Proficiency in Spoken English - Underlying Concepts
Name of variable
The name of the variable is Proficiency in Spoken English.
Nominal definition
The variable Proficiency in Spoken English is defined as the ability to speak English in every day situations.
Proficiency in Spoken English is an attribute of the counting unit 'person'. That is, it is an attribute of an individual as opposed to a family or household.
Operational definition
Operationally, the variable is defined as the self-assessed level of ability to speak English, asked of people whose first language spoken is a language other than English or who speak a language other than English at home.
The definition of language is provided in the Australian Standard Classification of Languages (ASCL), 2011 (ABS cat. no. 1267.0).
Discussion of conceptual issues
This variable was formerly called 'Proficiency in English', a name which implied a measurement of all aspects of proficiency: speaking, listening, writing and reading. However, in ABS collections this variable has only ever been a measurement of spoken English proficiency and therefore 'Proficiency in Spoken English' is a more accurate label.
English language proficiency can be tested through a range of examination systems. However in the current Australian immigration context, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) (formerly the Department of Immigration and Citizenship) has stipulated minimum levels of English language proficiency which can be equated to particular scores on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) tests (see Appendix B for more details). IELTS scores are obtained through four test components (speaking, reading, listening and writing) as part of the visa application process. Gaining English language proficiency is regarded as a key step for migrants to take towards successful settlement in Australia.
While social surveys cannot measure proficiency in spoken English with the same degree of precision as formal tests, ABS pilot testing of this question prior to the 1981 Census assessed the degree of correspondence between self assessed proficiency and a formal test of English proficiency. There was an overall correspondence between the numbers with low test ratings and those reporting their ability as 'Not Well' or 'Not at All', indicating that the variable provides a reasonably reliable measure of the number of people who may be in need of targeted services.
In most ABS surveys, a question on Proficiency in Spoken English is asked only of respondents whose first language spoken is a language other than English, or those who speak a language other than English at home. This is because the variable is used primarily to identify people who may experience a disadvantage as a result of a lack of competence in spoken English.
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