Level Of English Proficiency Research Articles

Modeling the return on investment in human capital in the IT industry of Ukraine

Purpose. To identify patterns of return on investment in human capital in the IT industry of Ukraine through a quantitative assessment of the relationship between the income of IT specialists and the experience and other characteristics of the specialist and the company, as well as the formation of relevant recommendations. Methodology. The empirical basis of the study was a survey on the salary of IT specialists in Ukraine conducted in December 2022. The methodological basis of the study was general scientific and special research methods, in particular, the method of abstraction (to focus on the main determinants of the formation of IT specialists’ income), induction (to extrapolate the patterns found in the sample to the entire IT industry of Ukraine), economic mathematical modeling (for the construction of a multiple regression model that reflects the patterns of influence of factors on the income of IT specialists that exist in reality). Findings. It was established that among IT specialists people are predominant with little work experience (up to 5 years). The effect of experience on the growth rate of income has a decreasing non-linear nature, while the most noticeable increase in income is observed during the first years of work in the specialty. It was found that the highest-paid IT professionals are software development engineers, managers at various levels, and quality assurance engineers. It has been proven that the level of English proficiency has a positive effect on income. A higher level of remuneration for the work of IT specialists in product companies and startups compared to outsourcing or outstaffing companies has been established. Originality. It has been revealed that the relationship between the income of IT specialists and their work experience, profession, level of English language proficiency, and company type. Practical value. The applied value of the study lies in the ability to predict the income of IT specialists. The formed recommendations can be used in the activities of IT companies in terms of improving financial control over the spending of funds for the payment of services of IT specialists, assessing the feasibility of investing funds in personnel development, as well as substantiating the planned indicators of changes in the costs of paying for the services of IT specialists.

Influence of The Progress of Tourism Objects Towards The Level of English Proficiency of Medan Communities

Influence of The Progress of Tourism Objects Towards The Level of English Proficiency of Medan Communities

Investigating the Interplay Between Authentic Leadership Skills and Second Language Proficiency in a Higher Education Institution

This research investigates the interplay between authentic leadership skills and second language proficiency, specifically English, among academic leaders in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Bulacan, Philippines. In a globalized educational landscape, leadership in HEIs is crucial for institutional success. The study focuses on Authentic Leadership, emphasizing its developmental perspective and four key components: self-awareness, internalized moral perspective, balanced processing, and relational transparency. Concurrently, it explores the impact of English language proficiency on leadership within the context of higher education. Using a descriptive correlational research design, the study sampled supervisory staff at NU Baliwag, employing the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) for language proficiency and the Authentic Leadership Self-Assessment Questionnaire for leadership skills. Results indicate a moderate to high level of English proficiency, with a positive correlation between language proficiency and authentic leadership dimensions. The study contributes insights for NU Baliwag, suggesting that enhancing language skills may positively influence leadership development. However, caution is advised in generalizing findings, and the study highlights the need for future research to replicate the study in diverse contexts and consider additional variables for a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics between language proficiency and leadership development in higher education.

Causes of Low Communicative Competences in English as a Foreign Language: Considerations and Reflections

Mastering English as a lingua franca has become a first-rate skill for new professionals in most jobs around the world. According to the bilingualism policies in Colombia it is expected that students from higher education achieve a level of English between B1 or B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL), with students from bachelor degree programs in foreign languages, the level must be C1, in this sense the Ministry of Education has implemented projects and strategies to get a bilingual professional with high communicative competences, according to the demands of the globalized world. However, most students show low levels of communicative proficiency in English according to the results of the test applied by ICFES. Despite the demands of learning English, weaknesses persist in the mastery of communicative competences. A constant concern is to investigate some causes of low communication skills in this language. This article presents the results of some research conducted in various countries around the world that has attempted to investigate these causes. The causes, according to the results of the research, have to do with social and cultural aspects, but more importantly, teacher performance is one of the most frequent causes. This requires special attention to start programs and projects aimed at training teachers in didactic competencies.

