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Introduction

Accuracy is essential for every language learner and teacher. Even at the beginnings of language learning, there is always a huge amount of emphasis put on accuracy. The principle of most language tests and exams is to measure the learner's knowledge of accuracy. To be accurate in a foreign language is important for learners at all levels of proficiency and especially crucial for the academic users of the language. English majors are considered to be academic users, because the English language is a tool for them to obtain a wide range of academic knowledge in various fields in connection with the language itself, and the culture in which English is developed and used. Their level of competence is different, but it should meet a certain standard to enable them to perform accurately in the productive skills, like reading and writing.

"Since language development for English majors is among the top priorities in the first two years at JPU, constant monitoring of performance is regarded as a necessity"(Szabó, 1996 p.77). That is why a proficiency test for first-year students was created to monitor their knowledge of the English language in order to filter out those who could presumably not continue their studies at the English department because of the lack of knowledge. There is an obstacle for those who do not pass the proficiency test that they cannot earn their grades for the language practice course in the second semester. As a result of this, they have to repeat it in the next spring semester. Of course, there is a chance for those who failed one of the parts of the proficiency exam to resit the part in which they failed.

The assessment of the 1996 proficiency tests clearly showed that the biggest problem in essay writing was accuracy. The lowest marks appeared in the category of accuracy in the essay writing part of the proficiency exam. In most cases, this was the decisive element for those who were on the edge of failing this part of the proficiency exam. Students had problems with focusing as well, but they could have passed the exam, if they had not achieved such low marks in accuracy. Even the analysis of the works of those who had the highest scores by writing excellent essays pointed out that these students had some problems with accuracy, too. The average mark in the category of accuracy was 7.2, considering the best essays, which is quite low in comparison with the other categories. The average mark was above eight in other categories and nearly nine in the category of essay organisation, taking the best ten essays into consideration. As the correctors took every essay into account, the average mark in accuracy appeared to be 5.645, which was just 0.445 over the pass mark. (For an extended analysis, see Horváth 1996.)

Method

These figures imply that it is worth taking a closer look at this problem by making a survey among the teachers of the English department about the students' accuracy. I undertook to survey teachers' views on this and on other related issues that cause debates among the teachers of the English department and generate discussions among the students, as well. My questions ranged from the effectiveness of the proficiency exam to the possible ways of preserving and improving students' knowledge of English. I thought the best method of gathering information would be the use of a tape recorder to record all the information I was provided with by the teachers. I also collected some reasons why students had problems with their accuracy even in their fourth or fifth year at the university. The rest of this paper is dedicated to present the different ideas teachers had on the issues concerning students' accuracy.

Results and Discussion

The opinions were different on the reasons why students had problems with their accuracy and I wanted to relate this question to the entrance exam, which is not easy at all and proved to be effective somehow. "The low marks in accuracy in the essay writing task showed the disadvantages of teaching English from a very early age. On the one hand it is good, because children can achieve fluency in speech, but on the other hand they lack writing competence. At university level, when students do not get into the university for the first time, mainly girls go abroad to work as au-pairs or to work on ocean liners. It is beneficial for improving their oral competence, but after having achieved native-like oral fluency, it is almost impossible to discipline themselves to improve their written correctness, as well"( Andy C. Rouse 04/24/1997). There are some other factors that influence students' accuracy. "Students do not read and write as regularly as they should do. This also can be the secondary school's fault by putting too much emphasis on communicative skills"(Dr. Martsa Sándor 04/22/1997). Students may feel that their knowledge becomes weaker after their first or second year at the university, and this can be originated from the credit system. They can learn a wide range of subjects even in the first year, and there is little time devoted to language practice. Referring to the effectiveness of the entrance exam some teachers pointed out that it was useful, but the written part needed some improvement, because it is only a test. "The problem is that tests cannot really measure writing competence"(Fodor Mónika 23/04/1997). Teachers mainly agreed that improving language skills was not exclusively the teacher's task, it was also the student's responsibility to practise as much as possible.

