Evaluation of level of foreign language proficiency based on eye movement data

The effective acquisition of reading and reading comprehension skills in the language of instruction is a crucial factor influencing the success of the learning process in foreign language (FL) environments. Some studies have demonstrated that reading comprehension skills largely explain differences in the degree of learners’ mastery of a foreign language. A C-test can be employed to study the language competence of future students. Unlike standardized tests, C-test results provide more comprehensive information about students’ potential academic success. However, the cognitive mechanisms ensuring the high accuracy of this instrument are not fully understood at present. In this study, we provide evidence of a relationship between C-test results and certain parameters of eye movements during natural reading. Twenty-one Russian-speaking students participated in the experiment, and eye movements were recorded using the SMI-High Speed Tracker 1250. After completing both native and FL C-tests and calibration, participants read FL texts presented in eight slides. The results indicated that FL C-test scores were more closely related to “global” eye movement measures: the duration of fixations, the number of fixations, and the amplitude of saccades. Thus, we can conclude that “global” eye movement measures serve as indicators of the general level of FL proficiency. The obtained results suggest the existence of two different strategies employed by FL learners when restoring missing word parts. Individuals with lower levels of FL proficiency focus on filling in each omission separately, while Russian-English bilinguals with higher FL proficiency make decisions using a model of the text as a whole. A potential avenue for further research is to investigate differences in how bilingual participants perform this type of task based on their language proficiency levels, utilizing more explicit methods. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.

This study aims to explore the relationship between language aptitude components and different levels of English proficiency among Chinese English majors. Sixty-four second-year English majors from a university in Beijing participated in the study. An aptitude test composed of three subtests of Pimsleur Language Aptitude Battery and two self-developed subtests was administered to the participants. The students’ scores on two national English proficiency tests (Test for English majors – Band 4 and Band 8, abbreviated as TEM-4 and TEM-8) were used as measures of their English proficiency. Correlational analysis, multiple regression analysis and t-tests were conducted. Results showed that different aptitude components had different relationship with different levels of language proficiency. Regression analysis showed that two aptitude components (sound discrimination and memory for text) were significant predictors of both of the students’ TEM-4 and TEM-8 scores, while only inductive language learning ability could significantly predict their TEM-8 scores. Further analysis showed that students with higher and lower TEM-4 and TEM-8 scores also differed significantly in different language aptitude components. The results lend support to Skehan’s hypothesis (A cognitive approach to language learning, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1998) that different language aptitude components play different roles in second language acquisition when the learner is at different levels of proficiency.

Linguistic/cultural differences of learners’ native language with English as a foreign language, gender and English proficiency level are among those numerous variables which affect English learning and its quality in Iranian context. The present study was an attempt to illuminate the effects of these variables on performing integrative approach of general English tests (cloze test and recall task, in particular). Hence, participants who were 162 Persian/Arab English learners (students of Abadan Institute of Technology in Khozestan, a province in which Arabic and Persian ethnicities live together) of both genders and were at different levels of proficiency were categorized into two categories of 82 Persian and 80 Arab English learners, as the basic categories of the study. Then, subjects were exposed to the study’s instruments:clozed and recall tasks made out of culture-based texts. The obtained results of an independent samples t-tests implied that Persian English learners performed remarkably better than their Arab peers. This over-performance may be because of linguistic/cultural characteristics of Persian which is more analogous with English (structurally and phonologically speaking) compared with Arabic. With the aid of a three-way ANOVA, gender and language proficiency level were also found to be effective variables for successful performance of integrative tests. In better words, as students' proficiency level decreases, cultural parameters play more significant roles in their recall task performances. It was also found that, subjects’ performances on cloze and recall tasks as two manifestations of integrative tests were highly correlated.

Today, the modeling of various aspects of speech activity is the mainstream of modern cognitive and computational science. Along with models of natural language processing, much attention is paid to finding mechanisms of the several languages functioning within one cognitive system (bilingual, trilingual, etc.). The search for specific features of the processing of linguistic information by one subject in different languages allows one to approach the construction of bilingual models. This article is devoted to the analysis of the eye movements during text reading by bilinguals in their native and foreign languages, with different levels of proficiency in the latter. The present study tests the assumption that eye movement features of people with a high level of foreign language skills are similar during text reading in native and foreign languages. Another goal is to elicit features that provide the differentiation between the elementary and the intermediate levels of English language proficiency. We offer new Eye Tracking based evaluation metrics for the level of language proficiency.

