Adaptive Item Language Assessment based on students’ cognitive abilities

Abstract

The promotion of multilingualism, communication, mobility and cross-cultural awareness among EU member-states has created the demand for easilyadministered, self-paced, time-effective, multilingual, and internationally accredited foreign language assessments (FLA). The Common European Framework of Reference (CEF) has paved the way by setting internationally certifi ed standards for formal testing as well as elf-assessment in all European languages and describing in detail the productive and receptive skills needed to attain a specifi c level of competence. CEF is based on the communicative, action-oriented and skill-based approach to language learning which is the essence of linguistic competency (Council of Europe, 2001, 2004). The new generation of assessments acknowledges the fact that there is no average student model with predetermined behavior and tests are adapted to students’ diverse educational and socio-economic background, age, nationality, fi rst language, motivation and temporal accessibility. In order to foster learners’ success, we need to adapt FLA environments to accommodate learners’ diversity accordingly. Any assessment in foreign language that does not adapt to the aforementioned mixed student abilities cannot be considered reliable and valid. Mixed abilities create mixed needs which result in mixed implementations in all educational settings. This paper will describe the development of AILA, a computer adaptive and adaptable placement test in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) for mixed-ability students that can measure productive and receptive foreign language awareness efficiently.