The Nexus between English Language Proficiency and Mathematics Competency: The Case of Filipino K-12 Graduates

Background: While a significant body of research has addressed teachers' evaluations of mainstream English speaking students, there is a dearth of such research focusing on immigrant adolescents. As many immigrant students are in the process of acquiring English language proficiency, evaluating and assigning grades to immigrant youth can pose particular challenges. Grades assigned for oral or written products may underestimate English language learners' knowledge, content skills or achievement. Conversely, relying excessively on effort or class behaviour rather than actual academic performance may inflate immigrant students' grades. Purpose: We examined the extent to which immigrant students' academic achievement indicated by grades is attributable to factors such as English language proficiency, course understanding, classroom behaviours and homework completion. We then examined whether the effect of homework completion on grades varied as a function of English proficiency. In addition, we examined the factors contributing to teachers' evaluation of immigrant students' level of course understanding. Lastly, we investigated whether the effect of homework completion on course understanding varied as a function of English proficiency. Sample: This study examined the final year (2002) data of the five-year Longitudinal Immigrant Student Adaptation (LISA) study. At the start of the original study, the participants were recently arrived immigrant youth (ages 9–14) from Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua), China, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Mexico; they were recruited from seven public school districts in the USA in Massachusetts and California. The present study was a secondary analysis of a subset of final year LISA data, involving data from 273 students and 57 teachers. Methods: Using data collected through structured student interviews and behaviour checklists completed by teachers, we conducted hierarchical regression analyses to identify the factors that contributed significantly to immigrant students' grades and to their course understanding. Further regression analyses were conducted to determine whether English language proficiency was a moderating variable on immigrant students' grades and their level of understanding in a course. Results: There were four main findings. Firstly, the regression results indicated that homework completion and English language proficiency had significant impact on class grades. Secondly, the effect of homework completion on grades was not moderated by students' English proficiency. Thirdly, immigrant students' class behaviours, English proficiency and homework completion largely determined teacher evaluations of students' course understanding. Fourthly, the effect of homework completion on teacher evaluations of students' course understanding was moderated by English proficiency. For students with high English language proficiency, completing homework significantly affected teacher assessments of their course understanding. For students with low English language proficiency, however, completing homework had relatively little effect on teacher assessments of their course understanding. Conclusions: In this exploratory study, grades assigned to immigrant students were largely determined by whether they do their homework and their English language proficiency. Teacher evaluations of immigrant students' level of course understanding were largely determined by students' class behaviours, English language proficiency and homework completion. It is suggested that teachers distinguish between effort and skill and provide separate feedback for each of these dimensions during the process that newcomer immigrant students are concurrently acquiring academic skills while mastering a new language. However, further investigation is needed to determine the generalisability of findings to a larger immigrant youth population.

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

This study sought to investigate the influence of family background on English language proficiency among learners in Nine and Twelve Years Basic Education (YBE) from selected schools in Musanze district, Rwanda. The study adopted the convergent parallel design, utilizing a mixed approach. The study was carried out in 10 selected schools in different sectors within Musanze district. The population of the study counted 9321 subjects, from which a sample of 384 individuals was selected, comprising 225 students, 100 parents, and 59 teachers. The sample size was determined using Yamane’s formula. Random and purposive sampling techniques were used in selecting the involved participants. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire (with 5-point Likert scales), an interview guide, and a document review guide. The data were analyzed using percentages, frequencies, means, standard deviation, and regression analysis. The findings revealed that parents’ and siblings’ educational levels have a positive and significant influence on English language proficiency among learners in 9 and 12 YBE schools in the Musanze district of Rwanda (standard beta coefficient =.972; p-value =.000<0.05). It was found that family location has a positive and significant influence on English language proficiency among learners in 9 and 12 YBE schools in the Musanze district of Rwanda (standard beta coefficient =.981; p-value =.001< 0.05). It was found that family economic status has a positive and significant influence on English language proficiency among learners in 9 and 12 YBE schools in the Musanze district of Rwanda (standard beta coefficient =.983; p-value =.002< 0.05). It was also found that family language of communication has a positive and significant influence on English language proficiency among learners in 9 and 12 YBE schools in the Musanze district of Rwanda (standard beta coefficient =.985; p-value =.000<0.05). The study recommended that the Ministry of Education should implement comprehensive language programs, provide regular professional development for teachers, foster a language-rich environment, and utilize technology for language learning as a means to create an environment that promotes English language proficiency and support students in developing their English proficiency.

The PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study), TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), and PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) have become gold standards for the international comparison of children’s performances, when aged 10 and 15 years.
 This paper focuses on secondary analysis of basic statistical indicators on reading literacy (PIRLS), as well as the mathematics and scientific literacy (TIMSS) of pupils at 10 years of age, followed by their reading, mathematics and scientific literacy at 15 years of age (PISA). It compares the pupils’ main educational results in PIRLS and TIMSS with their PSA results. PIRLS, TIMSS, and PISA help to identify key problems within pupils’ educational levels in these selected literacies and create effective educational policy measures.
 One aspect of the comparison within the research paper is the aggregate indicator; this is the arithmetic mean of PIRLS and TIMSS results, using pupils’ PIRLS results from 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016, and TIMSS results from 2007, 2011 and 2015. The other aspect of the comparison is the aggregate indicator; which is the arithmetic mean of pupils’ PISA results for 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2015. A significant relationship was found to exist between the arithmetic mean of pupils’ PIRLS, TIMSS, and PISA results.
 Political and professional policy decisions within schooling affect the early years of pupils’ school attendance. This has a significant impact on their future education at all levels of schooling. The findings of this paper support a hypothesis regarding the effects of pupils’ educational performance and the need for measures to improve education in schools that should be adopted on an ongoing basis.

This study compares the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 Mathematics results with the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 Grade 8 mathematics results, using country mean scores for 22 participants of both studies. It is found that Western countries generally performed better in PISA than in TIMSS, and Eastern European and Asian countries generally performed better in TIMSS than in PISA. Furthermore, two factors, content balance and years of schooling, can account for 93% of the variation between the differential performance of countries in PISA and TIMSS. Consequently, the rankings of countries in the two studies can be reconciled to a reasonable degree of accuracy.

This paper explores the measurement capabilities of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in assessing school factors that influence student performance. We specifically focus on the 2015 assessments of the science performance of eighth graders in Sweden and Norway. This was the latest year when the two assessments were conducted in the same year and science was the major subject area in the PISA assessment, which was essential for maximizing the assessments’ comparability. Using multilevel models, the study identifies common and unique factors across the assessments and investigates the factors that influence student performance at different proficiency levels. The findings highlight the importance of school-level factors, which are significant in both assessments. Moreover, both assessments provide information on overlapping sets of factors that have varying influence on the performance of students with different proficiency levels. Overall, there are limited common factors between TIMSS and PISA. School factors vary between low-performing and high-performing schools, with differing significance in Norway and Sweden. The results indicate that TIMSS and PISA assessments offer complementary information, particularly for low-performing schools. Our findings suggest that different school types may benefit or suffer from distinct school factors. The findings are relevant for both educational professionals and policy-makers.

The results of the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) survey in 2012-2015 on the achievement of mathematical competencies of Indonesian students showed a significant increase, but the overall achievement was still below the average of the countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Furthermore, the results of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) report showed that many students like and feel good about mathematics, but their confidence in their mathematical abilities was quite low. Many studies reveal the close association of Mathematics Self-Efficacy (MSE) with the performance/achievement of students' mathematical competencies. In 2015, the PISA survey was done using computerization except in 15 countries, one of them was in Indonesia. Therefore, the results of this study are to produce the first computer-based MSE scale developed in Indonesia.

