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Evaluating the 'TOEFL Junior'® Standard Test as a Measure of Progress for Young English Language Learners. Research Report. ETS RR-15-22

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Title: Evaluating the 'TOEFL Junior'® Standard Test as a Measure of Progress for Young English Language Learners. Research Report. ETS RR-15-22
Language: English
Authors: Gu, Lin, Lockwood, John, Powers, Donald E.
Source: ETS Research Report Series. Dec 2015.
Availability: Educational Testing Service. Rosedale Road, MS19-R Princeton, NJ 08541. Tel: 609-921-9000; Fax: 609-734-5410; e-mail: RDweb@ets.org; Web site: https://www.ets.org/research/policy_research_reports/ets
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2015
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Language Tests, Second Language Learning, English (Second Language), Standardized Tests, Language Proficiency, Scores, Hierarchical Linear Modeling, Statistical Significance, Pretests Posttests, Adolescents, Longitudinal Studies, Data Collection, Student Improvement, Intervals, Achievement Gains
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Test of English as a Foreign Language
ISSN: 2330-8516
Abstract: Standardized tests are often designed to provide only a snapshot of test takers' knowledge, skills, or abilities at a single point in time. Sometimes, however, they are expected to serve more demanding functions, one of them is assessing change in knowledge, skills, or ability over time because of learning effects.The latter is the case for the newly developed "TOEFL Junior"®Standard test, which measures improvement in young learners' proficiency in English as a foreign language. In this study,we used nonexperimental-repeated measures data from approximately 4,600 students from multiple countries to examine the extent to which observed patterns in within-individual changes in test scores were consistent with changes in underlying language proficiency because of learning. Because most students were actively participating in English language learning programs, the time interval between test administrations, which varied among students, served as a proxy for the extent of English language learning opportunities. We used hierarchical linear models to model growth in test performance as a function of the time interval between test administrations and found a positive, statistically significant relationship; that is, test takers with longer intervals between retesting exhibited greater gains than did test takers who retested at shorter intervals.The estimated relationship for the total score corresponded to between 0.16 and 0.24 test standard deviations of growth per year, depending on model specification.The findings are robust to sensitivity analyses that explore potential biasing factors.Overall, the findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the "TOEFL Junior" Standard test is capable of reflecting change in English language proficiency over time.
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 23
Entry Date: 2016
Accession Number: EJ1109322
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Educational Testing Service. Rosedale Road, MS19-R Princeton, NJ 08541. Tel: 609-921-9000; Fax: 609-734-5410; e-mail: RDweb@ets.org; Web site: https://www.ets.org/research/policy_research_reports/ets
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  Data: Standardized tests are often designed to provide only a snapshot of test takers' knowledge, skills, or abilities at a single point in time. Sometimes, however, they are expected to serve more demanding functions, one of them is assessing change in knowledge, skills, or ability over time because of learning effects.The latter is the case for the newly developed "TOEFL Junior"®Standard test, which measures improvement in young learners' proficiency in English as a foreign language. In this study,we used nonexperimental-repeated measures data from approximately 4,600 students from multiple countries to examine the extent to which observed patterns in within-individual changes in test scores were consistent with changes in underlying language proficiency because of learning. Because most students were actively participating in English language learning programs, the time interval between test administrations, which varied among students, served as a proxy for the extent of English language learning opportunities. We used hierarchical linear models to model growth in test performance as a function of the time interval between test administrations and found a positive, statistically significant relationship; that is, test takers with longer intervals between retesting exhibited greater gains than did test takers who retested at shorter intervals.The estimated relationship for the total score corresponded to between 0.16 and 0.24 test standard deviations of growth per year, depending on model specification.The findings are robust to sensitivity analyses that explore potential biasing factors.Overall, the findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the "TOEFL Junior" Standard test is capable of reflecting change in English language proficiency over time.
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 15
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Language Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Second Language Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: English (Second Language)
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      – SubjectFull: Hierarchical Linear Modeling
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      – SubjectFull: Statistical Significance
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      – SubjectFull: Pretests Posttests
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      – SubjectFull: Adolescents
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      – SubjectFull: Achievement Gains
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      – SubjectFull: Test of English as a Foreign Language
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      – TitleFull: Evaluating the 'TOEFL Junior'® Standard Test as a Measure of Progress for Young English Language Learners. Research Report. ETS RR-15-22
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