Perceptions of learning from audiovisual input and changes in L2 viewing preferences: The roles of on-screen text and proficiency

AbstractPrevious research on audiovisual input attests to a significant effect of on-screen text and proficiency on learning gains. However, there is scarce research on whether these factors affect viewers’ feeling of learning, a variable that can affect overall second language (L2) learning outcomes (Ellis, 2008). Moreover, there is a lack of research exploring whether viewing experience prompts viewers to switch from one viewing mode (subtitles, captions, no on-screen text) to another and what factors affect those choices. This study explores learners’ perspectives on learning from audiovisual input and their preferred viewing mode before and after participating in a prolonged viewing intervention. A total of 136 participants of varying L2 English proficiency levels (from A1 to C2) completed pre-viewing and post-viewing questionnaires. The results show that vocabulary and expressions were perceived to be learnt the most. The elementary proficiency group were more likely to be positive about learning from the intervention than higher proficiency students. Concerning the preferred viewing mode outside of the classroom, the participants favoured no on-screen text or first language (L1) subtitles over L2 captions. At the end of the intervention, the elementary-level participants found that viewing without any L1 support was too challenging for leisure viewing, while the intermediate- and advanced-level students gained confidence in watching without any textual support.

Implementation of content and language integrated learning in biology education programs

Relevance. Modern higher education emphasizes not only professional training but also the integration of students into the global professional community through foreign language proficiency, which enhances skills and professional competence. Purpose. This research aims to assess the effectiveness of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) methodology in biological education programmes at higher education institutions in Kazakhstan. Methodology. A semi-formalized questionnaire survey was conducted across six educational institutions in Kazakhstan, comprising "closed" questions including open-ended list questions, single-choice questions using the Likert scale, and multiple-choice questions, totalling 16 questions. Results. The survey conducted across six educational institutions in Kazakhstan revealed that 85.5% of students perceive Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) positively contributes to their English language acquisition within biological education programmes. This underscores CLIL's effectiveness in enhancing language skills alongside disciplinary knowledge. Despite varying English proficiency levels among participants, the study indicated strong student engagement with CLIL, demonstrating significant interest and active participation in the learning process. Conclusions. The study confirms CLIL's efficacy in enhancing English acquisition within Kazakhstan's biological education. With 85.5% of students noting its positive impact, CLIL shows promise as a key method for integrating language and disciplinary knowledge. Despite varying English levels, high student engagement underscores CLIL's effectiveness. Future steps should focus on formalizing CLIL across Kazakhstan, providing support for educators, and refining methodologies through ongoing research. Implementing CLIL prepares students for global contexts, enhancing educational outcomes and international competitiveness. Keywords: English; pedagogy; teaching methodology; linguistics

Neural correlates of processing active and passive sentences: proficiency-dependent event-related potential evidence in Chinese English foreign language learners.

We explored whether and to what extent the neural mechanisms of second language sentence processing resemble those of native speakers by investigating the temporal dynamics of syntactic processing in terms of active or passive voice in reading English sentences by Chinese English Foreign Language (EFL) learners with high or low English proficiency. Participants were divided into two groups based on their proficiency levels in English. Three types of sentences (active, passive and ungrammatical) were presented to participants when their event-related potential responses were recorded at the verbs and the final words. The results showed that high-proficiency participants exhibited a greater anterior negativity at the verb position for ungrammatical sentences compared to active sentences. Furthermore, passive sentences elicited a larger frontal positivity than active sentences at the final word position. Additionally, greater P600 effects were observed for both passive and ungrammatical sentences than active sentences at the final word. The low-proficiency group exhibited a greater anterior negativity at the verb (but not the final word) position. In conclusion, these findings emphasize the role of proficiency as a modulating factor in the processing of English active and passive sentences among Chinese EFL learners. Furthermore, the processing of English active and passive sentences by these learners can be conceptualized as a three-stage process: prediction, correction and integration, representing the underlying cognitive mechanisms. This study provides novel insights into the understanding of the cognitive mechanism involved in second language sentence processing.

