Comparative Analysis of English Proficiency of Technical and Vocational Trainees: Insights across Three Modalities

As higher education institutions implement varied modes of instruction, it is important to understand how these impact students' language development. However, few studies have compared proficiency levels between academic streams in Ethiopian context. This study aimed to investigate and compare English language proficiency across regular, extension and distance learning streams at a Technical and Vocational Institute of Ethiopia. A total of 108 undergraduate trainees (25 regular, 40 extension, 43 distance) completed the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) listening, speaking, reading and writing assessments. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests analyzed quantitative data. Significant differences were found between streams for listening, speaking and writing proficiency but not reading. Overall, regular trainees outperformed extension and distance learners. Specifically, regular trainees scored higher than others in listening and speaking, while extension trainees did better in writing. Modes of instruction may differentially influence specific language skills. Regular classroom interactions seem to benefit oral abilities, while alternative schedules provide time to develop writing skills. The findings stress the need for tailored teaching approaches based on context to support balanced proficiency development. Future research should explore underlying factors and track proficiency longitudinally across streams.