Importance. The development of key contextual, cross-contextual and existential competencies of employees, which include digital and presentation competencies, ensures the quality of human capital. The aim of the study is to investigate the possibilities of AI for the formation of presentation competence of adults with different levels of foreign language proficiency, as well as to analyze data on students’ real-life experience of using AI applications.Materials and methods. General scientific and special methods were used: observation, formalized questionnaire survey with open and closed-ended questions, comparative analysis, expert evaluation.Results and Discussion. It has been proved that the use of AI provides positive statistically significant dynamics of development of presentation competence of students with different levels of proficiency in the cognitive (basic level Δx̄ = 1.9, ΔМо = 2; intermediate – Δx̄ = 1.6, ΔМо = 2; advanced level Δx̄ = 1.5, ΔМо = 2) and communicative components (basic level Δx̄ = 1.3, ΔМо = 1; intermediate and advanced levels Δx̄ = 0.8, ΔМо = 1). At the same time, neither in the experimental nor in the control groups there was no significant increase in the dynamics of the digital component development among students of all three levels of proficiency in the language. The main functions, advantages, and disadvantages of AI for creating presentations in the subjective evaluation of students are revealed. The necessity of further development of students’ critical thinking, especially with intermediate and basic level of foreign language proficiency, is established.Conclusion. A conclusion is made about the effectiveness of using AI for the formation of foreign language presentation competence. Further research is aimed at developing an integrated approach to teaching foreign language in higher education with the use of AI, considering the identified limitations.

The research topicality is determined by the problem of lack of qualified specialists who have a high level of foreign language proficiency and the ability to carry out effective professional foreign language communication. The study involved the following methods: Rokich’s Value Orientations Test, Nemov’s methods for diagnosing the expectation of success level, the Self-Efficacy Scale (R. Schwarzer, M. Jerusalem); testing on the material taught on the Theory and Practice of English Translation, chi-squared test, Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Simulation of real conditions and situations of translation activity is used in almost every lesson (80%), promoting the development of future translators’ professional competencies. The final control in the experimental group found that all students had a high (48.10%) or medium (51.30%) level of foreign language proficiency, which confirms the effectiveness of the simulation method. In the experimental group, the percentage of students with a low level of foreign language proficiency at the end of the research decreased from 26.3% to 0.6%, and the percentage of students with a high level of foreign language proficiency almost tripled. At the same time, in the control group the number of students with a low level of foreign language proficiency decreased from 25% to 10%, while the percentage of students with a high level of foreign language proficiency increased by only 1.6 times. Therefore, the hypothesis of this scientific research was experimentally confirmed. Simulation training promotes the development of foreign language competencies of students majoring in Translation.

Background. The article is devoted to the rationale for introducing the principle of configurability into the methodology of teaching foreign languages at the third level of higher education in higher education institutions. In order to get acquainted with the basics of contextual learning, five main principles of the competence-based model of foreign language training are considered. Each principle is revealed in relation to the organisation of students' learning of the content of the discipline "Foreign Language". Purpose of the article is to justify the introduction of the principle of configurability in the methodology of teaching foreign languages in higher education institutions. Results. The features of the educational process in higher education are described. It is noted that the professionally oriented nature, multilevel nature as the presence of higher education levels, such as bachelor's, master's and postgraduate, multi-level education, when in one group there are students with a significantly different level of proficiency in another foreign language, set the trend towards the introduction of variable training. Variable foreign language training is implemented through the development of basic and additional educational options. Basic options are focused on fulfilling the requirements of state educational standards at the minimum necessary level and are implemented in a larger volume in contact classroom work. Additional options are aimed at achieving the highest possible level, which is determined by the needs and motivation of a particular applicant for the third level of higher education. Taking into account their individual characteristics and cognitive needs is possible in the presence of many different options. Conclusions. The introduction of the principle of configurability (the presence of changing borders) into the methodology of teaching foreign languages is intended to ensure the design of a large number of different educational options. The didactic principle of configurability is considered as the construction of an educational process or its segment by transforming structural components, choosing the content of components from a number of options. The availability of different approaches, methods, teaching aids and forms of control allows to create a number of structural components. The choice of component content is based on criteria such as the learner's level of foreign language proficiency, cognitive learning style, cognitive needs and interests. When configuring a holistic course, the determining criteria are optimisation and intensification of foreign language training. The article presents an example of the application of the principle of configurability in the formation of educational options for students majoring in Foreign Philology. It is shown that the application of this principle contributes to the individualisation of their foreign language training.