The Effects of Workshops on International Orientation and Self-Other Understanding: Attempts at CEFR A2 Level Classes in a Japanese Music College

This study evaluates the effectiveness of workshops within English classes for Japanese music college students. The objective is to enhance the international orientation of music students and to foster intercultural understanding, as well as self- and other-understanding. The participants were 42 second-year students classified as “false beginners” at the CEFR A2 level of English proficiency. These students had limited basic English abilities and little practical use experience, with a background of low motivation for learning English. The study, designed as an alternative to traditional English remedial education, involved eight workshop-based lessons over one year. The post-workshop survey revealed that students recognized the importance of the workshops, gained a deeper understanding of internationality, and improved their communication skills and self-other understanding. However, limitations of the study include its focus on a small group of music students, reliance on self-reported data, and the absence of long-term follow-up. These factors hinder the generalization of the results and assessment of long-term effects. Future improvements and effective implementation of workshop-based programs are anticipated to address these limitations.

Ukrainian HEI Students’ Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Fostering Media Literacy and Critical Thinking in EFL Learning

The study examined Ukrainian HEI students’ opinions and perceptions of media literacy and critical thinking skills in EFL learning before and after participation in the set of trainings. Being created in the framework of the Jean Monnet Module project “EU strategies extrapolation for boosting students’ media literacy in Ukrainian higher education”, it was aimed to empower students with essential skills for navigating the complexities of the modern media landscape, evaluating information sources, forming such students’ competencies as critical thinking, fact-checking, digital security, resistance to media manipulation. A sample of 40 second-year undergraduate students, aged 19 to 23, willing to develop their media literacy and EFL capacities, who demonstrated at least A2 level of English language proficiency, were questioned through Google Forms by means of the specially designed questionnaires. The outcomes of the study revealed that the issues of media literacy and critical thinking were of particular importance among the young people, but they also pointed out their awareness of being insufficiently skilled in working with media products, their concerns about the quality of digital content they had consumed and priorities of being independent in media consumption choices. The activities conducted during the study significantly affected students’ gaining knowledge of media development, their value-meaningful attitude to the media space, the desire to detect false information, and distinguish fakes, manipulation, propaganda, and disinformation.

Visibilizing invisible engagement behind students’ no-revision operation to written feedback

Student engagement with written feedback (WF) in English as a second language (ESL) / English as a foreign language (EFL) learning has been widely researched from cognitive, affective, and behavioural dimensions. Students’ textual change is taken as the only indication of their behavioural engagement with feedback. Students’ no-revision operation or their unaction is usually considered as their disengagement or lack of engagement, or excluded from the examination of students’ WF engagement. How students have possibly engaged themselves with WF before they consequently disuptake (used in the context of feedback engagement, as an opposite to “uptake”) it is hardly touched upon in most studies. To visibilize students’ invisible engagement, we contextualized the study in a natural EFL writing class involving students’ writing and revisions after peer review and automatic writing evaluation (AWE). We used stimulated recalls and screen capturing to investigate students’ cognitive, affective and behavioural engagement with unactioned WF (hereafter UAWF). The findings show that 95.9% of the UAWF have been attended. The three participants, of different English proficiency levels, reported to have variably engaged themselves with their UAWF. Our findings also reveal feedback quality and students’ experience in using AWE system greatly influences their engagement with AWE feedback; student’s language proficiency has a stake in their engagement effectiveness; carefully designed peer review activities can make peer reviews more effective to benefit both feedback receivers and providers.

Colombian University Students’ Experiences as Users of the English Language During International Mobility

This exploratory case study analyzes Colombian university students’ experiences as English users during international mobility. Data collected through surveys and interviews were examined based on content analysis and principles of grounded theory. The students’ self-perceived English proficiency and communicative performance before and during international mobility were analyzed, while challenging areas were identified. The results evidence that mobility students have insufficient levels of English proficiency to engage in academic and social activities due to inadequate production skills and a lack of practice. The students also perceive university academic English opportunities for practice as basic, and they underutilize practice spaces. Nonetheless, they highlight that active engagement in autonomous language exposure and developed interpersonal skills positively impact their perception of language performance.

