Preservice Teachers’ English Language Proficiency: The Case of First Year BECED Students

Abstract

This study employed a mixed-methods approach to assess the English language proficiency of first-year BECED pre-service students at the Bicol University College of Education during the second semester of Academic Year 2022–2023. Quantitative data were collected through survey questionnaires administered to eight participants, complemented by qualitative insights to contextualize the findings.

Results revealed that students performed at varying levels across the four key components of English language proficiency. Listening Comprehension scored 77.5%, placing students at the Developing level. Reading Comprehension emerged as their strongest area, with an 85.63% score, placing them at the Proficient level. Conversely, Vocabulary had the lowest performance at 48.75%, classified as Beginning level, followed by Grammar at 65.2%, also within the Beginning range. While Reading Comprehension met the expected proficiency for college-level students, the overall average score of 68.67% indicates a Beginning level of proficiency among the group.

These findings highlight a pressing need for targeted support in foundational language skills. In response, the researchers proposed the After-School Assistance Program (ASAP)—a series of structured learning sessions designed to improve the English language proficiency of BECED pre-service teachers.