Oral proficiency levels of first‐year entering college students with and without Advanced Placement scores

Abstract

AbstractThough considerable professional discussion has focused on the integration of K–16 curricula, the level of oral proficiency with which students enter college and how that the entry level relates to college programs remains untested. The entry landscape is varied, complexified by the diverse curricula that students experience, in particular within Advanced Placement (AP) programs. The present study probes the oral proficiency levels of 2071 Spanish learners and 712 French learners. The data indicate a significant difference between the oral proficiency levels of students entering college with and without an AP score, but suggest that the difference is only one sublevel higher on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' oral proficiency scale, from intermediate mid to intermediate high on average. The paper discusses the implications of these levels, questioning whether they meet the values of the profession, whether students with these levels are prepared for study in literature programs, and whether an investment in AP programs is prudent.