Effect of Using English on The Erosion of Indonesian as A Lingua Franca

This research aims to determine the influence of the use of English as a language of daily communication on the erosion of Indonesian as a lingua franca, by considering various sociolinguistic and cultural factors. Indonesian is the national language used by Indonesian people to this day. However, the use of Indonesian seems to be starting to be eroded by the use of English which is recently frequently used, especially by teenagers. This raises growing concerns about its potential impact on the erosion of Indonesian, the lingua franca. This study involves the theory of extensive utilization of the English language in various fields and its current status as a global or international language. The method used in this research was descriptive qualitative. Qualitative data were collected through surveys, online forms, and focus group discussions with individuals representing different linguistic backgrounds and levels of English proficiency. The results of this research showed that 96.2% of respondents always use English as their daily language in communication. Apart from that, the use of English had an impact on the use of Indonesian when having a conversation. Researchers also found that even though respondents knew Indonesian as a lingua franca, in fact they used English more by 51.9%. Therefore, this research also seeks to provide input for language planning and language policy making which aims to maintain the national language and preserve the role of Indonesian as an important communication tool in Indonesian society.

A phenomenological study of university lecturers’ EFL teaching challenges in an Asian setting

PurposeEnglish, the lingua franca of the world, permeates a global teaching-learning space not only for communication per se but also as a medium of instruction and social interaction. The authors studied the lived experiences of five English-speaking university lecturers as regards English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching in a non-English-speaking Asian country.Design/methodology/approachUsing a phenomenological inquiry and through Zoom interviews, the authors studied the lived experiences of five English-speaking university lecturers as regards EFL teaching in a non-English-speaking Asian country.FindingsThematic analyses guided the authors' understanding of the participants’ lived experiences in the classroom, such as the following: (1) Local students have a negative perception of EFL; (2) lecturers’ professional standards are hardly imposed and (3) local students have a mixed level of English proficiency. The authors also examined the participants’ lived experiences in the organization, where the following issues surfaced: (1) sending of communication messages beyond working hours, (2) bureaucratic working environment and (3) changing of policies.Practical implicationsThe authors' research implies the need for programs and policies that will help EFL teachers deal with instructional and other socio-cultural challenges in an Asian context.Originality/valueIn the Asian setting, there is a dearth of literature that focuses on the experience of university lecturers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), in particular, their teaching challenges. The authors confronted this gap by understanding the local beliefs about EFL teaching among English-speaking university lecturers.

On the acquisition of tense and agreement in L2 English by adult speakers of L1 Chinese

Abstract This study investigates whether forms associated with verbal inflection can be acquired in relation to two UG-based L2 acquisition hypotheses: the Full Transfer Full Access (FTFA) Hypothesis (Schwartz, Bonnie & Rex Sprouse. 1994. Word order and nominative case in nonnative language acquisition: A longitudinal study of (L1 Turkish) German interlanguage. In Teun Hoekstra & Bonnie D. Schwartz (eds.), Language acquisition Studies in generative grammar, 317–368. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, Schwartz, Bonnie & Rex Sprouse. 1996. L2 cognitive states and the ‘full transfer/full access’ model. Second Language Research 12. 40–72) and the Interpretability Hypothesis (Tsimpli, Ianthi-maria & Maria Dimitrakopoulou. 2007. The Interpretability hypothesis: Evidence from wh-interrogatives in second language acquisition. Second Language Research 23. 215–242). The former captures the insight that convergence on grammars like those of native speakers is possible, whereas the latter argues that a native/non-native divergence results from the inaccessibility of some uninterpretable syntactic features. Ninety adult L1 speakers of Chinese of different English proficiency levels were asked to interpret and produce tense and agreement in various contexts in three tasks. Results suggest that the underlying grammatical representations in the end-state grammar may not be the same as native speakers’. We speculate that the inaccessibility of the uninterpretable [uInfl:] feature of v and the uninterpretable [uInfl:*] feature of be are the potential source of difficulty in acquiring verbal inflection in L2 English.

