English Language Proficiency and School Performance in English

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the formation of sustainable development competencies (SDCs) in future primary school teachers during English for specific purposes classes, and to assess the correlation between English proficiency and the development of SDCs, including Collaboration, Strategic thinking, Critical thinking, Modelling sustainable behaviour, Systems thinking and Future thinking.Design/methodology/approachThe research experiment involved the application of content and language integrated learning and facilitation methods in three higher education institutions in Ukraine. The students’ level of English language proficiency was assessed based on the results of the online Cambridge English Language Assessment test, while the level of SDC formation was measured using research methods adapted to the Ukrainian context.FindingsThe experiment revealed positive changes in the levels of SDCs and English language proficiency through integrated learning and the application of facilitation methods.Originality/valueThe study established a correlation between the level of English language proficiency and the formation of competencies, such as Collaboration, Strategic thinking, Critical thinking, Modelling sustainable behaviour, Systems thinking and Future thinking, all of which are vital for sustainable development.

BALEAP: Report of the Testing Working Party

English learners' achievement in mathematics and science: Examining the role of self-efficacy

EFL(English as a Foreign Language) learners tend to choose translation strategies in their English learning process. This study aims to examine the potential relationship between English language proficiency and EFL learners’ use of translation strategies, displaying the differences in the use of translation strategies between students at higher level of English language proficiency and those at lower level of English language proficiency. An ITLS questionnaire (The Inventory for Translation as a Learning Strategy) designed by Liao Posen (Liao, 2002：159-161)was distributed to 190 students in Southwest Jiaotong University who had taken the national English language proficiency assessment—CET-4(College English Test Band 4). Based on Independent Sample T-test, the results show that significant differences were found between the proficient EFL learners and the limited English proficient learners in some of the uses of translation strategies, and lower achievers were more likely to adopt translation strategies in English learning. According to Pearson Correlation Analysis and Multiple Regression Analysis, this research also found out that the use of translation to enhance English-language abilities was negatively correlated with English language proficiency and could best predict the negative performance of English language proficiency assessment. Implications for the role of translation strategies in EFL learning are discussed.

Australia’s population is growing, ageing and exhibiting increasing heterogeneity with respect to birthplace and ethnic composition. Yet, little is understood about the levels of English language proficiency among the next generation of older migrants in Australia. Utilising a modified cohort-component model incorporating detailed language proficiency transition probabilities, we project birthplace populations by levels of English language proficiency to mid-century. Our results show that although Asian-born migrants tend to have lower levels of English proficiency, the majority of older migrants with poor proficiency are currently from a predominantly European background. In the future, we project a strong shift in the population of poor English speakers toward an Asian-born dominance as some European-born migrant groups dwindle in size and cohort flow increases population growth among older Asian migrants. Specifically, most of the population growth among older migrants with poor English proficiency occurs among Chinese and Mainland Southeast Asian migrants. However, we demonstrate that population growth among the total migrant population with poor proficiency is considerably lower than populations with good proficiency or from English-speaking households. Over the projection horizon, the total older migrant population with poor English proficiency increases by under 80,000 compared with an increase of 726,000 with good levels of proficiency and 518,000 in English-speaking households. However, we caution against conflating improved English language proficiency with a policy shift away from ethno-specific aged care services as culture, which is more than language, strongly influences perceptions of quality of aged care.

The expansion of the English Language utilization, the concept of Lingua Franca, and the English language proficiency’s role in children’s social and vocational future, make children’s learning English a vital affair for parents all around the world. Minding the role of parents’ educational level is an understudied issue in children’s English language proficiency level. To address this unexpected topic, the purpose of this study is finding the relationship between parents’ educational level and children’s English language proficiency. For this study, the researcher gave a TOEFL test (for evaluating the children’s English language proficiency) and a questionnaire (for determining their parents’ educational level) to eighty participants both female and male who are in their twenties and thirties. They were students in Intermediate and Upper Intermediate level in Gatt Language Center (GLC) in Tehran. After collecting the data the researcher considered each participant’s score two times: First regarding to their fathers’ educational level, second regarding to their mothers’ educational level. The researcher ran Independent Sample t-Test for differentiation between children whose parents have university education and children whose parents do not have university education. This study showed that children whose mothers have university education have higher level of English language proficiency. But there is no significant difference of English language proficiency level between children whose fathers have university education and those whose fathers do not have university education. In accordance with this study, unlike fathers’, mothers’ educational level, especially university education, could affect children’s English language proficiency level. So all parents especially mothers who desire to have children with high English language proficiency level, should take the prominence of their own educational level into account.