It is noticeable that students in the upper years of their studies still have problems with their accuracy. "This can go to such extremes that some theses contain so many mistakes that they cannot be accepted"(Szabó Gábor 23/04/1997). Talking of theses, the problem might be that "students try to produce too complex sentences, and when they get into writing long, complex sentences they forget that sometimes a short, simple sentence is the right stylistic thing to do"(Andy C. Rouse 24/04/1997). There is a small number of people whose English is relatively poor at the final complex exam, but such cases are rare at JPU. The problem might stem from the fact that students have to concentrate on so many different theoretical subjects in the fourth or fifth year that it has a harmful effect on their accuracy. Specialisation around the third year might be a possible solution.

The tendency that the longer one is an English major the worse one's knowledge of English gets "is an old, but a lovely cliché and something that students have always said"(Andy C. Rouse 24/04/1997). There is no firm evidence about this, because there are no statistics about the language development of students in the upper years. Fifth-year students should have a proficiency exam, as well. The truth of the matter is that their knowledge of English increases, but they have fewer opportunities to use their new level of English. The language practice programme ends after the fourth semester and afterwards it is high time for self-development. "Even a language practice course cannot make everybody speak there are always some people who remain silent"(Szabó Gábor 23/04/1997). The accuracy component of the essays is not measured in the upper years, the marks only reflect the content of the essays. Financial problems always restrict the number of teachers that the department can employ, thus seminars are overcrowded and do not provide equal opportunities for students to communicate. "A whole lot depends on the students, too. Students should find opportunities to speak, but the best way for improving one's English is reading"(Szamosi Gertrúd 23/04/1997). Teachers experience that students do not read the required readings for their courses and "sometimes reading two short books for a course is a huge effort for some of them"(Lugossy Réka 23/04/1997). There are some students who do not even take the time to read readings that are only ten or twenty pages long. Sitting in seminars and earning credits are not enough to prevent regression.

It is a typical phenomenon among the students of the English department that their theoretical knowledge is good, but they cannot apply that knowledge in their writings. It is also proven by the assessment of the proficiency exam that in the Grammar and Usage part students did well, but there were a lot of accuracy problems in their essays. "Practice makes perfect" is an old proverb, and it is true in connection with languages, too. The students' productive performance is the question of practice and students should be aware of this. "Students must find time and take the effort to practise on their own. It is not the university's task to provide practice for everybody"(Szamosi Gertrúd 23/04/1997). English is a tool at the university and theoretical subjects cannot be put aside. "University is not a language course, its aims are far beyond that"(Dr. Martsa Sándor 22/04/1997).

Students at the proficiency exam achieved better marks in categories like essay organisation and paragraph organisation than in accuracy, in spite of the fact that these stylistic procedures were newer to them than the language use. This can be explained by simple and natural features that everybody has. "People tend to concentrate harder on newly acquired knowledge than on things that they think are very good at"(Lugossy Réka 23/04/1997). There may not have been enough time to revise their essays. Focus and paragraph organisation are theoretically discussed at first at the university, but in practice students have already encountered with these problems in their primary school years. The conclusion can be drawn that essay writing stylistically speaking is not new to students, at all. Accuracy and the knowledge of English is a completely different category and can be treated as a mechanical application of rules studied. Style is a kind of innate quality and it is a part of everybody. "Writing is a visual sign that you put on paper to demonstrate the movements your body makes when you are speaking"(Andy C. Rouse 24/04/1997).

Conclusion

The development and maintenance of the knowledge of the English language must be done wholeheartedly by all English majors. I can only offer some suggestions made by the teachers to summarise the ideas teachers have on the improvement of the students' accuracy. Practice is crucial; if you do not practice your English day by day it will fall apart. Both the students' and the teachers' task to improve language skills, but the major problem is that students do not pay attention to the maintenance of their knowledge. They should get more feedback, but it is mostly their responsibility to keep the importance of language development in their mind. The English department is a place where students can have access to many areas of the academic sciences but only with the help of English. Advanced language practice is a good idea, but language practice should not be to the detriment of theoretical subjects. "The first complex exam at the English department should be modified, because of its complexity"(Lugossy Réka 23/04/1997). Students are examined in language practice together with phonology, morphology and syntax. Students should be motivated and involved in the seminars by the teacher who provides them with relevant input. Reading is good for everything, and students should seek for the company of native speakers. Students should be active in seminars and should take the effort of practising their English besides the compulsory seminars and lectures, as well.