Grammatical choice and affective experience in a second-language test

1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Balasko ◽  
Michel Cabanac
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Test ◽  
Affective Experience

Grammatical Choice and Affective Experience in a Second-Language Test

1998 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 205-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Márta Balaskó ◽  
Michel Cabanac
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Test ◽  
Affective Experience

Critically examining language bias in the South African adaptation of the WAIS-III

2006 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl D Foxcroft ◽  
Susan Aston
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
South African ◽  
Critical Examination ◽  
Language Test ◽  
Language Bias ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Language Groups ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Wechsler Adult Intelligence ◽  
Guidelines And Standards

In response to the growing demand for a test of cognitive ability for South African adults, the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) adapted the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales, third edition (WAIS-III) for Englishspeaking South Africans. The standardisation sample included both first and second language English speakers who were either educated largely in English or Afrikaans. The purpose of this article is to critically examine the adaptation process undertaken by the HSRC when standardising the WAIS-III for English-speaking South Africans by deliberating whether sufficient attention was paid to establishing if the measure was equivalent for various groups of English first and second language test-takers. In performing this critical examination, international test adaptation guidelines and standards, psychometric conventions, and national and international research findings were contemplated. The general conclusion reached was that the equivalence of the WAIS-III across diverse language groups has not been unequivocally established and there are indications that some bias may exist for English second language test-takers, especially if they are black or Afrikaans-speaking. Based on these conclusions, recommendations are made regarding the way forward.

Performance consistency in second language acquisition and language testing research: a conceptual gap

2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 442-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Douglas
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Language Testing ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Language Test ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Special Case

Arguing from the premise that a language test is a special case of a second language acquisition (SLA) elicitation device, I suggest that SLA and language testing share much common ground in terms of research methods, which have similar properties in that they are both used to make systematic observations of language performances from which inferences can be made about the state of a learner’s interlanguage ability underlying the performance. However, I also argue that whereas the concept of demonstrating validity and reliability has been integrated into how language testing research is conducted, SLA researchers have generally failed to recognize the need to demonstrate these qualities. I compare examples of SLA and language testing research articles in terms of their treatment of validity and reliability and argue: • that it is important for SLA researchers to provide evidence that the methods they employ to elicit data are appropriate for the purposes intended; • that the procedures provide stable and consistent data; and, consequently • that the interpretations they make of the results are justified.

Tweede-Taalonderwijs Op Maat

1988 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 103-115
Author(s):  
Liza van den Bosch
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Educational Measurement ◽  
Language Test ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Teaching Materials ◽  
Second Language Teaching ◽  
Educational Activities ◽  
Set Up

The Institute for Educational Measurement (Cito) and Tilburg University have developed an instructional device for second language teaching to adults. It consists of: - a diagnostic language test - a set of teaching materials The diagnostic language test is based on a psycholinguistic model for language proficiency in which several linguistic levels are distinguished (Levelt & Kempen, 1976): phonological level, lexical level, morphological level, syntactic level and text level. The diagnostic language test consists of eleven subtests with which lexical, morphological, syntactic and textual skills can be examined. If test results show lack of proficiency, the additional set of teaching materials can be used in various ways to set up educational activities.

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