A Validation Study of the National Assessment Instruments for Young English Language Learners in Norway and Slovenia
Keywords:
national test, validation, English, EALTA guidelines for good practice
Abstract
This article is a validation study of two national large-scale tests that measure the language proficiency of 11/12 year-old English learners in Norway and Slovenia. Following the example of Alderson and Banerjee (2008), the authors of the article have employed the EALTA guidelines for good practice to validate the tests, and to formulate major recommendations for improvement of both assessment instruments, where feasible (Alderson & Banerjee, 2008). The results of the validation study show that both national tests in English seem to fulfil most of the EALTA guidelines for good practice, although a few issues related to the test construct and test design procedures need to be re-assessed, and some changes may be required.
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References
Alderson, J. C., & Banerjee, J. (2008). EALTA’s Guidelines for Good Practice: A test of implementation. Paper presented at the 5th Annual Conference of the European Association for Language Testing and Assessment, Athens, Greece, May. Retreived from http://www.ealta.eu.org/
Alderson, J. C., & Wall, D. (1993). Does Washback Exist? Applied Linguistics, 14(2), 115–129.
Alderson, J. C. (2010). A survey of aviation English tests. Language Testing, 27, 51–72.
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Breen, M. P., Barratt-Pugh, C., Derewianka, B., House, H., Hudson, C., Lumley, T., & Rohl, M.
(Eds.) (1997). Profiling ESL Children: How Teachers Interpret and Use National and State Assessment Frameworks, Vol. I. Canberra: Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs.
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Edelenbos, P., & Johnstone, R. (Eds.) (1996). Researching Languages at Primary School. London: CILT.
Educational Testing Service. (2002). ETS standards for quality and fairness. Princeton, NJ: ETS.
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European Commission. (2008). Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe. (pp. 136).
Retrieved from http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/documents/key_data_series/095EN.pdf doi:10.2797/12061
Eurydice, E. P. (2009). National Testing of Pupils in Europe: Objectives, Organisation and Use of
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Graddol, D. (2006). English Next. Why global English may mean the end of ‘English as a Foreign
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Hughes, A. (1989). Testing for Language Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Interpreting the PTE Academic Score Report. Retrieved from http://pearsonpte.com/
Leung, C., & Teasdale, T. (1997). What do teachers mean by speaking and listening: A contextualised study of assessment in the English National Curriculum. In A. Huhta, V. Kohonen, L. Kurki-Suonio, & S. Louma (Eds.), New contexts, goals and alternatives in language assessment (pp. 291–324). Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä.
Low, L., Brown, S., Johnstone, R., & Pirrie, A. (1995). Foreign Languages in Primary Schools. Stirling: Scottish Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research, University of Stirling.
Mckay, P., Hudson, C., & Sapuppo, M. (1994). NLLIA ESL Bandscales. In P. McKay (Ed.), NLLIA ESL Development: Language and Literacy in Schools, Vol. I (pp. B1-D52). Canberra: National Languages and Literacy Institute of Australia.
McKay, P. (2000). On ESL standards for school-age learners. Language Testing, 17(2), 185–214.
McKay, P. (2006). Assessing Young Language Learners. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Pižorn, K. (2009). Designing proficiency levels for English for primary and secondary school
students and the impact of the CEFR. In N. Figueras, & J. Noijons (Eds.). Linking to the CEFR levels : research perspectives, (pp. 87-101). Arnhem: Cito, Institute for Educational Measurement: Council of Europe: European Association for Language Testing and Assessment, EALTA.
Rea-Dickins, P. (2000). Assessment in early years language learning contexts. Language Testing, 17(2), 115-122. doi: 10.1177/026553220001700201
Alderson, J. C., & Wall, D. (1993). Does Washback Exist? Applied Linguistics, 14(2), 115–129.
Alderson, J. C. (2010). A survey of aviation English tests. Language Testing, 27, 51–72.
Alderson, J. C., & Banerjee, J. V. (2008). EALTA’s guidelines for good practice: A test of
implementation. Paper presented at the 5th Annual Conference of the European Association for Language Testing and Assessment, Athens, Greece, May. Retrieved 24.12.2008 from http://www.ealta.eu.org/conference/2008/programme.htm
Breen, M. P., Barratt-Pugh, C., Derewianka, B., House, H., Hudson, C., Lumley, T., & Rohl, M.
