Empirical profiles of academic oral English proficiency from an international teaching assistant screening test

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ikkyu Choi
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Screening Test ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Subscale Score ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
International Teaching Assistant ◽  
International Teaching

Language proficiency constitutes a crucial barrier for prospective international teaching assistants (ITAs). Many US universities administer screening tests to ensure that ITAs possess the required academic oral English proficiency for their TA duties. Such ITA screening tests often elicit a sample of spoken English, which is evaluated in terms of multiple aspects by trained raters. In this light, ITA screening tests provide an advantageous context in which to gather rich information about test taker performances. This study introduces a systematic way of extracting meaningful information for major stakeholders from an ITA screening test administered at a US university. In particular, this study illustrates how academic oral English proficiency profiles can be identified based on test takers’ subscale score patterns, and discusses how the resulting profiles can be used as feedback for ITA training and screening policy makers, the ITA training program of the university, ESL instructors, and test takers. The proficiency profiles were identified using finite mixture modeling based on the subscale scores of 960 test takers. The modeling results suggested seven profile groups. These groups were interpreted and labeled based on the characteristic subscale score patterns of their members. The implications of the results are discussed, with the main focus on how such information can help ITA policy makers, the ITA training program, ESL instructors, and test takers make important decisions.

Eurocert

1988 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 142-148
Author(s):  
Jan van Weeren
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Tacit Knowledge ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Certification Program ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
Method Effects ◽  
Educational Testing Service ◽  
Authentic Language

The EUROCERT English Proficiency Certification Program is jomtly developed and sponsored by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and the Dutch Institute for Educational Measurement (Cito), and will be administered throughout Europe by Cito. It measures English proficiency - specifically listening, reading, writing and speaking, and utilizes the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of Written English (TWE) and the Test of Spoken English (TSE). There are two levels of certification: Certified and Certified with Honors. EUROCERT measures proficiency at an advanced level. The different components of EUROCERT, i.e. the three-part TOEFL, the compound TSE and the essay-type TWE are discussed. Evaluation of language proficiency seems to be possible firstly by observing authentic language behaviour and secondly by an examination of the tacit knowledge that underlies language behaviour. It is not possible to make a choice between the two approaches on mere theoretical grounds. Generally, it is recommended to incorporate different techniques of measurement in a test in order to avoid method effects. The EUROCERT battery tries to meet this requirement.

scholarly journals What Can We Tell from These Temporal Measures? Temporal Measures as Indices of Oral Proficiency

2008 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Binhong Wang
Keyword(s):  
English Proficiency ◽  
Weak Link ◽  
American University ◽  
English Teaching ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
Temporal Variables ◽  
Oral Speech ◽  
International Teaching ◽  
Temporal Measures ◽  
The U.S

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 4pt; line-height: 12pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Oral English teaching has long been a weak link in the science universities in China, let alone the research on oral English test by quantitative method. Therefore, OEPT in the U.S. sheds enlightening light on the spoken English teaching and researching in China. OEPT (Oral English Proficiency Test) is a spoken English test aimed to assess the oral English proficiency of prospective international teaching assistants in the U.S. In the past few years, temporal variables as indices of oral English proficiency to analyze examinees’ oral speech were explored and studied at a large Mid-western American university. Based on the descriptive statistics of the selected temporal variables, this paper aims to give an interpretation of the figures obtained by OEPT data in order to get enlightening implications on spoken English teaching in China. </span></span></p>

EXTERNAL INDEPENDENT EVALUATION IN ENGLISH AS A CRITERION FOR ADMISSION TO MASTER`S DEGREE PROGRAMS IN UKRAINE: PROBLEMS AND PERSPECTIVES

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-50
Author(s):  
Л. Е. Бєловецька
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Degree Programs ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Independent Evaluation

