Validating Parallel Language Tests

ISBN-13: 9783639146165 / Angielski / Miękka / 2009 / 100 str.

Prithvi Shrestha

Opis

Validating Parallel Language Tests investigates theparallelness of the school level two equivalent national readingtests. The study is based on the test performance of the test-takers andtheir questionnaire responses with regard to the tests. Italso draws on the responses of the test-takers teachers and theexperts judgments on the two tests. The study uses theclassical test theory in order to analyse the tests scores. The expertsjudgments are analysed to examine the construct (content) validityof the tests. Also, the test task characteristics (using Bachmanand Palmers [1996] framework) are examined comparing the twotests, followed by an analysis of the test-takers and their teachersresponses. The findings suggest that the two tests do not appear tobe parallel which is caused by the discrepancy between them withregard to reading skills and test task characteristics. Thisstudy also recommends certain ways that can help the examiningbody and the test developers to improve the parallel tests. Thisbook will be useful for postgraduate students, their tutors andresearchers interested in validating language tests and assessment.

O autorze

Prithvi Shrestha is a lecturer in English Language Teaching at
the Open University, UK.
Currently he is working towards a doctorate in education. His
research interests
include dynamic assessment, language assessment, sociocultural
theory, academic
writing, mobile technologies for language learning and teacher
education in developing
countries.