English as a foreign language education is a top national priority in China, and improving learners’ English language proficiency is a concern. However, most research focuses on how to enhance English proficiency in the educational environment. Investigations of the impacts of family environment on English language development are limited. This study explored the relationship between family environment and English language proficiency among 975 first-year Chinese undergraduate students. One-way ANOVA, regression analysis, and mediation analysis were performed to determine the variations in English proficiency among Chinese university students based on their family socioeconomic status and parenting styles, how well these predicted Chinese university students’ English achievement, and whether parenting styles mediated the link between family socioeconomic status and English proficiency. The results indicated that although the effect of family socioeconomic status on English proficiency appeared minimal, neglectful parenting, rather than authoritative parenting, had a significantly positive influence on English proficiency. This study also provided evidence of the mediating role of parenting styles between family socioeconomic status and English outcomes.

This chapter utilizes two major international student assessments, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), and explores key issues about science pedagogies internationally from a comparative perspective. It explores the following questions: What do the findings from TIMSS and PISA say about science teaching and learning internationally? What do the findings from TIMSS and PISA suggest about the influence of culture and context on science teaching and learning? What can countries internationally learn from TIMMS and PISA to develop science teaching and learning in their own countries? There are many more, of course, and the combination of research and continuing to use PISA and TIMSS data in a critical way, while also promoting quality teacher education, is crucial to ensure that science teaching and learning is high quality, culturally appropriate and engages all our young people.

In the USA, people with limited English proficiency (LEP) disproportionately experience gaps in health insurance coverage and access to care. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 included reforms that could improve these outcomes. To describe changes in insurance coverage and access to health care by English language proficiency over 2006-2016. We used regression models to estimate changes in coverage and access after 2010 for adults with high vs. limited English proficiency, adjusting for socio-economic status, demographic characteristics, and health care needs. We used difference-in-differences models to assess adjusted changes in disparities by English proficiency after 2010. Supplemental analyses used nearest-neighbor propensity score matching to balance the characteristics of respondents. Respondents aged 18-64 in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey over 2006-2016, with high (n = 174,214) or limited (n = 16,484) English language proficiency. Insurance coverage was a binary variable indicating any health insurance coverage during the past 12months. Access to care was measured using binary variables indicating whether the respondent had a usual source of care and received necessary medical, dental, and preventive care. Gains in health insurance coverage after 2010 were significant for adults with high English proficiency (1.7 percentage points, p < 0.001) and adults with limited English proficiency (4.6 percentage points, p = 0.007); gains did not significantly vary by English proficiency. Adults with LEP showed larger improvements than adults with high English proficiency in having a usual source of care (5 percentage points, p = 0.007) and receiving needed medical care and dental care (1.4 percentage points, p = 0.013, and 2.8 percentage points, p = 0.009, respectively). Findings remained similar when matching was used to balance the measured characteristics of respondents with high vs. limited English proficiency. Disparities in health care access by English proficiency narrowed after 2010, the year of passage of the ACA.

As a significant personality trait that drives individuals to pursue excellence and adhere to the highest standards, perfectionism plays a vital role in language acquisition. In light of this, the present study aims to examine the relationship between perfectionism and English language proficiency among non-English majors. Utilizing the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale for Chinese (CFMPS) (Frost et al., 1990), an online questionnaire was administered to 215 non-English majors to assess various dimensions of perfectionism. The participants’ English proficiency was also measured using their College English Test Band 4 (CET-4) scores. Based on this standardized metric, their English language proficiency was quantified to further explore its association with perfectionism. To achieve the research objectives, the collected data were analyzed using various statistical techniques, including descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and logistic regression. The results indicated that participants exhibited a high level of perfectionism both overall and across its various dimensions. Moreover, significant differences in perfectionism were observed based on gender and grade level, while no differences emerged across majors. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was found between perfectionism and English proficiency. In summary, the findings of this study are expected to provide deeper insights into the influence of perfectionism on language learning and other behavioral aspects of learners.

This study investigates how Kurdish students' English language proficiency is related to academic confidence, self-esteem, and academic stress. It fills a gap in the research by focusing on Kurdish students that has not been investigated in depth in earlier scholarly research in educational studies. The aim is to examine English language proficiency, academic confidence, self-esteem and academic stress among Kurdish students at the Education Faculty of Tishk International University. A quantitative approach was implemented using an adapted questionnaire measuring self-esteem, academic stress, English language proficiency and academic confidence. 128 surveys were filled out by 3rd an 4th year student. Statistical analyses measured correlations between demographic background of the respondents, their English proficiency, academic confidence, self-esteem and academic stress. The findings of the study show that older students, and 3rd-grade students experienced more academic stress. English language proficiency increases self-confidence and language academic confidence. Finally, students with higher self-esteem had higher language confidence. Such findings require essential pathways for improving Kurdish students’ academic success and their overall mental well-being.

