scholarly journals Exploring the Shortcomings of the Iranian MSRT English Proficiency Test

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (S3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Reza Ghorbani ◽  
Hadi Abbassi ◽  
Abu Bakar Mohamed Razali
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Proficiency Test ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Comprehensive Test ◽  
Sampling Procedures

The Iranian Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology (MSRT) English Proficiency Test (EPT) has been in use since 1992. While the MSRT-EPT is generally claimed to be reliable, valid, and practical, it does not assess speaking and writing skills. In this exploratory study, a qualitative approach was used to examine the MSRT-EPT test-takers experiences and language education experts’ beliefs about the test as well as their congruence with each other through semi-structured telephone interviews. Convenience and purposive sampling procedures were used to select 15 participants. Inductive coding method was applied to determine invariant constituents. Then, the constituents were reduced to categories, and finally the categories were clustered into 11 themes. Dependability and validity of the study were established through triangulation, inter-coder agreement, and member checking technique. The problems associated with the MSRT-EPT and a lack of productive skills included a lack of correspondence between the test content and Ph.D. Candidates'' needs, negative washback effect, non-theory-based content, inappropriate listening conditions, and a lack of test items originality. On the other hand, the candidates’ and experts’ perspectives were highly congruent. In light of these findings, the importance of designing a more comprehensive test including all facets of the language proficiency construct was highlighted, and some suggestions were made for future research.

Assessing the use of multiple-choice translation items in English proficiency tests: The case of the national English proficiency test in Turkey

2019 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Betül Hazal Dinçer ◽  
Elena Antonova-Unlu ◽  
Alper Kumcu
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Proficiency Test ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Multiple Choice ◽  
National Language ◽  
Proficiency Tests ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Sample Test

AbstractThe use of translation for language teaching and assessment, by and large, has been abandoned with the adoption of audio-lingual and communicative approaches in language teaching. As a result, nowadays translation items are not commonly used for measuring language proficiency in international language proficiency tests (e. g. TOEFL, IELTS).However, there are several countries that still use translation items in their national language proficiency tests (e. g. Turkey, Japan, China, Romania among others). The present study aims to examine whether or not multiple-choice translation items are an appropriate tool for measuring proficiency in English. To this end, the perceived level of difficulty and validity of multiple-choice translation items in the National English Proficiency Test (YDS) in Turkey were examined. The findings revealed that the participants did significantly better on the translation items than on the rest of the test items. They also perceived the translation items as the easiest among all the rest items in YDS. Moreover, while YDS as a whole indicated a strong validity based on correlation with TOEFL PBT Reading Sample Test, the translation items indicated moderate validity. Importantly, there was a significant difference between the two correlations. These findings suggest that multiple-choice translation items are likely to lower the overall validity of YDS tests, inflate the scores of test-takers and, thus, might be considered as problematic for the quality of the tests.

Using Standards and Empirical Evidence to Develop Academic English Proficiency Test Items in Reading

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison L. Bailey ◽  
Robin Stevens ◽  
Frances A. Butler ◽  
Becky Huang ◽  
Judy N. Miyoshi
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Proficiency Test ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Academic English ◽  
Test Items

scholarly journals The Commodification of Chinese in Thailand’s Linguistic Market: A Case Study of How Language Education Promotes Social Sustainability

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7344
Author(s):  
Shujian Guo ◽  
Hyunjung Shin ◽  
Qi Shen
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Low Income ◽  
English Language ◽  
Chinese Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Critical Approach ◽  
Chinese Language Learners

In recent decades, the commodification of the English language has aroused intensive research interest in the sociolinguistics on a global scale, but studies on the commodification of the Chinese language are relatively rare. Most studies take a critical approach in relation to its adverse impacts on minority rights and social justice. This study examined the language landscape in Chiangmai, Thailand, and the linguistic beliefs of local Thai Chinese language learners. Based on their feedback, this study investigated the commodification of Chinese language education in the community of Chinese language learners in Chiangmai. We found that from a less critical perspective, the commodification of a second language provides more accessible and affordable educational opportunities for learners, especially those from low-income families, and at the same time language proficiency can broaden learners’ career choices and provide employees with additional value in industries, such as tourism, commerce, and services. This finding implies that language commodification, rather than typically being associated with linguistic imperialism and unbalanced socio-economic status, can be a contributing factor in promoting higher-education availability and social sustainability in certain circumstances. There may be some mediating factors between the commodification of language and changes in the sustainable balance of language, opening up space for future research to explore.

scholarly journals Leveraging Language Proficiency Through Cultural Intelligence to Improve Global Virtual Team Performance

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Stephens ◽  
Longzhu Dong ◽  
Ana Maria Soares
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Team Performance ◽  
Cultural Intelligence ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Group Processes ◽  
Task Conflict ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Team Creativity ◽  
The Relationship

