Insights into English proficiency: The analysis of test results among undergraduates in Thailand

Abstract

Despite Thailand’s 2014 educational reform, which introduced the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) to enhance English proficiency, achievement levels among university students remain relatively low. Data-driven evidence is therefore essential for identifying learners’ specific weaknesses and informing curriculum and instructional design in higher education. This study examines areas for improvement in English skills among three groups of undergraduate students based on CEFR levels: Group 1 (Starter and Pre-A1), Group 2 (A1 and A1+), and Group 3 (A2 and A2+). The data consist of English proficiency test results from 6,618 undergraduates who took the UP-STEP, an adaptive standardized test of English proficiency assessment, during the 2022 academic year. The analysis employed thematic analysis to identify recurring problem areas, followed by frequency analysis to determine their prevalence. Three key domains emerged: listening, vocabulary, and grammar. The findings reveal that Group 1 struggled with basic wh-questions, verb meanings (e.g., live, like), and possessive constructions using have. Group 2 showed weaknesses in listening to clock time, vocabulary related to weather and daily activities, and expressing duration. Group 3 experienced difficulties with tag questions, vocabulary describing change, and perfect continuous tenses. These results offer empirical insights to support proficiency-level–specific curriculum development in Thai higher education.