Language Assessment Research Articles

Test Review of Acadience Reading Diagnostic: Comprehension, Fluency, and Oral Language Assessment

Test Review of Acadience Reading Diagnostic: Comprehension, Fluency, and Oral Language Assessment

Exploring language assessment literacy: A case of perceived needs of two stakeholder groups in Egypt

AbstractStakeholders in exam‐driven countries are responsible for developing test‐related tasks to assess the quality of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching and learning. Hence, the language assessment literacy (LAL) of different stakeholders has to be investigated. This mixed‐methods study explored the required LAL competencies among two groups of Egyptian EFL supervisors and teachers and examined the impact of participants' demographic profiles on choosing LAL competencies. The groups prioritized their needs for assessment in language pedagogy. While supervisors were highly demanded to develop and administer language assessments, teachers were highly interested in developing their skills at assessment scoring and rating. Teachers' selection of LAL competencies was influenced by age, educational degree and professional training; whereas supervisors' LAL was impacted by experience and educational degree. The findings of interviews shed light on participants' perceived needs for LAL knowledge and skills, the challenges of achieving LAL, and ways for improvement.

Assessing the Impact of Overactive Bladder Medications on Cognition.

Emerging literature has associated the use of anticholinergic medications to cognitive decline. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of overactive bladder medications on cognitive function with prospective longitudinal cognitive assessments. A population-based cohort of individuals 50 years and older who had serial validated cognitive assessment, in accordance with the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, was evaluated from October 2004 through December 2021. Anticholinergic overactive bladder medications were grouped by traditional anticholinergic medications and central nervous system (CNS)- sparing anticholinergic medications and compared to no medication exposure. A linear mixed effects model with time-dependent exposures evaluated the association between overactive bladder anticholinergic medication exposure and subsequent trajectories of cognitive z-scores. We included 5,872 participants with a median follow-up of 6.4 years. Four hundred forty-three were exposed to traditional anticholinergic medications, 60 to CNS-sparing medications, and 5,369 had no exposure. On multivariable analyses, exposure to any anticholinergic overactive bladder medication was significantly associated with deterioration in longitudinal cognitive scores in the language and attention assessments compared to the control cohort. Traditional anticholinergic medication exposure was associated with worse attention scores than nonexposed participants. Exposure to CNS-sparing anticholinergic medications was associated with a deterioration in the language domain compared to those unexposed. Among women, traditional anticholinergic medication exposure was associated with worse global and visuospatial scores than nonexposed participants, but this association was not identified in the CNS-sparing group. Exposure to anticholinergic overactive bladder medications was associated with small but significantly worse decline in cognitive scoring in the language and attention domains when compared to nonexposed individuals.

Association between Prenatal Dietary Toxicants and Infant Neurodevelopment: The Role of Fish

More research is needed to understand how the maternal consumption of fish and fish-borne toxicants impacts infant neurodevelopment. The present analysis was conducted over 460 mother–infant pairs within the ECLIPSES study. Dietary intake of metals and persistent organic pollutants from fish (including white fish, blue fish, and seafood) was estimated in pregnant women. The infants underwent cognitive, language, and motor function assessments using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III at the 40-day postpartum. Associations between dietary toxicants and outcomes were assessed using multivariable linear regression models. Estimated prenatal exposure to fish-borne toxicants, such as arsenic, inorganic arsenic, methylmercury, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs), and non-DL-PCBs, was associated with poorer language functions in infants, whereas no significant associations were found with motor or cognitive functions. Maternal fish consumption exceeding the Spanish recommendation of no more than 71 g per day was linked to these adverse effects on language abilities without affecting motor or cognitive development. This highlights the importance of vigilant monitoring of environmental toxicants and the provision of dietary guidance for pregnant women, with potential implications for public health and child development.

Exploring the impact of the adaptive gamified assessment on learners in blended learning

AbstractBlended learning combines online and traditional classroom instruction, aiming to optimize educational outcomes. Despite its potential, student engagement with online components remains a significant challenge. Gamification has emerged as a popular solution to bolster engagement, though its effectiveness is contested, with research yielding mixed results. This study addresses this gap by examining the impact of adaptive gamified assessments on young learners' motivation and language proficiency within a blended learning framework. Under Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Language Assessment Principles, the study evaluates how adaptive gamified tests affect learner engagement and outcomes. A 20-week comparative experiment involved 45 elementary school participants in a blended learning environment. The experimental group (n = 23) took the adaptive gamified test, while the control group (n = 22) engaged with non-gamified e-tests. Statistical analysis using a paired t-test in SPSS revealed that the implementation of adaptive gamified testing in the blended learning setting significantly decreased learner dissatisfaction (t (44) = 10.13, p < .001, SD = 0.87). Moreover, this approach markedly improved learners' accuracy rates (t (44) = -25.75, p < .001, SD = 2.09), indicating enhanced language proficiency and motivation, as also reflected in the attitude scores (t(44) = -14.47, p < .001, SD = 4.73). The adaptive gamified assessment primarily enhanced intrinsic motivation related to competence, with 69% of students in the experimental group reporting increased abilities. The findings suggest that adaptive gamified testing is an effective instructional method for fostering improved motivation and learning outcomes.

