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This study investigates the determinants of English language proficiency among students at Panyapiwat Institute of Management (PIM) in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) standards. The determinant factors under examination encompass students' attitudes, prior English language knowledge, information-seeking behavior, satisfaction with English language learning, teachers' expertise, teacher readiness, teaching methodologies, familial support, environmental factors, and international exposure. Data were gathered through a survey administered to 469 PIM students, and the analysis employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. The findings revealed that five significant factors influence PIM students' English proficiency, namely their prior English language knowledge, inclination toward seeking knowledge, teachers' expertise, classroom environment, and practical language usage experiences. Additionally, the research demonstrated a noteworthy impact of students' Grade Point Average (GPA) and the time dedicated to learning English on their CEFR scores. This study contributes to the field by shedding light on the multifaceted factors influencing English language proficiency among PIM students, offering insights that can inform language education strategies and policies. It emphasizes the importance of prior knowledge, information-seeking behavior, teacher quality, classroom environment, and practical language application in enhancing English language skills. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-SIED2-020 Full Text: PDF

'In Deutschland lebende Kinder mit Migrationshintergrund und mangelnder Sprachkompetenz können Bildungschancen häufig nur unzureichend nutzen. Um diesen sprachlichen Defiziten frühzeitig zu begegnen, werden Sprachfördermaßnahmen bereits im Elementarbereich durchgeführt. Die Wirksamkeit solcher Sprachfördermaßnahmen wurde bisher allerdings selten überprüft. Die Landesstiftung Baden-Württemberg hat mit der hier vorgestellten Studie EVAS die Effektivität von durch die Landesstiftung geförderten gezielten Sprachfördermaßnahmen im Vergleich zu unspezifischen Förderaktivitäten im Kindergarten evaluieren lassen. Zusätzlich wurden in dieser Studie die Sprachleistungen geförderter Kinder mit denjenigen von Kindern ohne Förderbedarf verglichen (N=490). Die Ergebnisse der Studie zeigen, dass unmittelbare Effekte der spezifischen Sprachfördermaßnahmen ausbleiben. Dieser unerwartete Befund legt nahe, die Bedingungen erfolgreicher Sprachförderung zu diskutieren und abzuwägen.' (Autorenreferat)

Background and aim: Lack of cultural adaptation may risk or worsen mental illness among immigrants, and interfere with assessment and treatment. Language proficiency (LP) seems essential for access to foreign environments, and the limited research concerning its effects on mental health care encouraged this preliminary study. Methods: We reviewed clinical records of all immigrant psychiatric patients hospitalized at the University of Foggia in 2004–09 ( N = 85), and compared characteristics of patients with adequate versus inadequate LP. Results: Subjects (44 men, 41 women; aged 35.7±10.0 years) represented 3.62±0.94% of all hospitalizations in six years. (2004–09). Most (60.0%) had emigrated from other European countries. Many were diagnosed with a DSM-IV unspecified psychosis (40.0%) or adjustment disorder (18.8%), and 45.9% were in first-lifetime episodes. Average comprehension and spoken LP was considered adequate in 62.4% and inadequate in 37.6%. In multivariate modelling, adequate LP was more prevalent among women, emigration from another European country, receiving more psychotropic drugs at hospitalization, and having entered Italy legally. Conclusion: Findings support an expected importance of LP among immigrant psychiatric inpatients, and encourage language assessment and training as part of the comprehensive support of such patients, especially men.

Standardized tests help learners fulfil their natural desire to learn English and achieve self-actualization needs. The standardized Grade 7 test measured single subject maximum performance on lexical, vocabulary, reading, and writing items. Public schools of Pakistan were the population. Test takers included in this research (n=1500, boys =733, girls =770) were randomly sampled from 56 public schools across Pakistan. However, the pilot study sample was from Lahore district. The percentage of urban schools was 55%, while the rural school percentage was 45%. The percentage of test takers from Punjab was 42.2%, the Northern Areas 24.2%, Sindh 19.1%, and Baluchistan 10.8%. The percentage of female Grade 7 learners was 50.9%, and male learners 49.1%. The sample size for males and females was achieved at 95 % confidence level, margin of error ±5%, population proportion 70%. The objectives achieved during this research were development of a reliable standardized English test (Cronbach alpha 0.888). The findings indicated urban schools had higher scores on learners' objective items compared to rural schools while the writing tasks indicated no sig. difference in the performance of urban and rural schools suggesting memorization of English essays. This research recommends standardized testing since objective items activate schema retrieval practices.

