Toni García Arias, named Spain’s best primary school teacher and a finalist for the Global Teacher Prize, is questioning whether schools teach the right subjects in the right way. He argues for more practical learning and stronger spoken English, while challenging the practice of teaching technical subjects in English.
García Arias does not oppose English in the classroom. He questions the logic of teaching complex subjects such as mathematics and science in English, especially when their technical vocabulary is already challenging in Spanish. Expecting children to grasp scientific concepts through a second language, he argues, can create an avoidable barrier to understanding. The distinction is between learning English as a subject and using English as the language of instruction for another subject: the latter can require pupils to process unfamiliar terminology at the same time as they learn new concepts.
Bilingual Model Under Scrutiny
For García Arias, the issue is not the presence of English but how it is taught. He argues that students can spend years memorizing grammar and vocabulary without developing strong oral skills. In his view, language learning should begin with practical communication: speaking, listening and understanding everyday situations. More complex grammar and technical language can come later.
He is particularly critical of bilingual programmes that teach technical subjects in English. Terms such as “enzyme,” “substances” and “virus” require conceptual understanding in Spanish; introducing them in another language can add a further layer of difficulty for young learners. Spain does not have a single nationwide model for English-medium schooling: programmes and language-of-instruction arrangements vary between autonomous communities and schools.
Performance and International Comparisons
International assessments provide context for the debate, although they do not by themselves establish what causes national results. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests 15-year-olds in mathematics, reading and science. Spain’s latest results place it near the OECD average in those domains, with declines in some areas compared with earlier cycles. In PISA’s creative-thinking assessment, Spanish students scored 33 out of 60, matching the OECD average.
The EF English Proficiency Index 2024 ranks Spain 36th among 116 countries and regions, and 26th among 35 European participants, with a score of 538. The index is a private ranking based on English-test results from adults, not a direct measure of basic-school pupils’ attainment. Its results offer broader context on adult English proficiency, but they cannot establish whether bilingual schooling caused particular language outcomes.
From Theory to Real-Life Skills
García Arias’s critique extends beyond language. He warns that reading can be reduced to a test-driven activity, potentially discouraging children from enjoying books. He also calls for more practical content in secondary education, including budgeting, understanding payslips, reading labels, dealing with public administration and using digital platforms to access social benefits.
In the 2022 PISA financial literacy assessment, Spain scored 486 points, 12 below the OECD average. García Arias believes memory and theory have their place, but says schools should also ensure students can apply what they learn in everyday life. PISA scores describe student outcomes; on their own, they do not isolate the effect of teaching subjects in English or establish which classroom approach produced a result.
As Spain continues to debate the future of its education system, García Arias’s call for a more practical, skills-based approach is gaining attention. He argues that education should prepare students not only to pass exams but also to handle the complexities of everyday life.
