Predictive validity of the IELTS in an English as a medium of instruction environment

As access to a university education has increased globally, there have also been increases in the number of universities that use English as a medium of instruction (EMI) and in the number of non‐English‐speaking students studying in English‐speaking countries. Correspondingly, the English language proficiency of students studying in EMI environments is becoming increasingly significant. Using a large sample of 953 undergraduate students at an EMI university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), this paper examines the predictive validity of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as it pertains to the academic success of students as determined by grade point average and addresses implications and appropriateness of further language support. Results indicate that IELTS scores are a meaningful predictor of academic success, especially in the EMI environment that exists in the UAE. Lower than the IELTS guidelines, an IELTS 6.0 seems to be a key benchmark that predicts academic success. It may be that this more moderate English proficiency score is a better fit for non‐English‐speaking countries, but that further language support embedded into degree programmes is necessary except at the highest proficiency levels, and that a bilingual option should be considered at the lowest proficiency levels.     

雅思与托福交际测试特点与有用性的对比分析

雅思与托福iBT皆是交际测试理论实践的先驱和典范。从Weir(2003)所归纳的交际测试特征以及Bachman和Palmer(1996)的交际测试有用性评价原则出发,对这两种大型语言测试分项进行交际测试对比和评价,以检测两者在应用交际测试理论的彻底性。研究结果显示两种语言测试在各项交际测试理论应用中各有侧重,互有千秋。     

Repeater Analysis for Combining Information From Different Assessments

Admission decisions frequently rely on multiple assessments. As a consequence, it is important to explore rational approaches to combine the information from different educational tests. For example, U.S. graduate schools usually receive both TOEFL iBT^® scores and GRE^® General scores of foreign applicants for admission; however, little guidance has been given to combine information from these two assessments, even though the relationships between such sections as GRE Verbal and TOEFL iBT Reading are obvious. In this study, principles are provided to explore the extent to which different assessments complement one another and are distinguishable. Augmentation approaches developed for individual tests are applied to provide an accurate evaluation of combined assessments. Because augmentation methods require estimates of measurement error and internal reliability data are unavailable, required estimates of measurement error are obtained from repeaters, examinees who took the same test more than once. Because repeaters are not representative of all examinees in typical assessments, minimum discriminant information adjustment techniques are applied to the available sample of repeaters to treat the effect of selection bias. To illustrate methodology, combining information from TOEFL iBT scores and GRE General scores is examined. Analysis suggests that information from the GRE General and TOEFL iBT assessments is complementary but not redundant, indicating that the two tests measure related but somewhat different constructs. The proposed methodology can be readily applied to other situations where multiple assessments are needed.     

Beyond English language proficiency scores: understanding the academic performance of international undergraduate students during the first year of study

ABSTRACT

Past research into the relationship between English proficiency test (EPT) scores and score profiles, such as the IELTS and the TOEFL, has shown that there is not always a clear relationship between those scores and students’ subsequent academic achievement. Information about students’ academic self-concept (ASC) may provide additional information that helps predict future academic success. Research has consistently shown a positive relationship between students’ ASC and subsequent academic achievement and educational attainment in both school and higher education settings. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between the academic performance of international students and their language proficiency and academic self-concept as well as other characteristics related to academic success. The study focused on first year international students in undergraduate business programs at an English-medium university in Canada. The following information was collected about the student participants: grades in degree program courses, annual GPA, and EPT scores (including subscores). In addition, students completed an academic self-concept scale. To obtain additional information about success in first-year business courses, instructors in two required courses were interviewed about the academic and language requirements in their courses and the profile of successful students. Correlations between the students’ course grades, GPA, EPT scores, and ASC score were calculated. The instructor interviews were analyzed using a content analysis procedure. The findings from all data sources were triangulated and show that language ability, ASC, and other factors impact academic success during the first year in a business program. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Bilingual Education Candidates’ Challenges Meeting the Spanish Language/Bilingual Certification Exam and the Impact on Teacher Shortages in the State of Texas,USA

Recruiting certified bilingual teachers have been difficult since 2010 as new testing policies and exams are implemented. Advanced high levels of writing and speaking language proficiency are required from the bilingual education candidate to perform his or her job. This essay examines the impact of Texas language policy for bilingual education teachers, testing requirements, and passing rates on state certification tests previously explored by Guerrero (1997, 1999, 2000), and discusses the topic of teacher shortages that has been addressed for the past two decades. Suggestions to assist bilingual education candidates to improve their passing rates are provided.     

Being Tested With Inequity A theoretical analysis of legitimate English in IETLS and TOEFL

With the ever increasing popularity of international standardized English proficiency tests,the test takers’ craze for them has nev er been greater.However,the issue of the inequity which comes from the legitimate knowledge which decides a test-taker’s score hasn’t been fully exposed.The theoretical study of this issue in this paper helps explore the legitimate knowledge tested in international English proficiency tests.By examining the legitimate knowledge in the sample tests of IELTS and TOEFL,the study reveals the underlying bias which constitutes a decent score for the test takers.In the end,the study proposes a more balanced assessment model for discussion.     