This article uses micro-data from the Spanish National Immigrant Survey (Encuesta Nacional de Inmigrantes-ENI in Spanish) carried out in 2007 among immigrants in Spain. In recent years, Spain has received unprecedented immigration flows. A substantial number of immigrants cannot communicate adequately in the language of the country to which they immigrate. Among the multiple reasons for the lack of host language proficiency one can distinguish factors such as a low level of educational attainment, not having been provided with adequate opportunities to learn the host language, living in ethnic enclaves or having arrived at an older age. Language skills (including oral and written ability) play a crucial role in the determination of the immigrants' social and economic integration in the host country. As a consequence, analyzing the source of foreign language acquisition is crucial for understanding the immigrants' economic, social and political involvement. The results show that an increase in educational attainment is associated with a higher level of Spanish spoken proficiency. Language ability is also associated with the country or region of origin. The results show that immigrant men and women from the Maghreb and Asia, as well as men from Eastern Europe and Sub Saharan Africa show a significantly weaker command over spoken Spanish than Western Europeans. ; N/A

AbstractThis article examines the predictors of second-language proficiency for a group that until now has hardly been investigated: immigrants who rarely participate in the host society and who have a low level of second-language proficiency (sample characteristics are for example: no paid job, low educational and literacy level, high mean age and number of years since migration). In contrast with earlier research, not only self-assessments were used as indicator for second-language proficiency, but also language test scores. Results from a sample of 624 immigrants partly replicate findings from earlier studies: self-assessed second-language proficiency is higher among immigrants who have followed a language course, do voluntary work, have a high educational level, high mother-tongue proficiency, a low migration age, and a large number of years since migration. No links, however, were found between having psychological problems, gender, and migration motive and self-assessed second-language proficiency. Furthermore, some new predictors of self-assessed second-language proficiency were identified, namely similarity in alphabet between mother tongue and second language, daily interactions with natives in the public domain, and speaking the second language at home. For a subsample (N=98) second-language proficiency was also assessed via (objective) lexicon tests. When using scores on this test as dependent variables, only years since migration turned out to be a significant predictor. Though certainly tentative, this finding indicates that different predictors of second-language proficiency may apply depending on how it has been measured.

The main objective of this investigation is to explore whether COVID 19 deaths have effects with regards to language proficiency, predominantly reading. Reading levels seem to have deteriorated as difficulties in spelling and pronunciation of simple English words were demonstrated by learners. In this qualitative inquiry, the author used a case study. The researcher perceived it essential for a qualitative approach to be embarked on hence investigating teachers' life experiences in their natural, context-specific settings. Semi-structured interviews were administered to ten conveniently nominated secondary school teachers. A narrative analysis was used to categorize data into themes that were noted as findings of this examination. A major finding of this inquiry was (i) sudden lack of parental involvement emanating from the (ii) drastic shift in socio-relations amongst the members of the communities, this causing reading to become an overwhelming routine. The study concludes that academic attainment for most learners seems to be hindered by the decline in learner reading proficiencies. To curb the situation, it is therefore recommended that language teachers devise approaches to instill a reading culture within a classroom setting, thus limiting tasks to be administered after school hours.

Foreign students studying in Indonesia are enhancing from year to year. As students who do not use their first language in communicating, both in learning and in social relationships, their ability to speak Indonesian requires to be tested. It is essential in order to ensure the continuity of the learning that will be passed. Consequently, the government owing to the Language Development and Cultivation Agency has established an Indonesian Language Proficiency Test (UKBI [Uji Kemahiran Berbahasa Indonesia]), which is a standardization test for proficiency in the language of Indonesian speakers, both native and foreign speakers. Despite being a tool to measure Indonesian language skills, UKBI also has the prospect to be utilized as a medium to encourage the diversity of Indonesian cultures. This effort is considered important to preserve and maintain the identity of the nation from the world's point of view, particularly against the speed of globalization. By observing various cultural elements in the three "reading texts" at UKBI by way of critical discourse analysis, it can be perceived that the three texts have the opportunity to defend the Indonesian language and culture. Furthermore, due to the test results of 30 foreign students in UKBI in Indonesia, foreign students' understanding and knowledge of the diversity of Indonesian languages and cultures were revealed.

The author considers the issues related to the development of the theoretical platform and the methodology for a model used to control and evaluate educational achievements at the Russian-based university-level foreign-language using such foreign practices as merit point system, testing technology and traditional controls. Having analyzed European practices of control and evaluation of students' foreign language proficiency, in particular, the experience of France, she advocates for the adoption by the national university system of the best available foreign methodology in the field. The article depicts the proprietary model for the comprehensive assessment of the educational outcomes of the internationally majoring students in the French language. The model, customized for Russian universities, is based on the professionally oriented competence-based practical course of the French language for internationally majoring students designed by the author. With the regard to that content and basing on DELF, DALF and TCF language tests and exercise systems for the French language studies by European and Russian practitioners, she advances her own testing, communication and translation exercises toolbox. That comprehensive evaluation model was successful tested at the MGIMO. In the course of that experiment, national testing techniques and the content of linguistic tests and didactic tools were streamlined with the European requirements.

We used an immediate recall paradigm to study the effects of list organization and semantic and grammatical features of printed stimuli on working memory capacity in deaf students with differing English language abilities. Thirty lists of five organizational types (random words, semantically related words, semantically paired words, scrambled sentences, and grammatical sentences) were presented to two groups of deaf students who differed in their proficiency in the English language. The students were required to recall the lists in writing. The results indicate that, overall, the students with higher levels of English language proficiency recalled significantly more than those with lower levels. Additionally, semantic and syntactic organization of the lists had different effects on the two groups of students. Semantic pairing aided the low-level group significantly more than the high-level group, whereas the syntactic organization of the grammatical sentences aided the high-level group significantly more. Implications for assessing language ability in deaf students are discussed.