Foreign language competence of pupils finishing elementary school

Abstract

We have constructed criterion-oriented tests in English, Russian, French and German, examining the fundamental competence the pupils have acquired after four years of learning a foreign language in the elementary school. The tests examined the following: reading comprehension, verbal communication skills (directed conversation and translation of usual sentences from Serbian into a foreign language) and grammar. The subjects were 352 eighth class pupils of Belgrade elementary schools. According to the scores, the pupils had mastered about 60 percent of the basic language competence in English, Russian and French, and about 50 percent in German. In all languages, the best scores were achieved in reading and understanding simple texts. The level of achievement in the remaining components varied according to the language in question. Girls scored better in all languages, except French. There is a high correlation between the grades and the achievement at the criterion-oriented tests, which means that the grades reflect quite adequately the pupils' basic competence in foreign languages.