The study was an attempt to assess the English language proficiency of Mathematics and Science teachers. The respondents of the study were 38 Mathematics teachers and 34 Science teachers from a Higher Education Institution. The data were gathered using self-constructed test as the research instrument. Its validity and reliability using index of discrimination and Spearman Brown Prophecy Formula, respectively. As the study employed the quantitative non-experimental design, analysis and interpretation were made using frequency, percent, mean standard deviation, Pearson product-moment coefficient of correlation r. analysis of variance and t-test. Nearly 2 out 5 Mathematics and Science Teachers were master’s degree holders and almost the same number were baccalaureate degree holders. Both groups of teachers were found to have average level of English language proficiency in reading and writing skills, but below average level in grammar, specifically subject-verb agreement, preposition, and vocabulary. In all these skills, the Mathematics and Science teachers have the same level of proficiency. Among the three skills, those of reading and writing were significantly higher than grammar.Teachers with higher educational attainment, longer teaching experience and have passed licensure examination were those with higher level of English language proficiency in general, and in trichotomized component of reading skills, writing skills, and grammar. As an output of the study, an English enhancement program, focused on grammar was developed which can be accessed on-line.

This paper discusses the issues of motivational orientation, learner types and their relationship with English Language Proficiency among the students of semester one in the academic year 2018 / 2019 at the State Institute of Islamic Studies Syekh Nurjati, Cirebon. It is a survey research. The data were obtained through the questionnaires i.e. the Attitude / Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) developed by R.C Gardner, and “How do you learn best?” adapted from K. Willing’s model. And the Standardized Test of English was designed adopting the TOEFL model. The statistical software such as SPSS was employed to analyze the data. The results show most of the participants are instrumentally motivated learner and are communicative as well as teacher-oriented types, and majority of them are of medium level of English Language Proficiency. Furthermore, the findings reveal that an integrative motivated learners scored better than instrumentally motivated learners in English Language Proficiency Test. This means motivation correlates with English Language Proficiency. Whereas, learning style does not correlate with English Language Proficiency. However, the result of correlation test confirms the r score (0.456) is more than t table score (0.2441); which means the H0 hypothesis is rejected. Thus, Motivation and Learning Style correlate with English Language Proficiency. The findings led to conduct further research on motivating students as to improve their level of English language proficiency.

Level of English Proficiency among Science Students of UKM

The improvement of students’ English proficiency depends on the level of teaching English language and the competency of teachers in teaching career. The purpose of this study therefore, was to investigate the relationship between teachers’ competency in English language and students’ English language proficiency within secondary schools of Karongi in Rwanda. The study adopted correlation research design research design. Data collection tools were questionnaire and interview guide. The target population was 1794 people comprised of 1560 students, 14 Sector Education Officers, 20 Head Teachers, 200 teachers. A simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used to get a sample size of 395 respondents. The study findings revealed that majority of the students with a total of 290 (91.2%) agreed that in their school, teachers are not competent enough in English language. Moreover, almost 292 (91.8%) of the respondents agreed that in their school, students English reading, writing, listening and speaking proficiency level is low and 70 (90.9%) of key informants agreed that both in public and private secondary schools of Karongi District, students’ English language proficiency level in reading, writing, speaking and listening is low. The correlation results showed the association between between teachers’ inability to teach in English, teachers’ inability to read classroom interactions in English language, teachers’ incompetency in English language, teachers’ inability to express themselves in English language as well as teachers’ inability to develop English language educational materials) and dependent variables (students’ reading, writing, speaking and listening English language proficiency and students’ English language proficiency (reading, writing, speaking and listening English proficiency) is positive. The study recommended the Ministry of Education through Rwanda Basic Education Board to avail enough English teaching and learning materials, including charts, textbooks and dictionaries which are adequate in enhancing English language proficiency mastery among students at an early age. All stakeholders of the education sector are recommended to support English teaching and learning activities in Rwanda, as it is the only and one shortcut for making Rwandans master the English language. Keywords: Teachers’ competency, English Language, English proficiency, Rwanda

The present study aims to identify the relationship of the Level of English Language Proficiency along Stress/Intonation, Verbal Abilities, Correct Usage, Reading Comprehension, Spelling and Punctuation, Identifying Error and Logical Organization and their Academic Performance of the 251 college students. Moreover, it aims to determine if their is a significant difference of the respondents’ Level of English Proficiency when they are grouped according to their profile: course, age, sex and dialect spoken. The result reveals that in terms of profile course, there is no significant difference in stress and logical organization. However, in Verbal Abilities, Reading Comprehension, Correct Usage, Identifying Errors and Spelling and Punctuation, there is a significant difference. As to profile age,there is no significant difference in Stress/Intonation, Verbal Abilities, Correct Usage, Spelling and Punctuation, Logical Organization. But in Reading Comprehension and Identifying Errors, there is a significant difference. Respondents aging 18 are better than the rest in Reading comprehension and Identifying Errors. Along profile sex, there is significant difference. Female are better than male in Reading Comprehension, Correct Usage and Identifying Errors. In terms of profile Dialect Spoken, there is no significant difference in English Proficiency Level of the respondents. As to the Academic Performance of the respondents, they are within the average level with 176 or 70.1%. The result reveals that there is significant relationship between the respondents’ Level of English Proficiency and their Level of Academic Performance.

