MULTILINGUAL ADVANTAGE IN ENGLISH SKILL DISTRIBUTION: EVIDENCE FROM GRADE 8 STUDENTS AT PRESIDENTIAL SCHOOL IN GULISTAN

Abstract

This study investigates the distribution of English language skills among bilingual and multilingual Grade 8 students at Presidential School in Gulistan, Uzbekistan. The analysis is based on IELTS-style mock test results across four core language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. A total of 23 students participated in the study and were categorized into three groups according to their linguistic background: bilingual learners, sequential multilingual learners, and simultaneous multilingual learners.

The findings indicate that multilingual learners demonstrate slightly higher average performance across several skills, particularly in listening and speaking. Sequential multilingual students achieved the highest scores in receptive and oral skills, suggesting potential advantages in auditory processing and spoken communication. In contrast, simultaneous multilingual learners showed relatively stronger performance in writing, which may reflect greater metalinguistic awareness and flexibility in language use.

Overall, the results suggest that multilingual experience may contribute to enhanced linguistic flexibility and more balanced skill development in English language learning. However, the differences between groups were not substantial, indicating that multilingualism alone does not determine language proficiency outcomes.

Due to the limited sample size and the use of a single assessment instrument, the findings should be interpreted with caution and cannot be generalized to broader populations. Future research should include larger and more diverse samples, apply inferential statistical analysis, and consider additional variables such as motivation, instructional quality, and language exposure to better understand the relationship between multilingualism and language performance.