English Proficiency of Vocational EFL Teachers in Mongolia

This study investigates the technical English proficiency of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers working in Mongolian polytechnic colleges through an analysis of results from the National English Olympiad XXII. The Olympiad assessed participants across five key language competencies: listening, grammar, reading, vocabulary, and essay writing. Using descriptive statistics, distributional analysis, correlation matrices, and score-based performance group analysis, the study identifies critical strengths and challenges faced by teachers. Findings reveal strong reading and listening skills but significant weaknesses in grammar usage, vocabulary acquisition, and academic writing. Notably, grammar proficiency showed little correlation with writing performance, emphasizing the complex nature of effective communication in technical contexts. The role of professional competitions such as the Olympiads in motivating non-native teachers and providing diagnostic benchmarks is discussed. Recommendations include targeted professional development initiatives focusing on grammar, vocabulary enrichment, and writing skills enhancement to better align vocational education outcomes with global industry standards. This study contributes to interdisciplinary vocational education research by providing empirical evidence on teacher proficiency gaps and offering context-specific strategies for improving technical English instruction in developing education systems.