Verbal Skills and Spanish Language Skills of Students Graduating from High School in Mexico

Author: Eduardo Backhoff,Norma Larrazolo,Felipe Tirado
Abstract: This paper is intended to provide information
on the verbal and written
language skills of students to be admitted
into higher education institutions
in Mexico. It uses information from students
gathered through the Basic Knowledge
and Skills Test (exhcoba), used as part of
the admission process in five public universities,in 2006 and 2007. Scores from
30 verbal and 15 written language items
were analyzed, from a sample of 28,925
students, which represented 30% of the
whole population for both 2006 and 2007.
Results show that: 1) among universities,
the students language skills levels are very
similar and consistent over time; 2) students
have not acquired many of the skills
that should have been learned at the basic
education level.
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