How do university education students assess their mastery of foreign language competences?

Abstract

The study of the linguistic competences of university students constitutes an interesting teaching model, also headed to the access of graduates to the labour market. This research aims to ascertain the relationship between the acquisition of linguistic competences in a foreign language by students of Educational Sciences as well as their accredited level and language in order to obtain their University Degree. To this effect, a descriptive survey with a sample of 260 students from the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the University of Seville was carried out. The presentation of the results is based on the description of variables such as level, language, motivation, importance and mastery of the acquisition of foreign linguistic competences. One of the most relevant conclusions of this study is that, despite the motivation for language learning and the high percentage of students who study English, the level of acquisition of these language skills (low, A2) is lower than the level they accredit (medium-low, B1). Thus, it is worth of remark, that the foreign language proficiency attested by the university student is not, as a general rule, related to the officially required and accredited.