(Eds.) (1997). Profiling ESL Children: How Teachers Interpret and Use National and State Assessment Frameworks, Vol. I. Canberra: Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs.
Brumen, M., Cagran, B., & Rixon, S. (2009). Comparative assessment of young learners‘ foreign
language competence in three Eastern European countries. [Article]. Educational Studies (03055698), 35(3), 269–295. doi: 10.1080/03055690802648531
Council of Europe (2004). Reference supplement to the preliminary version of the manual for relating examinations to the Common European Framework of reference for Languages: learning, teaching, assessment. DGIV/EDU/LANG. Strasbourg: Language Policy Division.
Council of Europe (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for languages: learning,
teaching, assessment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Council of Europe (2003). Relating Language Examinations to the Common European Framework of Reference for languages: learning, teaching, assessment (CEF). Manual: Preliminary Pilot Version, DGIV/EDU/LANG. Strasbourg: Language Policy Division.
De Jong, J., & Zheng, Y. (2011). Research Note: Applying EALTA Guidelines: A Practical case study on Pearson Test of English Academic. Retrieved 30.6.2012 from http://www.pearsonpte.com/research/Documents/RN_ApplyingEALTAGuidelines_2010.pdf
Edelenbos, P., & Johnstone, R. (Eds.) (1996). Researching Languages at Primary School. London: CILT.
Educational Testing Service. (2002). ETS standards for quality and fairness. Princeton, NJ: ETS.
European Association for Language Testing and Assessment (2006). Guidelines for Good Practice in Language Testing and Assessment. Retrieved 26.6.2012 from http://www.ealta.eu.org/guidelines.htm
European Commission. (2008). Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe. (pp. 136).
Retrieved from http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/documents/key_data_series/095EN.pdf doi:10.2797/12061
Eurydice, E. P. (2009). National Testing of Pupils in Europe: Objectives, Organisation and Use of
Results. Brussels: Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency.
Graddol, D. (2006). English Next. Why global English may mean the end of ‘English as a Foreign
Language’ (pp. 132). Retrieved from http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-research-english-next.pdf
Hambleton, R. (2010). A new challenge: Making test score reports more understandable and useful. Paper presented at the 7th Conference of the International Test Commission. Hong Kong.
Hughes, A. (1989). Testing for Language Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Interpreting the PTE Academic Score Report. Retrieved from http://pearsonpte.com/
Leung, C., & Teasdale, T. (1997). What do teachers mean by speaking and listening: A contextualised study of assessment in the English National Curriculum. In A. Huhta, V. Kohonen, L. Kurki-Suonio, & S. Louma (Eds.), New contexts, goals and alternatives in language assessment (pp. 291–324). Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä.
Low, L., Brown, S., Johnstone, R., & Pirrie, A. (1995). Foreign Languages in Primary Schools. Stirling: Scottish Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research, University of Stirling.
Mckay, P., Hudson, C., & Sapuppo, M. (1994). NLLIA ESL Bandscales. In P. McKay (Ed.), NLLIA ESL Development: Language and Literacy in Schools, Vol. I (pp. B1-D52). Canberra: National Languages and Literacy Institute of Australia.
McKay, P. (2000). On ESL standards for school-age learners. Language Testing, 17(2), 185–214.
McKay, P. (2006). Assessing Young Language Learners. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Pižorn, K. (2009). Designing proficiency levels for English for primary and secondary school
students and the impact of the CEFR. In N. Figueras, & J. Noijons (Eds.). Linking to the CEFR levels : research perspectives, (pp. 87-101). Arnhem: Cito, Institute for Educational Measurement: Council of Europe: European Association for Language Testing and Assessment, EALTA.
Rea-Dickins, P. (2000). Assessment in early years language learning contexts. Language Testing, 17(2), 115-122. doi: 10.1177/026553220001700201
Published
2012-09-30
How to Cite
Pižorn, K., & Moe, E. (2012). A Validation Study of the National Assessment Instruments for Young English Language Learners in Norway and Slovenia. Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal, 2(3), 75–96. https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.348
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