The problem of external independent evaluation in English for admission Master`s degree programs in Ukraine is considered in the article. The perspective for further improvement of English teaching and learning standards at Ukrainian universities has been found. The correspondence to the CEFR basic levels and English proficiency has been identified. Conceptual Principles of State Policy on the Development of English in the Field of Higher Education are considered. The study included 1546 participants. The age of students, who studied to gain the first higher education, was between 17 and 20. The students were not familiar with the structure of External Independent Evaluation and they have never passed it. The research was carried out during the period 2018–2019. The relevance of English language competence in the professional context is noted emphasized as a key point of the presented research. The necessity to provide a sufficient competitive level for Ukrainian graduates through improving correspondent English language training has been considered. The study is based on a study of reports by British experts and contemporary scientific publications presented international researchers have focused on the problems of internationalization and perspectives for Ukrainian universities in the English language dimension. The relevance of studying and adaptation of the UK higher education successful practice has been highlighted. The problems and potential ways of improving students` English language proficiency in the given context are identified. In particular, the study contains important recommendations regarding the number of contact hours and the required levels of English proficiency for the main groups of participants in the educational process in higher education according to international standards.

Comparison of Two Screening Tests of Competency to Stand Trial for Defendants with Mental Retardation

1996 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 234-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart A. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Mental Retardation ◽  
Screening Test ◽  
Competency To Stand Trial ◽  
Screening Tests

Scores for the four terms found by Smith and Hudson to predict competency to stand trial in defendants with mental retardation correlated significantly ( r = .65) with scores on the Competency Screening Test ( N = 34). Agreement between sets of scores was 84%.

Degradation Screening Test Design for Electronic Products

2010 ◽  
Vol 156-157 ◽  
pp. 747-753
Author(s):  
Rui Lin Lin ◽  
Qiang Hui Zhong
Keyword(s):  
Screening Test ◽  
Performance Characteristics ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Distribution Model ◽  
Test Design ◽  
Aging Effects ◽  
Electronic Products ◽  
Model Coefficient ◽  
Degradation Characteristic ◽  
The Difference

Long-life electronic products need to be put in stress environment for long durations in traditional ESS(environmental stress screening) tests in order that items having infant mortality or defects are weeded out from products. However, long stress durations cause aging effects on good items. For some products, failures are defined in terms of performance characteristics degrading some critical values. For the purpose of reducing durations and aging effects, this paper analyzes the difference of performance characteristics between normally degraded products and abnormally degraded products, and assumes the distribution of products’ degradation characteristic variable is contaminated distribution model, then presents a degradation screening test design. This design firstly ascertains the model coefficient using identifiable condition of contaminated distribution combined with the analysis of degradation test, then ascertains screen duration and screen critical value. Lastly, this paper gives an example to illustrate the availability of the design.

scholarly journals Professional development of English language teachers in Malang, Indonesia: Institutional and individual perspectives

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Anik Nunuk Wulyani
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Ict Skills ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
The Individual

<p>Two important areas of professional development for teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Indonesia identified in the 2003 Law on National Education System and 2005 Law on Teachers and Lecturers are disciplinary knowledge and ICT skills. The present thesis investigates institutional and individual aspects of EFL teacher professional development (TPD) in Indonesia in relation to the development of these two areas of expertise.  Three studies were carried out. The first study measured Indonesian EFL teachers’ target language (English) proficiency as a core component of their professional knowledge and how it is maintained and developed by the teachers. EFL teachers’ language proficiency in this study was operationalised as their lexical, reading and writing proficiency and measured using the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT), IELTS-like reading comprehension test and IELTS-like academic writing test, respectively. The results showed that the teachers’ length of service correlated negatively with their knowledge of academic vocabulary, as well as reading and writing proficiency, indicating issues with the outcomes of the TPD in this area. To triangulate the test results, teacher perceptions data were also gathered using questionnaires and interviews. It was found that the EFL teachers tended to overestimate their own overall English language proficiency.  The second study used a longitudinal blogging activity with the EFL teachers as a form of personal professional development that targeted their English language and ICT skills while reflecting on topics related to their professional (teaching) activities. Qualitative analysis of the blog entries of three EFL teachers suggested that the individual teachers’ blogging, critical reading and reflective writing skills were very uneven. Interviews with nine teachers and 11 educational stakeholders were then conducted to understand their views on blogging as a form of professional development. The results revealed that the perceived obstacles and drawbacks outweighed the perceived benefits of blogging as a form of personal professional development.  The third study examined Indonesian national TPD policy documents, how these policies were translated into local professional development programmes in Malang district. It was found that the needs for EFL teachers to maintain their English proficiency and ICT skills were only partially addressed in TPD policy and implementation. In addition, the interviewed teachers and stakeholders perceived the definitions, goals, administration, evaluation, benefits, and challenges of TPD differently.  Taken as a whole, the present findings show that institutional implementation of TPD policies in Indonesia needs to better target individual EFL teachers’ English proficiency and ICT skills, and that opportunities for better professional development need to be sought at both personal and institutional levels. At the individual level, self-motivation to continue learning is crucial for English language teachers who want to keep up with change and innovation in English language teaching. At the institutional level, needs analyses and environmental analyses are essential in designing programs for maintaining and developing teacher professional competency.</p>

