Proficient beyond borders: assessing non-native speakers in a native speakers’ framework

Abstract

The popularity and relevance of the English language has made foreign language education a mainstream endeavor around the globe (Dixon et al. 2012;Hu 2007). English language proficiency is considered a basic skill (Cha and Ham 2008;Graddol 2006) that students from different language backgrounds are expected to demonstrate, regardless of whether they are native speakers or non-native speakers. This holds true for all dimensions of language proficiency, however, the comprehension of written texts is one of the most important academic skills for students to acquire and improve (Edele and Stanat 2016;Urquhart and Weir 2013). Therefore, reading is considered a major prerequisite Abstract Background: English language proficiency is considered a basic skill that students from different language backgrounds are expected to master, independent of whether they are native or non-native speakers. Tests that measure language proficiency in nonnative speakers are typically linked to the common European framework of reference for languages. Such tests, however, often lack the criteria to define a practically relevant degree of proficiency in English. We approach this deficit by assessing non-native speakers' performance within a native speakers' framework. Method:Items from two English reading assessments-the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the National Assessment (NA) for English as a foreign language in Germany-were administered to N = 427 German high school students. Student abilities were estimated by drawing plausible values in a two-dimensional Rasch model. Results:Results show that non-native speakers of English generally underperformed compared to native speakers. However, academic track students in the German school system achieved satisfactory levels of proficiency on the PISA scale. Linking the two scales showed systematic differences in the proficiency level classifications. Conclusion:The findings contribute to the validation and international localization of NA standards for English as a foreign language. Practical implications are discussed with respect to policy-defined benchmarks for the successful participation in a global English-speaking society.

Digital storytelling as a disciplinary literacy enhancement tool for EFL students

“…Therefore, there is a need to further explore the role of DST in multilingual contexts, with the overarching goal of developing students' STEM-A disciplinary literacy in English. This need has emerged from problems related to students' language development (Anderson et al 2018) exacerbated by the increasing role of English in STEM areas (Plo-Alastrué et al 2015) as well as the economic divide between EFL and non-EFL speakers (Fleckenstein et al 2016). Previous research has shown a positive impact of DST in teaching astronomy (Ruddell et al 2016;Zellner 2018).…”

“…Whereas reported educational statistics show a gap between non-native (EFL) and native (non-EFL) English speakers' literacy and numeracy test performance (Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet 2018; National Assessment Program 2015; The Nation's Report Card 2015), recent research in linguistics underscores the misleading nature of such comparisons. While native speakers as a group usually outperform non-native speakers (Somers 2017;Fleckenstein et al 2016), there is high intragroup variability (Dąbrowska 2019;Hulstijn 2019). EFL students' proficiency in social, economic and academic English literacy makes them competitive against native English speakers in the global job market (Fleckenstein et al 2016).…”

“…While native speakers as a group usually outperform non-native speakers (Somers 2017;Fleckenstein et al 2016), there is high intragroup variability (Dąbrowska 2019;Hulstijn 2019). EFL students' proficiency in social, economic and academic English literacy makes them competitive against native English speakers in the global job market (Fleckenstein et al 2016). Consequently, most of the differences in academic performance observed in both native and EFL speakers can be attributed to education (Dąbrowska 2019).…”

Global Communication Is the Vehicle for Language Expansion

“…The globalization of English provides the language with a global lingua franca and an international language diversifies (Xu, 2018). The spread of the English language around the globe is classified by the linguist Braj Kachru that is consisting of three concentric circles representing different ways in which the language is acquired and used by people in different countries as represented in Figure 1 (Fleckenstein et al, 2016).…”

Graphic Organizers as Effective Methods in Teaching Classroom English

“…Open Journal of Modern Linguistics,10,[459][460][461][462][463][464][465][466][467] https://doi.org/10.4236/ojml.2020.105027 Open Journal of Modern Linguistics different contexts (Savignon, 2017). However, English language teaching is looking for new approaches to address the range and level of English proficiency required for participation in today's global community (Fleckenstein et al, 2016).…”