Communicative competence and self-perception as keys to academic development in multilingual contexts

Abstract

In this research study, we explored the relationship between the self-perception of communicative competence and the real competence of a group of multilingual students from the Basque Autonomous Community. Participants were 193 students from primary education (N= 95) and secondary education (N=98). The main language of instruction was Basque, and Basque, Spanish and English were school subjects. All the participants filled out a self-perception competence scale in Basque, Spanish and English. Specific tests were designed and validated to measure their real communicative competence in the three languages. Two focus group discussions were conducted with teachers (N=14). The self-perception in the three languages and the scores obtained in the objective tests point in the same direction, but the results show differences between groups. Both groups scored higher in self-perceptions and real competence in Spanish, but the scores differ in the order of the other two languages. Primary students score higher in Basque while secondary students score higher in English. The results highlight the complex interaction of variables affecting the development of language competence in a second language.

Keywords communicative competence, self-perception of language, multilingual education, Basque, Spanish, English.