From Input to Intake: Enhancing English Language Proficiency through Structured Intervention

This study investigated the critical relationship between language intake, the process of internalising linguistic input, and learning outcomes among 200-level students in the Department of English Language and Literature, Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri. the theoretical framework that guided the study is anchored on Gass and Selinker's (1994) five-stage model of second language acquisition. The study assessed the effectiveness of structured language exposure and identified factors that facilitate or hinder proficiency development. A quasi-experimental interventional study research design was employed, utilising a stratified random sample of 180 students over a 10-week period. Data were collected through pre- and postintervention language proficiency tests, structured questionnaires, and systematic classroom observations. Following an 8-week intervention featuring enhanced interactive activities, multimedia resources, and feedback-driven sessions, a paired-samples t-test revealed a statistically, significant improvement in proficiency scores, with mean scores rising from 37.8 (SD=9.45) to 67.4 (SD=8.12), t (179) = 25.73, p < .001. Qualitative data identified key barriers to effective intake, including language anxiety, limited reading habits, and insufficient opportunities for practice. Findings demonstrated that higher levels of consciously processed language intake directly correlate with improved learning outcomes.