The English Proficiency of Overseas Students

S ummary . Seven tests of English language reception including listening comprehension, reading comprehension, reading speed and grammar, were tried on samples of overseas students in the U.K. and overseas, and on a control group of native English speaking students. Three factors extracted by principal components were tentatively identified as segmental listening, textual listening (over + .6) and a more diffuse reading comprehension (over + .5). Concurrent and predictive validity studies gave coefficients which ranged from + .8 to .2. Analysis of variance indicated that home language area both by itself and in interaction with sex has considerable influence on English proficiency. Comparative figures suggested that students requiring most remedial attention are: Semitic, Mediterranean, West African and East/Central Africa. It was found that varying academic levels (e.g., university, technical college) did not require varying proficiencies in English and that one proficiency cut off was adequate.