scholarly journals Yemeni EFL Learners’ Future Self-Images and Their Relationship to The English Language Proficiency: التصورات الذاتية المستقبلية لدى طلبة اللغة الانجليزية اليمنيين  وعلاقتها بالكفاءة في اللغة الإنجليزية

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulrahim Ali Mohammad Al-Showthabi, Mohammad Abduh Ahmad A
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Proficiency Tests ◽  
Ideal Self ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Self Image ◽  
Future Self ◽  
Academic Year

This exploratory correlational study addresses the issue of Yemeni EFL Learners’ Future Self-images, Ideal Self-images and Ought-to Self-image and their relationship to the English language proficiency, mainly, speaking and writing --fourth level students, Department of English Sana’a University of the academic year of 2017-2018. It also aims at exploring which of the two Future Self-images addressed is more evident amongst Yemeni EFL learners. In addition, the study attempts to ascertain the role of gender on Future Self-images. Data gathering instruments were all set and validated for the purpose of the study; which were Future Self-images questionnaire (12 Ideal Self-image items & 12 Ought-to Self-image items), English proficiency (speaking & and writing) tests and two Scoring Scales. Fifty two Students (12 males and 40 females (the sample) took both the Future Self-images questionnaire and the English proficiency tests in the academic year 2017-2018. and two Data gathering instruments were all set and validated for the purpose of the study; which were Future Self-images questionnaire (12 Ideal Self-image items & 12 Ought-to Self-image items), English proficiency (speaking & and writing) tests and two Scoring Scales. Fifty two Students (12 males and 40 females (the sample) took both the Future Self-images questionnaire and the English proficiency tests in the academic year 2017-2018. Descriptive analyses— frequencies, and, t-test for independent groups, and Pearson-product moment correlation— were utilized to analyze the data. Results show that Yemeni EFL students have higher Ought-to Self-image mean scores (3.6) than Ideal Self-image mean scores (3.04) Further, each of the two Future Self-images, Ideal Self-image and Ought-to Self-image has a bipolar direction in regard to male and female students. While, female students have higher mean Ideal Self-image scores (2.6) toward learning English, their counterpart male students have higher mean Ought-to Self-image scores (3.15). Furthermore results revealed a significant and strong relationship between Yemeni EFL learners’ ---Ideal Self-images—Ought-to Self-image-- and speaking and writing proficiency respectively and uniquely. This article ends with some recommendations and suggestions for future research.

scholarly journals Set theoretic approach to the concept of net sensitivity and net specificity in screening test results

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 1690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bansi Badan Mukhopadhyay ◽  
Himadri Bhattacharjya
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Set Theory ◽  
Screening Test ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Theoretic Approach ◽  
Test Results

Net sensitivity and net specificity have been reviewed from set theoretic approach. With a basic knowledge of set theory one can estimate the net sensitivity and specificity in an easy way in both sequential and simultaneous screening tests. Union, intersection and complementary operations of set theory have been adopted to find out the solutions. 

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