Numbers on the rise again

A quarter of first graders have German deficits

4.6 percent of all pupils in Upper Austria had German language deficits in the last school year. This figure is significantly higher for the youngest children until they are able to catch up in terms of language skills.(Bild: DanielMendler - stock.adobe.com)

Language problems in the classroom have increased in recent years; this year, almost a quarter of first-graders in Upper Austria, for example, have a lack of knowledge of the language of instruction - only in Vienna is the figure even higher. Remarkably, more than a third of children with language problems are Austrian.

Almost 45 percent of pupils in Vienna cannot follow lessons adequately due to language deficits - this figure recently made headlines. However, German language problems in the classrooms have also increased in Upper Austria, as a "Krone" inquiry to the education directorate shows. According to the survey, almost a quarter (23.3 percent) of first-graders in the current school year are classified as so-called exceptional pupils, meaning that they lack the necessary language skills to fully follow the lessons. This is certainly a challenge for teachers.