Differences in native-language skills, foreign-language aptitude, and foreign-language grades among high-, average-, and low-proficiency foreign-language learners: two studies

Abstract

Two studies examined the extent to which there would be differences in native language skills, foreign-language aptitude, and final foreign-language grades among high-school students completing a second year of a foreign-language course and identified as high-, average-, and low-proficiency learners. Oral and written proficiency measures in Spanish, French, and German were designed and administered by trained evaluators. The first study involved 60 females who attended a private, single-sex suburban high school; the second involved a coeducational population of 36 students in a suburban public 2 school. Results showed overall differences among the three proficiency groups on native-language and foreign-language aptitude measures. Most group differences were between high- and lowproficiency learners, although high vs average and average vs low groups differed on some measures. There were also group differences in final grades at end of both first-year and second-year foreign-language courses. Discriminant analyses showed that two testing measures in the first study and one testing measure in the second study were significant in distinguishing the three groups. Conclusions and implications about connections among foreign-language proficiency and native-language skills, foreign-language aptitude, and end-of-year grades are presented.