The search for factors and determinants of effective foreign (second) language acquisition (FLA/SLA) is an interdisciplinary problem that is becoming more and more practically important in the modern globalising world. The purpose of this study is to examine and compare the correlation between personality traits and the foreign language proficiency (FLP) level among students of various university specialties. The total sample includes 241 first- and second-year undergraduate students (74% females), of which 128 students (82.5% females) study at the Linguistics Department and 113 students (64% females) belong to other departments. All the students learn English as a primary foreign language (FL). The Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality traits (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness) were measured by the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (Russian adaptation by S. Biryukov and M. Bodunov). In testing the foreign language proficiency levels, we used the traditional Academic Performance Index (semester Final Grades in English) and assessments of the foreign language proficiency levels made by English teachers in relation to their students according to the Foreign Language Proficiency Scale (10 indices and the total score) developed by the authors. To process the data in the R software environment, version 3.5.2, the methods of descriptive statistics, Cronbachs alpha and Macdonalds omega coefficients, Spearmans rank correlation analysis and Wilcoxons T -test were used. The findings of our research showed that FLP is most closely related to Openness in linguistics students and to Conscientiousness in non-linguistics students. These facts should be taken into account by the developers of programmes for psychological and pedagogical support of the FL learning process in Russian universities.

Self-esteem is an important component in every person’s life, which is associated with well-being in life and success in professional activities. If self-esteem is inadequate (overestimated or underestimated), then this negatively affects both the personal and professional spheres of a person. However, self-esteem is a parameter that can be adjusted, since it is not innate, but is formed over the course of life, so inadequate self-esteem can be adjusted. As the analysis of scientific literature in recent years shows, the self-esteem of non-linguistic students is very little studied, whereas this parameter is extremely important to be taken into account. Students should receive not only professional knowledge, but also develop other skills and qualities necessary for a successful specialist, because only deep knowledge of the subject does not guarantee high achievements in profession. In this regard, we decided to conduct a study to see what level of self-esteem students of aerospace specialties have, as well as compare their self-esteem and the level of foreign language proficiency (that is, to identify the relationship between self-esteem and academic performance). The paper also examines the level of students’ claims, which being a fairly important component of self-esteem has an impact on it. The Dembo-Rubinstein method was chosen as the research method. The results of the study have shown that mostly students with high foreign language level have inadequate self-esteem and a level of claims. It means that having high knowledge they do not use their full potential to the maximum. Students with a lower level of a foreign language have, for the most part, adequate self-esteem. This study highlights the need and importance of analyzing students’ self-esteem and, if necessary, subsequent work to correct it.

Introduction. Ukraine has chosen to integration in Euro-Atlantic security structures, and since 2014 has been actively pursuing a Euro-Atlantic course. As a NATO graduate country, Ukraine has to fulfill a number of requirements for NATO membership, one of the key ones being proficiency in military personnel in a foreign language (English) not lower than the SMR-2 (functional) according to the NATO STANAG 6001 standard. However, the average among militaries is SMR-1 (survival). Such an indicator is insufficient to meet NATO requirements, so the article attempts to identify groups of reasons for such a level of foreign language proficiency by military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and suggested ways of overcoming this problem. Purpose. To study the requirements of the governing documents on the level of foreign language proficiency of military personnel, to determine the reasons for the lack of proficiency in the foreign language of military personnel of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Research methods: system analysis, induction and deduction, comparison, classification, generalization and systematization. Results: identifying groups of reasons for a low level in a foreign language and some recommendations for improving it . Originality. At present, the level in a foreign language (English) by military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a rather problematic issue. Unless military personnel in the Armed Forces of Ukraine increase, their level of foreign language skills to NATO requires there can be no question of joining NATO. Therefore, the study identified the reasons for the low level in a foreign language proficiency by military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and some recommendations for improving it that may be useful for solving this problem. Conclusion. The study suggests that there is currently a problem of a low level in in a foreign language (English) and identifies four groups of reasons for this low level and some recommendations to address the current problem. At the same time, the research leads us to state that the solution of the topic raised depends on the militaries (himself), including, who, however, needs to be supported and motivated. It should be noted that the achievement of the required level in a foreign language by Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel is one of the priority and at the same time problematic tasks for the Armed Forces, so it is necessary to further investigate this issue in search of the best ways to solve this problem.