An interactive shared Reading intervention designed for preverbal infants: A feasibility study exploring early language and cognitive development

An interactive shared Reading intervention designed for preverbal infants: A feasibility study exploring early language and cognitive development

Advancing Language Assessment and Evaluation: Innovative Strategies for Specialized English Teaching

This research paper examines the field of language assessment and evaluation. We shall primarily concentrate on the sophisticated techniques used in the specialized domain of English instruction. With the growing need for enhanced language training, educators are striving to enhance assessment techniques in order to precisely gauge language competency and provide focused instructional interventions. We acknowledge that the process of acquiring language is always evolving. Therefore, our study advocates for the use of adaptable and varied evaluation techniques that surpass conventional approaches. We are exploring the use of technology, artificial intelligence, and data analytics to develop customized assessment tools. These technologies would enable the assessment of individual student performance and provide targeted support for their unique learning requirements. Furthermore, the research explores the use of performance-based evaluations and proposes that instructors have to design activities that emulate authentic language scenarios. This strategy enhances the credibility of evaluations and provides vital insights into a learner's practical language application abilities. We use case studies and practical examples to demonstrate the effective implementation of these advanced tactics in various specialized English teaching contexts.

Perceived need for a teacher education course on assessment literacy development: insights from EAP instructors

Classroom assessment, as a crucial element of the teaching journey, plays a significant part in enhancing student achievement, student learning, and teacher instruction. As such, teachers should possess a good grasp of assessment literacy. This study aimed to explore the EAP teachers’ perceptions regarding the demand for in-service training in various areas of language assessment, in particular, examining how a language testing and assessment (LTA) teacher education course would impact the EAP instructors’ Language Assessment Literacy (LAL). In this qualitative study, pursuing a descriptive narrative design, 60 EAP instructors were selected through purposive sampling from those who have been working in state universities in Tehran. From these participants, 30 EAP teachers were asked to write narratives regarding their needs for training on LAL, and the other 30 participants were involved in an online semi-structured interview to determine how such a course could promote or inhibit their perceptions and practices of LA and LAL. Using MAXQDA to do content and thematic analysis, the research findings revealed that EAP instructors highly perceived a need for further training especially a practice-based one. In particular, the instructors thought of teacher education courses as contributing to their theoretical and practical knowledge of LAL. Hence, teacher education courses with a specific focus on LAL are highly required, changing EAP teachers’ perspectives on LTA, from being taught solely in theory to being taught practically in real classroom environments.

Verbal memory network mapping in individual patients predicts postoperative functional impairments.

Verbal memory decline is a significant concern following temporal lobe surgeries in patients with epilepsy, emphasizing the need for precision presurgical verbal memory mapping to optimize functional outcomes. However, the inter-individual variability in functional networks and brain function-structural dissociations pose challenges when relying solely on group-level atlases or anatomical landmarks for surgical guidance. Here, we aimed to develop and validate a personalized functional mapping technique for verbal memory using precision resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and neurosurgery. A total of 38 patients with refractory epilepsy scheduled for surgical interventions were enrolled and 28 patients were analyzed in the study. Baseline 30-min rs-fMRI scanning, verbal memory and language assessments were collected for each patient before surgery. Personalized verbal memory networks (PVMN) were delineated based on preoperative rs-fMRI data for each patient. The accuracy of PVMN was assessed by comparing post-operative functional impairments and the overlapping extent between PVMN and surgical lesions. A total of 14 out of 28 patients experienced clinically meaningful declines in verbal memory after surgery. The personalized network and the group-level atlas exhibited 100% and 75.0% accuracy in predicting postoperative verbal memory declines, respectively. Moreover, six patients with extra-temporal lesions that overlapped with PVMN showed selective impairments in verbal memory. Furthermore, the lesioned ratio of the personalized network rather than the group-level atlas was significantly correlated with postoperative declines in verbal memory (personalized networks: r = -0.39, p = .038; group-level atlas: r = -0.19, p = .332). In conclusion, our personalized functional mapping technique, using precision rs-fMRI, offers valuable insights into individual variability in the verbal memory network and holds promise in precision verbal memory network mapping in individuals.

