How effective are lexical richness measures for differentiations of vocabulary proficiency? A comprehensive examination with clustering analysis

This study proposed an innovative automated approach to differentiation of the vocabulary proficiency of Chinese speakers. A robust K-means algorithm was designed to compare the oral proficiency between L1 and L2 Chinese speakers regarding lexical richness and how relatively effective the various lexical measures were in performing the differentiation task. Eighteen lexical richness measures were surveyed and compared using the clustering analysis. The effectiveness of each selected measure as well as an overall evaluation of all the measures for the concerned differentiation tasks were comprehensively calibrated. The results demonstrate that, while the L1 versus L2 group difference in lexical richness was observed with statistical significance for each of the chosen measures, the clustering and membership prediction accuracy of individual speakers varied greatly from one measure to another. The implication is that a more fully defined metric of lexical richness is still a worthwhile endeavor for language proficiency assessment, with optimal directions for such endeavors discussed in the concluding remarks.

The MINT Sprint: Exploring a Fast Administration Procedure with an Expanded Multilingual Naming Test

Objectives: The present study examined if time-pressured administration of an expanded Multilingual Naming Test (MINT) would improve or compromise assessment of bilingual language proficiency and language dominance. Methods: Eighty Spanish–English bilinguals viewed a grid with 80 MINT-Sprint pictures and were asked to name as many pictures as possible in 3 min in each language in counterbalanced order. An Oral Proficiency Interview rated by four native Spanish–English bilinguals provided independent assessment of proficiency level. Bilinguals also self-rated their proficiency, completed two subtests of the Woodcock-Muñoz, and a speeded translation recognition test. We compared scores after 2 min, a first-pass through all the pictures, and a second-pass in which bilinguals were prompted to try to name skipped items. Results: The MINT Sprint and a subset score including original MINT items were highly correlated with Oral Proficiency Interview scores for predicting the degree of language dominance – matching or outperforming all other measures. Self-ratings provided weaker measures (especially of degree of balance – i.e., bilingual index scores) and did not explain any unique variance in measuring the degree of language dominance when considered together with second-pass naming scores. The 2-min scoring procedure did not improve and appeared not to hamper assessment of absolute proficiency level but prompting to try to name skipped items improved assessment of language dominance and naming scores, especially in the nondominant language. Conclusions: Time-pressured rapid naming saves time without significantly compromising assessment of proficiency level. However, breadth of vocabulary knowledge may be as important as retrieval speed for maximizing the accuracy in proficiency assessment.

Readiness of Human Capital in Implementation of E-Marking of National Examinations in Malawi

The aim of this study was to investigate readiness of the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) examiners’ in e-marking of national examinations and general use of technology with focus on their computer proficiency and perception. The study followed an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design and data was collected from sampled examiners through a questionnaire, a focus group discussion (FGD) and a computer proficiency assessment test. The findings show that over 90% of the participants had moderate to very high computer proficiency levels. The findings also show that both age and gender did not have any effect on the technology readiness index (TRI) of Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examiners but on Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examiners. The findings also indicate no effect of the examiners’ years of marking experience on their TRI. The distribution of examiners across TRI segments shows that the number of examiners increases with the increasing order of adoption propensity. In line with this, most examiners showed positive perception of e-marking of national examinations as well as moderate to very high computer proficiency level.

Critical Language Testing: Factors Influencing Students’ Decisions to (Not) Pursue the Seal of Biliteracy

In this investigation, Kristin J. Davin analyzes current and former emergent bilingual learners’ decisions to take or not take a language proficiency assessment in a home language to pursue a Seal of Biliteracy (SoBL). The SoBL is a policy adopted in forty states to counteract English-only ideologies by recognizing students who graduate high school bilingual and biliterate. Considering the power of assessments and the complexity of the decision to take a test of proficiency in one’s home language, this study uses the history-in-person framework to understand the factors that shape students’ decisions to take, or not take, the “seals test.” Davin’s findings point toward considerations and changes necessary to SoBL implementation to ensure that the policy meets the needs of the emergent bilingual learners it was intended to benefit.

Evaluating the Russian Language Proficiency of Bilingual and Second Language Learners of Russian

The starting point of most experimental and clinical examinations of bilingual language development is the choice of the measure of participants’ proficiency, which affects the interpretation of experimental findings and has pedagogical and clinical implications. Recent work on heritage and L2 acquisition of Russian used varying proficiency assessment tools, including elicited production, vocabulary recognition, and in-house measures. Using such different approaches to proficiency assessment is problematic if one seeks a coherent vision of bilingual speaker competence at different acquisition stages. The aim of the present study is to provide a suite of validated bilingual assessment materials designed to evaluate the language proficiency speakers of Russian as a second or heritage language. The materials include an adaptation of a normed language background questionnaire (Leap-Q), a battery of participant-reported proficiency measures, and a normed cloze deletion test. We offer two response formats in combination with two distinct scoring methods in order to make the testing materials suited for bilingual Russian speakers who self-assess as (semi-) proficient as well as for those whose bilingualism is incipient, or declining due to language attrition. Data from 52 baseline speakers and 503 speakers of Russian who reported dominant proficiency in a different language are analyzed for test validation purposes. Obtained measures of internal and external validity provide evidence that the cloze deletion test reported in this study reliably discriminates between dissimilar target language attainment levels in diverse populations of bilingual and multilingual Russian speakers.

Deep Brain Stimulation and Swimming Performance: A Randomized Within-person Crossover Study

Objective:To determine whether deep brain stimulation (DBS) causes swimming impairment, we systematically compared swimming ability between DBS on vs. off, in eighteen patients.Methods:We conducted a randomized, blinded crossover study, comparing swimming ability between DBS on vs. off, within participants. Participants swam 3 laps of front crawl and 3 laps of breaststroke. Pre-specifed primary outcomes were proportion of lap completed, lap time, and Aquatic Skills Proficiency Assessment (ASPA) score. Pre-specified secondary outcomes were a qualitative description of marked changes observed.Results:Eighteen participants with Parkinson’s disease (n=13), essential tremor (n=3), Tourette’s syndrome (n=1) or post-traumatic brain injury proximal tremor (n=1), treated with posterior subthalamic area (n=15) or globus pallidus interna (n=3) DBS were assessed. There was no significant effect of DBS on/off status on any outcome measure, for front crawl or breaststroke. Three participants showed changes in both qualitative and quantitative assessments. Of these, one participant displayed reduction in swimming ability: impairment in all outcomes with DBS on, normalizing with DBS off (the same individual as previously reported). The participant displayed difficulty coordinating limb movement as well as postural control. Two participants showed improvements in lap time and ASPA scores with DBS on.Conclusion:Overall DBS did not impair swimming performance, although one patient demonstrated a stimulation-induced drowning hazard. There were no anatomical or clinical features unique to the individual with swimming impairment. Patients should be warned about the possibility of DBS-induced drowning hazard, and should swim with capable supervision after DBS.Classification of evidence:This study provides Class IV evidence that for patients with implanted DBS electrodes, the stimulation on condition, compared to stimulation off, did not significantly impair swimming performance. A formal assessment of unblinding would have been helpful.