Using Independent Learning Log for Listening Skill Learning Among First Year University Students

Students freshly admitted to the English Language and Literature study program has various levels of English proficiency. To maximize their listening skills, independent learning log was administered to the students to support their learning activities outside classroom. This action research was aimed at investigating the benefits of the log for the students’ listening skills, and for the students’ English learning in general. Data was collected from a listening class comprising 42 students. Each student was given an independent learning log and had to complete the log outside the classroom. Classroom discussions during the log completion were carried out in several meetings throughout the semester. In addition, the independent learning reflection was conducted at the last week of the semester. The findings indicate that the benefits of using the independent learning log for students were self-paced learning, more personalized choices, and more peer collaboration. Specifically, students became more self-directed and autonomous. Furthermore, they shared learning resources, forming a class-based learning community. Collectively, all of these benefit their future learning.

Assessment of Bukavu Finalist Pupils' English Active Vocabulary Knowledge

The Congolese national program of English instructs that secondary school pupils be equipped with 2,000 active words in the four years of English training (based on 500 active words per year), so that they can be able to communicate effectively in English. However, the Congolese State Exams do not evaluate finalist pupils’ level of English active vocabulary knowledge to check whether this objective is reached or not. Consequently, the finalist pupils’ actual level of English active vocabulary knowledge at the end of their secondary school education remains unknown. To have an idea on the level, this study aimed at assessing Bukavu finalist pupils’ English active vocabulary knowledge. After a random sampling of 35 (10%) Bukavu secondary schools with the final year, the data were collected from 1506 Bukavu finalist pupils of the scholar year 2021/2022 through a test of English active vocabulary knowledge, which comprised multiple choice and traditional questions. The data, compiled in Excel for easy handling, showed the following English proficiency levels among Bukavu finalist pupils: below elementary 4.1%, elementary 69.9%, pre-intermediate 22.8%, intermediate 2.8%, upper-intermediate 0.4%, and advanced 0.0%. In summary, most pupils in Bukavu secondary schools end their English training with an "elementary level," possessing an average of 594 (29.7%) active words instead of the expected 2,000. Finally, relevant recommendations were made to the Congolese legislator, teachers of English and Bukavu secondary school pupils for the increase of the level.

The Relationship between Age, Gender, Prestige, Social Media, Area of Origin, Level of English Proficiency and the Use of White Language in Riyadh City in Saudi Arabia

The present study is conducted in order to explore the use of white language, which is defined as an Arabic language which contains the use of English words while using Arabic and that lacks any particular regional accent, vocabulary, or any other regional characteristics. Furthermore, it examined the relationship between the white language and the following: age, gender, prestige, social media, area of origin and English level of proficiency. The study used a quantitative research approach. In order to provide the data needed, the current study used a questionnaire as its instrument. The study sample included 627 citizens of Riyadh city. The findings of the study revealed that the sample was neutral to the use of white language. That is, sometimes they use it, and they do not use it. Furthermore, the analysis of the data showed that there was a relationship between social media, prestige and white language; participants who used social media more and who perceived white language as a prestigious language tended to use it more. In addition, it was revealed that there was a relationship between age and white language; as age increases, white language usage decreases. From the analysis, it was found that there were no differences between different areas of origin in the use of white language; however, there were differences in the use of non-regional vocabulary between central and southern areas of origin. Moreover, the findings uncovered the relationship between white language and the level of English proficiency; participants with a high command of English tend to use white language more. However, the results showed that the level of English proficiency has no relationship with the use of non-regional vocabulary. Finally, the findings further indicated that there were no differences between males and females in the use of white language. However, the findings suggested that there were differences between males and females in their use of code-switching.