A great number of studies have investigated science teaching and learning (STL) using data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Nevertheless, there is little effort to synthesise these studies. Reviewing the status of research on STL, including the trends, approaches, and findings is crucial for identifying research gaps that require greater attention. Consequently, this review synthesises empirical studies investigating STL using TIMSS and PISA. First, we mapped their characteristics based on the aims, data, STL measures, and research approaches. Second, patterns of the findings were summarized by focusing on the (1) relationships between STL and student outcomes; (2) factors that explain STL variation; and (3) patterns of STL. Most studies examined STL related to inquiry activities and their relationships to student outcomes. Their findings were largely inconsistent and could be traced back to different ways STL was conceptualized and measured. This review calls for the studies examining TIMSS and PISA data to enhance the quality of research approaches and clarity in reporting them. It also encourages researchers to reflect upon the knowledge gained from harnessing these data to examine STL and discusses the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

In response to frequent news media reports about how poorly American students fare compared with their peers abroad, Daniel Koretz takes a close look at what these comparisons say, and do not say, about the achievement of U.S. high school students. He stresses that the comparisons do not provide what many observers of education would like: unambiguous information about the effectiveness of American high schools compared with those in other nations. Koretz begins by describing the. two principal international student comparisons-the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). Both assessments, he stresses, reflect the performance of students several years before they complete high school. PISA, which targets fifteen-year-old students, measures students' abilities to apply what they have learned in school to real-world problems. By contrast, TIMSS tests fourth and eighth graders. Unlike PISA, TIMSS follows the school curriculum closely. Because the findings of the two tests are sometimes inconsistent, Koretz stresses the importance of considering data from both sources. He cautions against comparing U.S. students with an "international average," which varies widely from survey to survey depending on which countries participate, and recommends instead comparing them with students in other nations that are similar to the United States or that are particularly high-achieving. Many observers, says Koretz, speculate that the lackluster average performance of American students in international comparisons arises because many, especially minority and low-income U.S. students, attend low-performing schools. But both TIMSS and PISA, he says, show that the performance of American students on the exams is not much more variable than that of students in countries that are socially more homogeneous or that have more equitable educational systems. Koretz emphasizes that the international comparisons provide valuable information and are a useful source of hypotheses about American secondary schooling to be tested by researchers. Studies designed to explain differences between U.S. students and those in very similar countries, he says, might provide especially useful suggestions for changes in policy and practice.

Large-scale international assessments of schooling effects attempt to provide comparative data for participating countries. Two such assessments are the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Singapore has participated in TIMSS since 1995 and PISA since 2009. These studies use student outcomes as measures of school effectiveness and educational achievement. They focus on student achievement mainly in three school subjects: mathematics, science and language. Other international studies like the Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics (TEDS-M) also provide comparative data on teachers of mathematics and related matters. Singapore participated in TEDS-M. The results of TEDS-M were available in 2012. This chapter presents snapshots of significant data and findings of Singapore’s participation in TIMSS 2015, PISA 2009 and 2015 and TEDS-M. For TIMSS 2015, it focuses on the performance of Singapore students and their engagement and attitudes for mathematics. For PISA 2009 and 2015, it focuses on the performance of Singapore students and their exposure to mathematics content and their drive and motivation to learn mathematics. For TEDS-M, it focuses on the national contexts and policies for teacher education and nature of mathematics teacher education programmes in Singapore. It also examines the performance of future teachers from Singapore in mathematics content knowledge (MCK) and mathematics pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK) and their beliefs and perceptions of opportunities to learn. The chapter concludes with possible reasons about the commendable performance of Singapore students in TIMSS and PISA.