The article presents the results of a methodical experiment, organized to verify the effectiveness of the methodology of differentiated instruction of English for specific purposes (ESP) listening and reading to the future specialists in the field of information technology (IT). The hypothesis, the object and tasks of the experiment, the experimental material, the phases of the experiment, the nature of the experiment (basic, natural, vertical-horizontal) and the varied and non-varied values are outlined. The testing tasks are described to determine the students’ level of foreign language proficiency in listening and reading. Using the coefficient of training proposed by V. P. Bespalko the data of the pre-experimental and post-experimental sections are analysed. The results of experimental training using the criterion φ* ‒ the Fisher transformation of the corner are interpreted. The pre-experimental results were lower than 0.7, and this declares the fact that students in all groups had an insufficient level of foreign language proficiency in listening and reading. Also the groups of future IT specialists were heterogeneous. With the aim of differentiated ESP instruction the students were differentiated according to the level of foreign language proficiency (В1 and В2) in receptive types of speech activity. Also using the Rebecca Oxford's Style Analysis Survey (SAS) the students were divided on the base of their learning style. According to the post-experimental results, the usage of differentiated ESP instruction of listening and reading to future IT-specialists, states the growth of the level of the foreign language proficiency in listening and reading, as well as the significant reduction of the imbalance among students. According to the data, the second variant of the developed methodology, has been proven to have a higher effect. The experiment showed, that with the usage of the differentiation according to the learning style and the level of the foreign language proficiency in listening and reading increases the objective need for flexible variation and integration of individual features of the future IT-specialists for their maximum full and effective implementation in the educational process.

The article deals with acquisition of listening competence in German as a foreign language classes at higher educational institutions. The authors analyze major studies conducted by scientists in this field. To solve the set tasks in the research, the following classification of classical (analytical/articulatory, imitative/acoustic, analytical-imitative/combined) and innovative (communicative, personal-activity, competence, level, reflexive and cultural) methodological approaches to the development of learners' phonetic competence is suggested. It is proved that currently, the use of the stated methods in the educational process is of the great interest in the methodology of teaching foreign languages i.e. the combination of classical methods with innovative techniques and Internet resources that, in their turn, contain a huge amount of additional information in various forms. In practice, it was confirmed that the use of innovative techniques and Internet resources in foreign language classes develops learners' competence in listening, helps to increase their motivation and success along with creating favourable conditions for their active self-development. The paper describes and analyzes modern educational and informational Internet resources in terms of their relevance to the research issue and different levels of foreign language proficiency. The effectiveness of the suggested set of exercises is proved as they provide practice, development and achievement of the new level of learners' listening skills. Pertinent interactive sites and YouTube channels, offering teaching materials and audio samples relevant to the topic of the lesson and the level of learners' foreign language proficiency, are used to create assignments within the frameworks of classical and innovative approaches to the study of a foreign language. It has been shown that the presentation of audio material in a Podcast format is currently the most modern as a Podcast enables practicing and improved comprehension of the German-language interviews on various interesting topics in free time. It is also proved that the use of mnemonic, multisensory techniques as well as mental maps while doing listening comprehension exercises significantly contributes to the development of learners' competence in listening.

