A classroom study in two advanced Chinese language courses compared the effectiveness of two instructional strategies: (1) proficiency-based instruction through cooperative learning (Chinese 405) and (2) "prochievement," a hybrid, performance-based strategy derived from both proficiency and achievement approaches (Chinese 406). Subjects were six students enrolled in the two successive classes, tested with an oral proficiency interview at the beginning of the first course and after each course. Both courses had the theme "Contemporary China and Chinese Culture." Results suggest that students made more progress in the course emphasizing prochievement, with all students advancing at least one level on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency scale. In the fall (cooperative learning) class, only half the students had a measurable proficiency gain. A more comprehensive study is recommended to investigate this phenomenon further. Contains 17 references. A chart comparing the content and goals of achievement, proficiency, and prochievement tests is appended. (MSE)