Abstract

This study investigates the predictive power of self-assessment and nonlinguistic factors in determining Spanish oral proficiency among university learners. Drawing on data from 2,475 undergraduate students enrolled in a third-year Spanish course at Brigham Young University, the research examines how self-assessed speaking ability and experiential background variables--including age of acquisition, mission service, dual immersion, and study abroad--influence Oral Proficiency Interview - Computer (OPIc) scores. A one-way ANOVA revealed a statistically significant but modest relationship between students' calibration (self-assessment minus actual ability) and their OPIc ratings, suggesting that learners can generally approximate their speaking proficiency within two sublevels. A multiple regression analysis indicated that mission language experience and number of native companions proportional to time spent serving a mission were the strongest nonlinguistic predictors of oral proficiency, while formal academic study and gender showed limited influence. These findings underscore the limitations of grammar-based placement tests and highlight the value of integrating self-perception and lived experience into placement frameworks. The study contributes empirical support for hybrid placement models that reflect the diverse linguistic trajectories of contemporary language learners, promoting greater accuracy, equity, and learner agency in university placement decisions.

Degree

College and Department

Humanities; Linguistics

Rights

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