Predicting human judgments of essay quality in both integrated and independent second language writing samples: A comparison study

This study explores whether linguistic features can predict second language writing proficiency in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) integrated and independent writing tasks and, if so, whether there are differences and similarities in the two sets of predictive linguistic features. Linguistic features related to lexical sophistication, syntactic complexity, cohesion, and basic text information were investigated in relation to the writing scores for both integrated and independent samples. The results of this study show that linguistic features can be used to significantly predict essay scores in the integrated as well as the independent writing. When comparing across the two writing tasks, there are both similarities and differences in the two sets of predictive features. For instance, lexical sophistication was found to be a significant predictor for both tasks while features such as verbs in 3rd person singular form and semantic similarity were only significant predictors for the integrated task. These findings demonstrate that evaluation of the two writing tasks rely on similar and distinct features, and are at least partially assessed using different linguistic criteria. Implications of these findings for the assessment of second language (L2) writing are also discussed.     

“学习策略训练”教学模式在雅思、托福听力教学中的应用

本文概述了学习策略的背景以及定义,重点讨论了学习策略在雅思、托福听力教学中的重要性以及教师如何进行策略训练,分析存在的问题并提出今后研究的新方向。     

Foreign language learning, hyperlexia, and early word recognition

Children with hyperlexia read words spontaneously before the age of five, have impaired comprehension on both listening and reading tasks, and have word recognition skill above expectations based on cognitive and linguistic abilities. One student with hyperlexia and another student with higher word recognition than comprehension skills who started to read words at a very early age were followed over several years from the primary grades through high school when both were completing a second-year Spanish course. The purpose of the present study was to examine the foreign language (FL) word recognition, spelling, reading comprehension, writing, speaking, and listening skills of the two students and another high school student without hyperlexia. Results showed that the student without hyperlexia achieved higher scores than the hyperlexic student and the student with above average word recognition skills on most FL proficiency measures. The student with hyperlexia and the student with above average word recognition skills achieved higher scores on the Spanish proficiency tasks that required the exclusive use of phonological (pronunciation) and phonological/orthographic (word recognition, spelling) skills than on Spanish proficiency tasks that required the use of listening comprehension and speaking and writing skills. The findings provide support for the notion that word recognition and spelling in a FL may be modular processes and exist independently of general cognitive and linguistic skills. Results also suggest that students may have stronger FL learning skills in one language component than in other components of language, and that there may be a weak relationship between FL word recognition and oral proficiency in the FL.     

从新托福模式看大学英语四六级考试改革新动向

托福考试的变革增加了口语部分,实现了人机对话,并且除了阅读部分,在其他部分中都与听力理解密切结合,听力的地位凸显。同时在口语和写作部分都有综合试题,分别融合了从读到听再到说或是写的过程,或是从听到说的过程。这些都对新一轮大学英语四六级考试的改革方向带来新的契机,并产生了重要的影响,具有深远的意义。     

Can a Two‐Question Test Be Reliable and Valid for Predicting Academic Outcomes?

Scores on essay‐based assessments that are part of standardized admissions tests are typically given relatively little weight in admissions decisions compared to the weight given to scores from multiple‐choice assessments. Evidence is presented to suggest that more weight should be given to these assessments. The reliability of the writing scores from two of the large volume admissions tests, the GRE General Test (GRE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet‐based test (TOEFL iBT), based on retesting with a parallel form, is comparable to the reliability of the multiple‐choice Verbal or Reading scores from those tests. Furthermore, and even more important, the writing scores from both tests are as effective as the multiple‐choice scores in predicting academic success and could contribute to fairer admissions decisions.     

英语语言测试的批判理论分析

本文根据批判理论的观点对英语测试,特别是美国TOEFL和英国IELTS进行了历史回顾和现状分析,结果表明:影响英语测试的因素除语言学、语言教学和语言测试理论外,也受到社会政治和经济因素的制约。国外外语测试都是在一定的历史背景下发展起来的,都有其特定的历史条件和社会需求。     

Improving the Academic Performance of Non‐native English‐Speaking Students: the Contribution of Pre‐sessional English Language Programmes

There is an established, if weak, inverse relationship between levels of English language proficiency and academic performance in higher education. In response, higher education institutions (HEIs) insist upon minimum entry requirements concerning language for international applicants. Many HEIs now also offer pre‐sessional English courses to bring applicants up to the designated language requirement. This paper revisits the research into language proficiency and academic performance using data on all full‐time students (17,925) attending a major UK HEI in the academic year 2011–2012, 4,342 of whom were non‐native English speakers. The findings confirm that while higher International English Language Testing System (IELTS) marks at entry translate into higher grade point averages (GPAs), students who undertake pre‐sessional courses do notably worse in GPA terms than students who arrive with acceptable (for the course) IELTS scores. These findings suggest HEIs (and, by extension, international students) could benefit from a review regarding the appropriateness of current pre‐sessional English language proficiency programmes.     

