Abstract:

Globalization is increasing the number of people learning and working in foreign language contexts thus raising issues of the effectiveness of communication and understanding. While it is generally acknowledged that some level of disadvantage is experienced by those with limited language proficiency, the extent of this disadvantage is context-specific and difficult to measure.

Historical and current language policies at Tallinn University of Technology provide a unique opportunity for testing and measuring the effects of students' language proficiencies on their course results. In earlier, related research the significance of the language proficiency effect was established for Civil Engineering students. The research reported in this article draws on five years of students' performance data to quantify the effect of language proficiency on the results of a project management in construction course and to estimate the language proficiency level below which a significant performance disadvantage is perceptible.

The findings indicate a significant performance disadvantage is associated with language proficiency levels below the (Common European Framework for Languages) B2 reference level in a specific higher education learning environment and suggest that similar understanding gaps and inefficiencies are arising more generally and increasingly as a consequence of globalization.