Understanding Van Lang University Placement Test Reports: A Snapshot Of High School Students' English Proficiency
Van Lang University Placement Test (VLU PT) is an English proficiency test required for all non-English major students who will enroll in the Academic English program at Van Lang University (VLU). This test is used to assess students’ three language skills, including: Listening, Reading, and Writing. The VLU PT, which was implemented at VLU in September 2022, was designed with an aim of placing students in appropriate English language levels based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
In this paper, a brief overview of the development and implementation of the VLU PT will be provided. The paper will also present the findings generated from the report on over 11,600 students’ test results (VLU PT results) and a survey conducted after the students’ completion of VLU PT. It could be claimed that the findings first offered a snapshot of high school students' English language proficiency prior to their tertiary commencement at VLU. More importantly, the findings provided an insight into challenges faced by first-year students who had a lack of English language knowledge and skills essential for studying at the tertiary level.
Based on the collected data, this paper will offer some implications for high school educators regarding English language program development and assessment.
