Einstufung in UNIcert®-Kurse mittels C-Test

Abstract

AbstractThis article describes a procedure for constructing C-tests for UNIcert® courses, and in doing so gives an insight into work in progress. Each year since 2005 twelve colleagues working in language centres in third-level institutions in Germany have collaboratively developed a C-test for assigning students to French courses. Our central concern is to link the C-test format to the UNIcert® certification system. As the linguistic demands of the different UNIcert® levels cannot be reliably scaled on the basis of the usual descriptors, we use teaching times as stipulated in the UNIcert® framework and correlate this with corresponding language levels that cannot be described precisely. From this we have derived a UNIcert® reference scale, which shows competence ranges for each level in terms of C-test scores. In this way it is possible to define entry levels for the different courses according to a single system of C-test scores. The scale can only be used, however, if the C-tests in question satisfy certain requirements. Accordingly, a UNIcert® reference “testlet” to determine admission to appropriate levels of French courses is being developed according to various parameters. Empirical procedures are being used to explore potentially suitable testlets. Course-related pilot testlets are tested by students taking UNIcert® courses. The results from the piloting of the testlets are compared with the reference testlet, and this determines whether or not they are used in the main test that assigns students to the appropriate levels of the UNIcert® courses for which they have registered. Grading is on the basis of total test scores and the UNIcert® reference scale.