English proficiency and academic success in international postgraduate education

In the Netherlands internationalization of higher education may lead to an increasing use of a foreign language-for example English-as the medium of instruction. This may raise the issue whether learning in a foreign language affects academic performance, given the language problems international students are faced with when studying abroad. The present article reviews research in this field and presents a study into the academic achievement of 90 Indonesian engineers. These subjects took a one-year English-medium postgraduate course at the International Institute for Hydraulics and Environmental Engineering in Delft. Language proficiency was measured by TOEFL and academic success was defined as the average score on seven written examinations. A most remarkable finding is the observation of a cut-off point in the relationship between English proficiency and academic success. This has led to the hypothesis that there is a range of TOEFL scores within which a better command of English increases the chance of being academically successful. The lower and upper limits of this range may vary according to academic discipline or may even be institution-specific. Additional findings are presented as well as implications and directions for further research.     

Suggestions on Effective Performance in the IELTS Oral Component

This paper is aimed at presenting some suggestions to candidates who are taking the IELTS to get higher marks in speaking section.The first suggestion is from psychological aspect,using a variety of self-help materials to improve confidence.The second is to take a close look at the marking criteria of IELTS and make good use of it.The third encourages students to form a habit of thinking critically through invoking a range of academic perspectives.Evidences show that the suggestions are effective in raising scores on the speaking component since they have ever been applied to some students of the author.     

Psychometric Equivalence of Ratings for Repeat Examinees on a Performance Assessment for Physician Licensure

Although a few studies report sizable score gains for examinees who repeat performance‐based assessments, research has not yet addressed the reliability and validity of inferences based on ratings of repeat examinees on such tests. This study analyzed scores for 8,457 single‐take examinees and 4,030 repeat examinees who completed a 6‐hour clinical skills assessment required for physician licensure. Each examinee was rated in four skill domains: data gathering, communication‐interpersonal skills, spoken English proficiency, and documentation proficiency. Conditional standard errors of measurement computed for single‐take and multiple‐take examinees indicated that ratings were of comparable precision for the two groups within each of the four skill domains; however, conditional errors were larger for low‐scoring examinees regardless of retest status. In addition, on their first attempt multiple‐take examinees exhibited less score consistency across the skill domains but on their second attempt their scores became more consistent. Further, the median correlation between scores on the four clinical skill domains and three external measures was .15 for multiple‐take examinees on their first attempt but increased to .27 for their second attempt, a value, which was comparable to the median correlation of .26 for single‐take examinees. The findings support the validity of inferences based on scores from the second attempt.     

IELTS、TOEFL培训模式对我国高校英语教学模式改革的启示

IELTS、TOEFL考试已成为备受关注的英语语言测试方式,其发展势头是始料不及的。作者认为对于这些国际公认的英语语言测试系统应该进行深入研究,找到它们与大学英语教学的关联,从而为大学英语教学改革提供一些借鉴和启示。     

Evaluating the reliability of a detailed analytic scoring rubric for foreign language writing

The demand for valid and reliable methods of assessing second and foreign language writing has grown in significance in recent years. One such method is the timed writing test which has a central place in many testing contexts internationally. The reliability of this test method is heavily influenced by the scoring procedures, including the rating scale to be used and the success with which raters can apply the scale. Reliability is crucial because important decisions and inferences about test takers are often made on the basis of test scores. Determining the reliability of the scoring procedure frequently involves examining the consistency with which raters assign scores. This article presents an analysis of the rating of two sets of timed tests written by intermediate level learners of German as a foreign language (n = 47) by two independent raters who used a newly developed detailed scoring rubric containing several categories. The article discusses how the rubric was developed to reflect a particular construct of writing proficiency. Implications for the reliability of the scoring procedure are explored, and considerations for more extensive cross-language research are discussed.     

“机辅”测试说话项存在的问题及应对策略

说话项是普通话水平测试的重要内容,也是影响考生成绩的最重要的测试项。随着“机辅”测试的不断推进,对考生的要求更高,考生存在的问题也愈发明显,因此找准应对策略成了急需解决的问题。考生必须自觉辨音正音、备好材料、连贯表达、沉着说话,才能在测试中过好语音关、内容关、流畅关、心理关,从而提高测试成绩。     

移动辅助语言学习在英语口语教学中的作用

随着"互联网+"时代的深入,移动辅助语言学习已广泛应用于中国大学生的英语学习,是否能有效提高学生的口语能力仍需实证研究验证.研究以英语口语学习APP"FiF口语训练系统"为例,根据雅思口语评分标准,分析118名学生的口语前后测得分差值与任务参与度的相关性.研究发现,受试者在总分、发音、流畅程度、连贯性以及词汇量方面的评...