Establishing guidelines for MLU measurement in an agglutinating language: An illustration of Georgian

This article explores the applicability of mean length of utterance (MLU) as a language assessment measure for Georgian child language, as to-date, Georgian, a morphologically rich language with numerous inflectional categories, experiences an extensive lack of instruments for early language assessment. To this end, a set of guidelines for calculating Georgian MLU was developed based on the analysis of a longitudinal corpus of two Georgian-speaking children aged 12–35 months. This was supported by the findings of previous studies on Georgian acquisition. Furthermore, the guidelines were used to compare MLU in morphemes (MLU-m) with MLU in words (MLU-w) and MLU in syllables (MLU-s) to determine the most suitable method for assessing morphological development in Georgian. These results indicate that MLU-m closely aligns with the description of language development in Georgian children. MLU-s is useful for demonstrating early linguistic development, while MLU-w correlates with age but does not capture changes within words over time. Further testing on a larger corpus is needed to refine the guidelines for more accurate assessment of Georgian-speaking children.

A Systematic Literature Review of Current Studies on Comparison Between the CEFR and CSE

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is widely used in the area of learners’ proficiency assessments, curriculum design and learning material development all around the world. To better facilitate the language teaching, learning and assessment, the Ministry of Education in the People’s Republic of China launched the development of China’s Standards of English Language Ability (CSE) in 2014. Then, in 2018, a unified English language ability framework, the CSE was developed. This study aims to examine the differences of current studies on the CEFR and CSE in terms of alignment, target audience and language, application on education, and the most frequently used methodologies. The method used is the systematic literature review (SLR). Through this method, ten articles were obtained from different databases. Based on the analysis, the findings are as follows. First, the majority of studies were in terms of the alignment between the two frameworks from the perspective of listening, reading, writing and other skills. The second largest number of studies on the comparison of the two frameworks focused on the general comparison between them. Additionally, there was only one study related to the application of CEFR and CSE in education. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that most of current studies on the comparison between the CEFR and CSE centre on the alignment and general comparison, few studies were conducted to compare the descriptors of the four English language skills. Hence, future studies should focus more on the comparison of listening, speaking, reading and writing descriptors.

Challenges and Opportunities: A Qualitative Study of EFL Teachers' Digital Proficiency and its Impact on Interactive Language Assessment

Challenges and Opportunities: A Qualitative Study of EFL Teachers' Digital Proficiency and its Impact on Interactive Language Assessment

Evaluating Iranian L2 Teachers’ Assessment Literacy for L2 Pragmatics by Applying the CEFR’s Pragmatic Competence Model: Possible Sociocultural-Informed Solutions

Nearly all multidimensional models of communication competence have pragmatic competence at their core. Proper assessment of second language (L2) pragmatics makes many demands on L2 teachers, both in terms of understanding the construct and in language test development. Therefore, being assessment literate helps teachers in developing effective tests geared toward educational outcomes. Despite the importance of assessment literacy (AL) for pragmatics, the field is still under-researched. Mindful of this fact and the significance of pragmatics in L2 learning and assessment, this study adopted the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) model of pragmatic competence to examine Iranian L2 teachers’ AL for L2 pragmatics and linked the results to the Sociocultural Theory (SCT) for formulating theoryinformed answers to the problems in the teachers’ assessment of L2 pragmatics. Group interviews were run with 67 participants and then qualitative and quantitative content analyses were performed. The paper discusses the identified problems in the assessment of L2 pragmatics and offers recommendations for raising L2 teachers’ AL for L2 pragmatics.

Shaping Strict Migrant Policies through Housing Strategies in Denmark

In Denmark, approximately one million people reside in public housing. This sector encompasses over half of all “immigrants and their descendants from non-Western countries “. Educational attainment and employment rates among public housing residents are notably lower than the na-tional average, and a significant proportion rely on transfer income (Landsbyggefonden, 2022). In 2020, the Housing and Planning Authority designated 25 public housing areas as 'disadvantaged residential areas.' According to the Ministry of Housing, these areas are beset by several chal-lenges, including higher unemployment rates, lower educational levels, increased criminal activity, a predominance of residents with only basic education, and substantially lower incomes compared to the broader population (Bolig- og Planstyrelsen, 2020). The political strategy for addressing these disadvantaged areas has significantly changed in recent years. Since 2018, the Danish parliament, supported by a broad majority, has implemented the Parallel Society Agreement (PSA). Key elements of the PSA include mandatory childcare from age one for children in these areas, a prohibition on individuals receiving transfer incomes from relocating to the most severely affected 'ghetto areas,' language assessments for children beginning in kindergarten, and a cap of no more than 40% public housing in these areas. This is to be achieved by demolishing existing public housing and developing new private properties (PSA, 2018). These regulations, unique to areas predominantly inhabited by ethnic minorities, prompt questions about whether this represents a singular approach to housing policy or a continuation of practices that have been evolving since the 1980s with the increase in labor and refugee migration. This article will demonstrate, through policy document analysis and three case studies in Denmark, how politicians and the media construct a narrative that ethnic minorities in disadvantaged housing areas, often labeled as ghetto areas, lack the desire for cultural interaction and integration with the wider Danish society. This perception paves the way for legal and administrative practices that systematically discriminate against ethnic minorities, illustrating how housing policy is intricately connected to migration policy in Denmark.

