sure your resources are accessible too. Use readable fonts, clear text and good color contrast. Add captions to videos and provide written versions of important audio content when possible.

3. Offer different ways to participate

Not every student feels comfortable speaking in front of the whole class. Some need more thinking time while others may find writing easier than speaking.

Give students different ways to share their ideas. They could write an answer, discuss it with a partner, complete a digital activity or speak to a small group before sharing with the class. For example, before asking students to discuss a question in English, give them a minute to write down their ideas.

This approach helps learners prepare for speaking activities and build confidence without removing opportunities to practise spoken English.