Terms Explained
Proficiency vs. Performance
What is the deal with...
Proficiency vs. Performance
Florencia Hawkins and Maris Hawkins in Common Ground: Second Language Acquisition Theory Goes to the Classroom (2022)
define the difference between language proficiency and performance as this:
"Language proficiency is what a person can do with the language in spontaneous,
real-world context, whereas performance is used to describe what a
learner can do after having had the chance to “practice” similar
communication activities or tasks in the context of the classroom." (p.33)
ACTFL describes the differences in more detail. It states:
"In describing language ability, the terms performance and proficiency both refer to evidence of what a language user is able to do with language... Performance is the ability to use language that has been learned and practiced in an instructional setting. [This] refers to language ability that has been practiced and is within familiar contexts and content areas. Proficiency is the ability to use language in real world situations in a spontaneous interaction and non-rehearsed context and in a manner acceptable and appropriate to native speakers of the language. Proficiency demonstrates what a language user is able to do regardless of where, when or how the language was acquired... in context that may or may not be familiar."
Proficiency is not tied to a curriculum. It does not depend on how many years a language was studied or what language was spoken at home. Proficiency is neutral on how one acquired the language.
Demonstration of performance within a specific range may provide some indication of how the language user might perform on a proficiency assessment and indeed might point toward a proficiency level, but performance is not the same
as proficiency
. Presenting a memorized dialogue, filling in a worksheet, or translating 20 words are not tasks we do in our real-life use of language, nor are they indicators of someone's language proficiency.
For more on Proficiency levels and how to assess for them, see the next section.
Proficiency is like a tree
The most important element of a tree is it's trunk. These are language functions. What you DO in the language, such as describing things, giving an explanation, agreeing or disagreeing, expressing and supporting preferences and opinions or telling a story. If you know 1000 words and gramatical structures but can't do anything WITH them, they are useless. Language functions are essential.
Dive Deeper
To learn more about Proficiency vs. Performance, see the following resources:
