The standard adopted by university language teachers- which one

In all universities in Hong Kong, there are clear requirements stating what language proficiency level undergraduates should have possessed at entrance. Such requirements are stated in terms of public examination scores. English enhancement courses are usually provided to help undergraduates improve their language proficiency level. Then upon graduation, they are encouraged to take an internationally recognised language test since employers have a certain expectation of graduates’ language proficiency level. In this context, proficiency levels in terms of band scores in proficiency tests determine if a person can be admitted to a university and whether s/he can find a job. The design of English enhancement courses may hence be guided by the expected/required standard or level of proficiency. In most enhancement courses, achievement rather than proficiency tests are used to determine if students have satisfactorily completed the courses. Whether the ‘expected standard’ is reflected in such students may shed light on ways that such courses could be designed. This paper presents and discusses what is practised in a university from the perspectives of assessment criteria and standard setting. Data were collected from a questionnaire, interviews and course documents in order to have a deeper understanding of what language teachers based on to determine the passing standard, the perceived skills to which they paid attention as compared to the stated assessment criteria, and their opinions on standard setting. Findings will provide an understanding of the level of proficiency adopted in language enhancement courses offered by the university being studied and will lead to possible recommendations on language course design.