Language Proficiency and Academic Achievement of Iranian EFL Learners
الموضوعات :
محمد محمدی
1
(
Urmia University
)
الکلمات المفتاحية: Academic Achievement, language proficiency, University Entrance Examination (UEE), Quota Six,
ملخص المقالة :
This research attempts to investigate the effect of the English language test of the University Entrance Examination (UEE) in predicting the academic achievement of Iranian EFL learners. To achieve this goal, Isfahan, Tabriz, Mashhad, Shiraz and AllamehTabatabaeiUniversities were randomly selected. Then, the scores of the English majors admitted to those universities were collected from the aforementioned universities. Subsequently, the scores of special courses were included and the scores of the general ones such as theology, Ethics, etc. were excluded. Afterwards, the English scores of the learners were obtained from the Educational Testing Measurement (ETM) to investigate the relationship between the set of scores from the ETM and their achievements at the aforementioned universities. The results showed significant relationships between the UEE scores and the academic achievement in all fields of the study when quota (Q) six was included. However, in the same fields of study when Q six was excluded, the observed correlation was rather low except for the scores of the English majors in ShirazUniversity. It was also discovered that the correlation observed between the two sets of scores of the English majors in MashhadUniversity did not reveal significant relationships when Q six was excluded.
Ayers, J.B. & Peters, R.M. (1977). Predictive validity of the test of English as a foreign language for Asian graduate students in engineering, chemistry, or mathematics. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 37, 461 – 463.
Baldauf,. R. B. & Dawson, R. L. T. (1980). The predictive validity of the Michigan test of English language proficiency for teacher trainees in Paupa New Guinea. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 40, 1201 – 1205.
Burgess, T.C. and N.B. Greis (1970). English language proficiency and academic achievement among students of English as a second language at the college level. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 074812).
Carrol, B. J. (1980). Testing communicative competence: An interim study. Oxford,: Pergamon.
Clark, J.L.D. (1972). Foreign language testing: Theory and practice. Philadelphia, Pa.: Center for Curriculum Development, Inc.
Cummins, J. (1976). The influence of bilingualism on cognitive growth: A synthesis of research findings and explanatory hypotheses. Working papers on bilingualism, 9, 1 – 43.
Cummins, J. (1978). Educational implications of mother tongue maintenance in minority language groups. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 34, 395 – 416.
Cummins, J. (1979). Linguistic interdependence and the educational development of bilingual children. Review of Educational Research, 49(2), 222 – 251.
Cummins, J. (1980). The entry and exit fallacy in bilingual education.NABE Journal, 4(3), 25 – 60.
Cummins, J. (1980a). The cross-lingual dimensions of language proficiency: implications for bilingual education and the optimal age issue. TESOL Quarterly, 14(2), 175 – 188.
Cummins, J. (1980b). Psychological assessment of immigrant children: logic or intuition? Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1(2), 97 – 111.
Cummins, J. (1981a). Therole of primary language development in promoting educational success for language minority students. In California state department of education. schooling and language minority students: A theoretical framework.Los Angeles: Evaluation Dissemination and AssessmentCenter.
Cummins, J. (1981b). Age on arrival and immigrant second language learning in Canada: A reassessment. Applied Linguistics, 2(2), 132 – 149.
Cummins, J. (1884). Wanted: A theoretical framework for relating language proficiency to academic achievement among bilingual students. In C. Rivera (Ed.) language proficiency and academic achievement. Cleveland, England: Multilingual Matters.
Cummins, J. (1884). Language proficiency and academic achievement revisited: A response. In C. Rivera (Ed.) Language proficiency and academic achievement. Cleveland, England: Multilingual Matters.
Davies, A. (1990). Principles of language testing. Oxford: Basil, Blackwell.
Ellis, R. (1990). Instructed second language acquisition. Oxford: Blackwell.
Farhady, H. (1983).New directions for ESL proficiency testing. In J.W. Oler (Ed.). Issues in language attesting research. (pp. 253 – 268) USA: Bewbury House Publishers. Inc.
Farhay. H, Jafarpour, A. & Birjandi, P. (1994). Language skills testing: From theory to practice. Tehran: SAMT.
Freidenburg, J.E. & Curry, W.C. (1981). English proficiency and the bilingual university students. Paper presented at the Annual International Bilingual Bicultural Education Conference, Boston.
Graham, J.G. (1984) English language proficiency and the prediction of academic success. TESOL Quarterly, 21(3), 505 – 521.
Gue, L.R. and Holdaway, E.A. (1973). English proficiency tests as predictors of success in graduate studies in education. Language Learning, 23, 89 – 103.
Heil, D.K. Aleamoni, L.M. (1974). Assessment of the proficiency in the use and understanding of English by foreign students as measured by the test of English as a foreign language (ERIC Research Rep. No. 350).
Ho, D.Y.F. & Spinks, J.A. (1985). Multivariate prediction of academic performance by Hong Kong university students. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 10, 249 – 259.
Hwang, K. and H.F. Dizney (1970). Predictive validity of the test of English as a foreign language for Chinese graduate students at an American university. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30, 475 – 477.
Light, R.L., Xu, M.& Mossop, J. (1987). English proficiency and academic performance of international students. TESOL Quarterly, 21, 251 – 261.
Mulligan, A.C. (1966). Evaluating foreign credentials. College and University, 41, 307 – 313.
Shay, H.R. (1975). Effect of foreign students' language proficiency on academic performance. Dissertation Abstract International, 36, 1983 A. (University Microfilms No. 75 21, 931).
Slark, J. & Bateman, H.(1982). A study of non-native English speakers' academic performance at Santa Ana College. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No., ED 206 – 368).
Wilcox, L.O. (1975). The prediction of academic success of undergraduate foreign students. Dissertation Abstracts International, 35, 6084 B. (University Microfilms No. 75 – 12, 178).
