PHRASEOLOGICAL COMPETENCE DIAGNOSTIC INDICATORS (FCDI): A COGNITIVE APPROACH TO ASSESSING EFL LEARNERS' PHRASEOLOGICAL PROFICIENCY
Abstract
Abstract. Despite growing scholarly interest in phraseological competence within EFL contexts, a standardized diagnostic framework for assessing learners' phraseological proficiency has remained largely absent in applied linguistics literature. This article introduces the Phraseological Competence Diagnostic Indicators (FCDI) system — a comprehensive, criterion-referenced assessment framework developed and empirically validated within the Uzbekistani higher education context. Drawing on a cognitive linguistic theoretical base, the FCDI integrates four measurable dimensions: semantic accuracy, pragmatic appropriateness, contextual precision, and stylistic sensitivity. The framework was tested with 370 philology students across multiple higher education institutions in Uzbekistan. Experimental results yielded a mean score of 3.80 for the experimental group compared to 3.39 for the control group (chi-square empirical value: 14.55; critical threshold: 7.81), with an efficiency coefficient of 1.12. These findings demonstrate the FCDI system's validity and applicability as both a diagnostic and pedagogical instrument for enhancing phraseological instruction in EFL settings.
Keywords
Keywords: phraseological competence, FCDI, cognitive approach, EFL teaching, diagnostic assessment, higher education, Uzbekistan
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