The Impact of Student’s Level in English on academic performance: A case of IAU.

Abstract

This study is a descriptive correlation one. Forty-eight students were sampled from the Deanship of Preparatory Year and Supporting Studies for the academic year 2017/2018, in the first and second semesters, to find out the impact of a student’s level in English on academic performance by identifying the relationship between the students’ levels in English language and their academic performance in LRSK (learning and research skills) and communication skills courses. An English placement test which is: “an exam that is prepared by the English language department and is taken prior to orientation week.  This assessment simply measures the student’s English language skills and helps place them in the appropriate English class where they will benefit the most. This test is not included in the student’s GPA and is purely used for placement” is used as a tool of study. Data are collected and analyzed of SPSS. The findings of the study show that there is a strong correlation between the students’ levels in English and their academic performance in Preparatory year at IAU; students whom their level advanced and intermediate in English based on the placement test results performed are better than the students at the beginner level; the importance of this result because of the medium of instruction, which changed two years ago from Arabic to English in these courses,  a lot of recommendations were suggested at the end with the findings of the study.