We examine the effect of group level skills on group processes and collective outcomes in multilingual, multicultural global virtual teams. We test a moderated mediation model in which cultural intelligence (CQ) is found to moderate the relationship between average team perceived English language proficiency, team creativity, and team performance with the variables of elaboration of task information and task conflict serving as mediators in the relationship. Data was gathered from 5,852 people working in 895 teams to test the model. Results show that the average English proficiency of the team is positively associated with both team creativity and overall team performance through the mediator of elaboration of task information. CQ moderates this relationship such that teams high in average CQ are much better at elaborating task information as average team English skills increase while teams with low average CQ experience only minimal increases in task elaboration as English skills increase. The model is not significant, however, when using average levels of task conflict on the team as a mediating variable. CQ does not moderate conflict, and conflict is not significantly related to either creativity or overall team performance. We explore implications for managerial practice and directions for future research. Keywords: GVTs; CQ; English proficiency; elaboration of task-relevant information; task conflict; team creativity; team performance

scholarly journals Development of MojiGoiGo!: Adobe Flash Based Learning Media For JLPT Preparation

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kadek Eva Krishna Adnyani ◽  
Gede Satya Hermawan ◽  
I Gede Partha Sindu
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Proficiency Test ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Development Model ◽  
Japanese Language ◽  
Education Department ◽  
Adobe Flash ◽  
The Media ◽  
Language Proficiency Test

This study aims to develop Adobe Flash CS6 "MojiGoiGo!" Based Learning Media for Preparation of Level 4 Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) for Second Semester Students of the Japanese Language Education Department Ganesha University of Education. This research and development uses the development model of Hannafin and Peck. The data are collected through literature review and questionnaires. The collected data are then analyzed by using quantitative analysis. On the requirement needs assess phase, questioners are given to 32 students of second semester of Japanese Language Education Department. On the design phase, materials and products are designed and then inputted into software. On the develop/implement phase, validation of the content and media experts, individual tests, and group trials are conducted. The results of experts validation and individual trials show that the media are considered excellent, while group trials gave judgment on the category of good and excellent. Keywords: research and development, learning media, adobe flash CS6, Japanese-language proficiency test

scholarly journals Developing an English Proficiency Test for Fourth-Year Secondary Students

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Zenaida Gerona ◽  
◽  
Justiniano Seroy ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Proficiency Test ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Item Analysis ◽  
Discrete Point ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Combined Use ◽  
Point Test

The researcher-constructed English proficiency test, after having been administered and subjected to item analysis, yielded 80 valid items, or 61.54% out of 130 original items under the discrete-point test; and 49 items, or 75.38% out of 65 items under the integrative test. Those valid items constituted the final items in the revised form of the discrete-point and integrative tests. Both tests proved to have reliability coefficients of 0.84 for the discrete-point test and 0.97 for the integrative test. The use of both types of test is recommended to effectively evaluate learner's English language proficiency. English teachers must also be reoriented to the combined use of the two types of test to effectively determine students' actual English proficiency level.

scholarly journals Item parameters of Yureka Education Center (YEC) English Proficiency Online Test (EPOT) instrument

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Endrati Jati Siwi ◽  
Rosyita Anindyarini ◽  
Sabiqun Nahar
Keyword(s):  
Proficiency Test ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Item Difficulty ◽  
Discrimination Index ◽  
Index Test ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Online Test ◽  
Item Parameters ◽  
Difficulty Index

Yureka Education Center (YEC) is one of the institutions which has developed an online-based English proficiency test. The test is called  English Proficiency Online Test (EPOT) which follows the TOEFL ITP (Institutional Testing Program) framework. So, this study aimed to analyze the characteristics of EPOT instruments consisting of Listening, Structure, and Reading subtests, which later the quality of each EPOT test item is identified. This study used a descriptive quantitative approach by describing the characteristics of EPOT test items in terms of item difficulty index, item discrimination index, test information’s function and test measurement’s errors. The data were collected through EPOT trials conducted by 2652 online test takers as partisipant from 20 provinces in Indonesia. The collected data were then analyzed using the Item Response Theory (IRT) approach using BILOG program on all logistic parameter models which began with the item compatibility test against the model. Based on the results of the analysis, it can be concluded that all subtests matched the 3-PL model. Most of EPOT’s test items had a good range of difficulty index and discrimination index. The EPOT information’s function showed that accurate items were used on the 3-PL model for certain capability range. This study was expected to point out that EPOT test could be used as an alternative English proficiency test that is easy to use and useful.

scholarly journals Washback of English Proficiency Test in Classroom Activities at National University of Arts Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinh Thi Phuong Hoa
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Proficiency Tests ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
Foreign Language Proficiency ◽  
National University ◽  
English Major

A study in Vietnam concerning the effects of The Vietnam Six-levels of Foreign Language Proficiency Framework, specially English Proficiency Tests for graduates, on classroom teaching and learning activities are reported. The study explores the phenomenon of washback or backwash, the influences of testing on 9 teachers and 679 non-English major students. It is cited as the only known research investigating washback in language education through classroom observation. The study was conducted at National University of Art Education, and combined classroom observations with data from interview, questionaire responses and document analysis to determine whether washback exist, to what degree it operates, and whether it is a positive or negative force in this educational context. The insights from the findings indicate that washback of English Proficiency Tests for graduates occurred in both positive and negative forms, to some degree, in teaching and learing  content, methods and styles. Evidence of washback, both positive and negative, on the way teachers design tests was also found. This should help Vietnamese educators to prepare favourable conditions for enhancing the benificial washback of EPT. The findings have contributed to the knowledge of a nature of washback and consequently opened a new understanding to recognize the dissimilar levels of washback. further research is recommended.

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