A Study of English Proficiency Testing for Ability Grouping

• Main Authors: Hueichuan Chen, 陳慧娟
• Other Authors: Shiping Wang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/87108518594419852553

碩士 === 國立臺灣科技大學 === 應用外語系 === 98 === The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of SIEP (Summer Intensive English Program) and the correlation between CSEPT (College Student English Proficiency Test) and the E-Touch English proficiency test (EPT) for students at the University of Science and Technology. This study also compares the achievement in performance among basic, intermediate, and advanced groups. The SIEP questionnaires were presented as well, especially, the quality of instruction, curriculum, placement, management, overall impression of textbook and participants’ self-assessment. The participants were 105 students at a university of Science and Technology. Participants were grouped based on the results of the pretest. According to EPT scores, from low to high, the participants were divided into basic, intermediate, and advanced groups. For each group, after six weeks SIEP training, participants took the posttest and also completed questionnaires after SIEP training. Descriptive statistics, One-way ANOVA, Person correlation and independent sample t test were used to analyze the collected data. The results show that there had a significantly positive correlation between CSEPT and EPT score. According to their mean score, all the participants improved in listening and reading test after SIEP training. With the analysis of one-way ANOVA, the results show that basic group had a significantly positive correlation in listening and reading test. The results of questionnaire show that there is no significantly positive correlation between participants’ English proficiency and their gender, learning background, the starting age of learning English and major. Nearly 85% of the participants agree that SIEP does help them in learning English efficiently; around 80% of the participants thought they were placed in right class and SIEP course training can arouse their learning interests; 63% of the participants consider that listening and speaking activity are the best way in helping to learn English, which is why 88% of the participants suggested that SIEP should emphasize speaking and listening lessons; however, only 10% of the participants support the grammar activity.