Background. The relevance of the problem is due to the fact that the Federal State Educational Standards of Higher Education consolidate the line on a personality-oriented model of education and upbringing. This model is designed to help in finding and creating conditions for the development of universal, general professional and professional competencies in the studing of bachelors. Purpose. Creation of a course of the second foreign language (German) for bachelor students in politics based on interdisciplinary connections of philological subjects. For this purpose, the authors use the basics of an interdisciplinary approach, which allows students to apply knowledges of the disciplines of the curriculum, such as "Political Science", "Practice of Effective Communication", "Logic and Theory of Argumentation", "Cultural Studies", "Russian Language and Culture of Speech", "Geopolitics", "Fundamentals of Internet Communication" in the process of studying a foreign language and improving universal, general professional and professional competencies. As a result of applying an interdisciplinary approach, the scientific picture of the world of students is expanded, the analysis of foreign experience of public administration and international law is carried out in the original language. Profile-oriented approach is achieved through the implementation of a communicative, personal, activity-oriented approach in teaching related and close in content disciplines. Materials and methods. The study material was based on the texts for training from the textbook "45 Stunden Deutschland", the Internet portal "Tatsachen über Deutschland" and project assignments developed by students studying in the specialty "Public Policy and Social Sciences" in the 3rd and 4th years of the "Magnitogorsk State Technical University named after G.I. Nosov". We assume that when preparing bachelor's students in non-linguistic specialties, it is necessary to build the teaching of a foreign language based on the interdisciplinary connections of general humanitarian disciplines, then the level of foreign language communicative competence will remain no lower than the level of senior secondary school and in some cases will be higher, and the level of universal, general professional and professional competencies of a bachelor-future politician by means of a second foreign language (FL2) will increase. In our study, we analyzed the literature on the problem, summarized the existing developments of domestic and foreign scientists on the topic of the study, and conducted experimental training. We are confident that the application of the competence approach in assessing foreign language communicative competence in FL2 allows us to state that the level of proficiency in FL2 becomes higher, namely equal to level B1 or B1+. This, in turn, ensures the students' readiness for further language and speech development by means of both a foreign and native language. Results. The socio-political and economic changes taking place in our country have led to a qualitatively new round of interest in foreign languages and the subject of "Foreign language". The desire to improve the preparation of bachelors in foreign languages has disrupted the usual monotony of curricula and work programs. Magnitogorsk State Technical University named after G.I. Nosov, represented by the Institute of Economics and Management, conducts bachelor's degree training in the direction 41.03.06 "Public Policy and Social Sciences" and successfully implements programs that meet the requirements of today. Bachelors of this specialty are taught two foreign languages, one of which is German language. Experience working in groups of the specified specialty convinces that through interest in the language, interest in the country of the studied language also increases. The level of language proficiency allows students to critically analyze foreign sources in their specialty and make reasonable conclusions, perceive the intercultural diversity of society, apply the knowledge gained during language training when preparing reports, presentations, carry out business communication in a foreign language, be ready for intercultural dialogue and defend their civic position. That is, in general, students improve their communication skills in all communication functions: informational, regulatory, emotional-evaluative, etiquette.

The labour market under current conditions is dynamic and non-homogeneous – it witnesses differentiation in terms of various phenomena and criteria, according to structural changes in the socio-economic environment of society. When considering the labour market requirements for foreign language proficiency, of crucial importance is to take into account the ultimate employers’ needs in the transport industry, the main one being maximum adaptability of graduates-specialists to practical activities in the relevant real sector of the economy. Industry-related educational institutions offer the integrated multi-level system of staff training, retraining and refresher courses conducted under the state regulation in order to meet the state needs. Therefore, to respond to the new challenges, which the transport industry is facing, the educational process continuity requires expansion of professional competencies into supplementary fields of knowledge, taking into account the international labour market condition. Among these, a high level of foreign language proficiency should be noted, which is a significant competitive advantage for a transport university graduate. The authors of the research formulated the industry-related requirements for the level of foreign language proficiency, determined the relevance of improving the quality of foreign language training of students at a transport university, and proposed the methodology guidelines for the use of mnemonics in the process of forming the professional foreign language competence of future economists.

In this study, the benefits of multisensory structured language (MSL) instruction in Spanish were examined. Participants were students in high-school-level Spanish attending girls’ preparatory schools. Of the 55 participants, 39 qualified as at-risk for foreign language learning difficulties and 16 were deemed not-at-risk. The at-risk students were assigned to one of three conditions: (1) MSL—multisensory Spanish instruction in self-contained classrooms (n=14); (2) SC—traditional Spanish instruction provided in self-contained classrooms (n=11); and (3) NSC—traditional Spanish instruction in regular (not self-contained) Spanish classes (n=14). Not-at-risk students (n=16) received traditional Spanish instruction in regular classes similar to the instruction provided to the NSC group. All three at-risk groups made significant gains over time on some native language skills regardless of teaching method. The MSL group also made significant gains on a foreign language aptitude measure. The MSL group and the not-at-risk group made greater gains than the two other at-risk groups on foreign language aptitude and native language measures of reading comprehension, word recognition, and pseudoword reading. Although most at-risk learners achieved an “expected” level of foreign language proficiency after two years of instruction, significant group differences were found. On measures of oral and written foreign language proficiency, the MSL and not-at-risk groups scored significantly higher than the at-risk groups instructed using traditional methods. After two years of Spanish instruction, no differences in foreign language proficiency were found between the MSL group and the not-at-risk group.