Perfil estudiantil y producción lingüística en inglés: rol de género, antecedentes educativos y consumo de medios visuales.

Abstract

Limited information exists on sociodemographic factors influencing English as a foreign language (EFL) proficiency. This study aims to identify how gender, age, private education background, gap in studying English, and audiovisual consumption influence EFL proficiency. The study involved 158 students from the final two intensive EFL courses at a public university in Cuenca, Ecuador. Multiple linear regression models were employed, following checks for collinearity and data normality. Two models were proposed: 1) gender, age, and private education background, and 2) gap in studying English and audiovisual consumption in English. Private education background was the best predictor in the first model, while audiovisual consumption in English was the key predictor in the second model. The R² increased from 0.119 to 0.291 when transitioning from the first to the second model. Conclusively, having prior English education and consuming English audiovisual content significantly impact EFL proficiency