The effect of limited english proficiency on prostate-specific antigen screening in American men.

To evaluate how limited English proficiency (LEP) impacts the prevalence of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in a contemporary, nationally representative cohort of men in the USA. The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey was utilized to identify the prevalence of PSA screening between 2013 and 2016 among men ≥ 55. Men who speak a language other than English at home were stratified by self-reported levels of English proficiency (men who speak English very well, well, not well, or not at all). Survey weights were applied, and groups were compared using the adjusted Wald test. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify predictors of PSA screening adjusting for patient-level covariates. The cohort included 2,889 men, corresponding to a weighted estimate of 4,765,682 men. 79.6% of men who speak English very well reported receiving at least one lifetime PSA test versus 58.4% of men who do not speak English at all (p < 0.001). Men who reported not speaking English at all had significantly lower prevalence of PSA screening (aOR 0.56; 95% CI 0.35-0.91; p = 0.019). Other significant predictors of PSA screening included older age, income > 400% of the federal poverty level, insurance coverage, and healthcare utilization. Limited English proficiency is associated with significantly lower prevalence of PSA screening among men in the USA. Interventions to mitigate disparities in prostate cancer outcomes should account for limited English proficiency among the barriers to guideline-concordant care.

Test-retest reliability and validity of the Importance of Olfaction Questionnaire in Denmark.

While measures to detect psychophysical olfactory ability are a crucial part of clinicians' assessment of potential olfactory loss, it gives no indication of how olfaction is experienced by the patient and these different aspects often deviate substantially. To ensure quality and reproducibility of subjectively reported olfactory experience and significance, the Importance of Olfaction Questionnaire (IO-Q) was introduced around a decade ago, and while initial validations have produced promising results, important aspects remain nearly unexamined. For example, the test-retest reliability has rarely been examined and the difference of online versus pen-and-paper administration remains unexplored. Here, we translated IO-Q to Danish and examined its validity, test-retest reliability and mode of administration. A cohort of 179 younger, Danish participants with a high level of English proficiency took the test twice with varying time in-between. The first test was taken digitally and in English, while the second was taken using pen-and-paper and in Danish. The distribution of scores and the relationship between the IO-Q and subscale scores were nearly identical between tests, indicating little to no influence of language/test modality in the sampled population. The internal consistency was comparable to previously published results. Likewise, an acceptable test-retest reliability was observed for the full IO-Q and slightly lower for subscales. No significant effect of time was found across several weeks. In conclusion, the IO-Q performed satisfactorily in all examinations and could therefore serve as a valuable clinical measure of subjective olfactory experience, and its Danish translation shows highly similar characteristics to the original, English version.

DEMYSTIFYING STUDENT NEEDS IN NON-ENGLISH PROGRAMS FOR ENGLISH-SPECIFIC PURPOSES

It cannot be hindered that needs analysis is a crucial element of English for Specific Purposes theory. Without it, effective communication in targeted domains cannot be achieved. Since ESP is linked to their field of study it presupposes that student chose to be extra curious in comprehending issues related to their domain of study or work, which should have a connection between components and English skills. This study examines students' requirements for learning English for specific purposes, encompassing their needs, preferences, and areas of deficiency, with a focus on multidimensional learning needs. The research employs a descriptive qualitative approach. This study employed several techniques to collect data, including conducting interviews with students enrolled in English for Business Management (ESP) courses during their second semester. The results of this research were analyzed using Hutchinson and Waters (1987) theory of needs analysis. Researchers found that students have a high need to learn English; they desire to improve their speaking skills for work, but there is a gap between their current proficiency level and what they need. It is highly recommended for students who are planning to pursue a degree in management studies to possess an intermediate level of proficiency in the English language before starting their academic journey. Therefore, it is advisable for students in the management study program to have at least an intermediate level of English proficiency before commencing their studies. This strategy ensures their ability to address their English learning requirements effectively.