While many researchers have studied the relationship of socioeconomic status (SES) to adult learners' English language proficiency levels, little is known about this relationship for young learners (i.e., teenagers). In this study, we investigated the degree to which access to English language learning, as reflected by learners' SES, is associated with young learners' English language proficiency as measured by the TOEFL Junior® Comprehensive test. We analyzed data from 3,053 young English learners (aged 10–16 years) from 9 countries. Data included TOEFL Junior scores and self‐reported SES‐related background information indicating starting age of learning English, number of hours spent learning English in after‐school programs, length of stay in an English‐speaking country, and typing in and learning English on a computer. We found that the latter three factors were significantly associated with TOEFL Junior scores, with substantial variations among countries. These findings suggest that disparities in access to and opportunities for learning may have an impact on young learners' English proficiency levels. However, such relationships should be interpreted in the context of particular countries to arrive at more accurate interpretations and effective decisions in relation to English learning policies and practices.

This study assessed students’ knowledge by looking at their learner autonomy in English language learning, the extent of language learning strategies and their English language proficiency. A descriptive method of research was used in this study. The respondents of this study were senior high school students of Magsaysay District during the second semester of the Academic Year 2022-2023. They were selected through a proportional random sampling technique. Several instruments were used by the researcher including the survey questionnaires about learner autonomy in English language learning, the extent of language learning strategies as well as the students’ English language proficiency. It was found that the senior high school students of Magsaysay District have a high level of learner autonomy in English language learning in terms of cognitive, affective motivational, action-oriented and social while moderate in terms of metacognitive. Senior high school students of Magsaysay District have a high level of language learning strategies in terms of compensation, social, metacognitive, cognitive, memory and affective. They have an average level of English language proficiency in terms of grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension. Findings also showed that there is a significant relationship between learner autonomy in English language learning and language learning strategies, between language learning strategies and English language proficiency. However, learner autonomy in English language learning does not affect English language proficiency. Furthermore, results indicate that cognitive best predicts learning language strategy, as well as English language proficiency and cognitive strategy best predicts English language proficiency. In conclusion, the higher the learner autonomy in English language learning, the higher the extent of language learning strategies and the higher the extent of language learning strategies, the higher the English language proficiency.

.The literacy growth of 260 second-grade English learners (ELs) with varying degrees of English language proficiency (e.g., Beginning, Early Intermediate, Intermediate, Early Advanced and Advanced English language proficiency) was assessed with English literacy skill assessments. Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills measures were compared across one academic school year. Growth curve analyses revealed that initial literacy skill status varied significantly by level of English language proficiency, with Advanced EL students beginning the second grade with the ability to read more words than students with lower levels of English proficiency. In addition, students with Advanced English proficiency levels had steeper oral reading fluency slopes across the academic year, more similar to native English speakers. These findings also suggest that it may be important to assess the phonemic awareness skills of second-grade ELs with Beginning levels of English language proficiency.

Determining the effectiveness of core mathematics curricula is foundational to evidence-based practice. Examining effectiveness heterogeneity is also crucial to better understanding mathematics achievement among English language learners (ELLs). In this study, we used a quasi-experimental design (difference-in-differences) to examine the impact of a standards-based elementary mathematics curriculum (Bridges in Mathematics) on fifth graders’ annual gains in mathematics achievement in a large midwestern school district compared to the district’s prior curriculum (Investigations). We also investigated whether the effect of Bridges varied across English language proficiency (ELP) levels of ELLs. Students in schools that implemented Bridges (n = 1,839) showed significantly greater mathematics gains compared to those receiving the prior curriculum (n = 3,354; g = 0.25 in change score standard deviations). This effect did not vary significantly across ELP levels. Limitations of this study as well as implications for research and practice with core curricula are discussed. Impact Statement We used a quasi-experimental design to investigate the effect of the Bridges in Mathematics curriculum on student mathematics achievement gains in fifth grade in a large, urban school district. Students who received the curriculum grew measurably more on mathematics scores from the fall to spring of fifth grade than students who received the previous curriculum. English language learners with heterogenous English language proficiency levels and English-proficient peers benefited similarly from the curriculum.