Freshmen placement test for educational streaming at university as a measure of school graduates preparedness for passing compulsory Unified State Examination in english

Glushko N. A., Mikhaylenko E. A.

In the context of forthcoming introduction of compulsory Unified State Examination in English for all school graduates in Russia, a realistic assessment of their readiness for this experience becomes a topic of various discussions. The article studies the results of English placement test passed by all freshmen of non-linguistic departments of the university. The test outcome provides data on a level of language proficiency shown by students who nowadays do not choose English as a subject for the final school examination. The analysis of empiric evidence enables the authors to conclude that obligatory English exam for all graduates is now inadvisable. The paper also gives a brief description of students streaming for language classes at the university as general placement test supports its implementation.

Keywords:Unified State Examination, English, placement test, level of language proficiency, streaming.