Characterization of speech and language phenotype in the 8p23.1 syndrome.

The 8p23.1 duplication syndrome is a rare genetic condition with an estimated prevalence rate of 1 out of 58,000. Although the syndrome was associated with speech and language delays, a comprehensive assessment of speech and language functions has not been undertaken in this population. To address this issue, the present study reports rigorous speech and language, in addition to oral-facial and developmental, assessment of a 50-month-old Turkish-speaking boy who was diagnosed with the 8p23.1 duplication syndrome. Standardized tests of development, articulation and phonology, receptive and expressive language and a language sample analysis were administered to characterize speech and language skills in the patient. The language sample was obtained in an ecologically valid, free play and conversation context. The language sample was then analyzed and compared to a database of age-matched typically-developing children (n = 33) in terms of intelligibility, morphosyntax, semantics/vocabulary, discourse, verbal facility and percentage of errors at word and utterance levels. The results revealed mild to severe problems in articulation and phonology, receptive and expressive language skills, and morphosyntax (mean length of utterance in morphemes). Future research with larger sample sizes and employing detailed speech and language assessment is needed to delineate the speech and language profile in individuals with the 8p23.1 duplication syndrome, which will guide targeted speech and language interventions.

Analysis of natural language input in preschool children with and without hearing loss: quantity, caregiver response types, and influence of demographic factors

ABSTRACT This study investigated language input (adult word count, AWC; conversational turn count, CTC; response types; high-, mid-, and low-level) and language outcomes (receptive, expressive) in children aged 2–5 years with hearing loss (CwHL) and those with normal hearing (CwNH). Associations between language input and outcomes, relationships between language input, and demographics were examined. Language input was analyzed using full-day Language Environment Analysis (LENA) audio-recordings, and language outcomes were assessed using standardized language assessments in 14 CwHL and 20 CwNH. There were no significant differences in language input between CwHL (AWC/hr: M = 1137, SD = 554; CTC/hr: M = 48.26, SD = 19.18) and CwNH (AWC/hr: M = 1243, SD = 426; CTC/hr: M = 60.94, SD = 21.34). There were, however, significant differences between groups in response types and language outcomes. Caregivers of CwHL used less high- and more mid- and low-level responses than caregivers of CwNH (p = < .01). Language input in CwHL showed no association with language outcomes, and there were no correlations with demographic factors. For CwNH, receptive language was correlated with AWC/hr, CTC/hr, and high- and low-level response types (p = < .01); and expressive language was correlated with AWC/hr (p = < .01), CTC/hr (p = .02), and high- (p = .02) and low-level (p = < .01) response types significantly. Correlations were negative for low-level response types, with lower language scores associated with relatively more use of low-level responses. For CwNH, maternal education correlated with AWC/hr (p = < .01), and caregivers of younger CwNH had significantly more CTC/hr (p = < .01). Quantitative LENA data suggested comparable interaction frequency between groups. CwHL were exposed to more low-level response types, had significantly lower language scores. Further investigation into response types, child language outcomes, and therapeutic implications for CwHL is needed.

Leveraging the AAPPL to promote positive washback in K‐12 language teaching

AbstractIn recent years, the use of external proficiency‐based tests to measure learners' language ability has increased significantly, in part thanks to the Seal of Biliteracy movement. However, there exists very limited research investigating the influence of such tests and their subsequent outcomes data on teachers' practices. As such, this study examines the washback effects of the ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) on teachers' instruction and planning in an urban Midwest K‐12 district. Survey and interview data revealed that teachers increased their use of ACTFL key documents, placed more emphasis on target language usage, and sought to balance their use of the three modes of communication to better meet learners' needs and facilitate their proficiency development. This evidence of positive washback was observed among teachers across languages and levels and was enhanced by the opt‐in approach to test implementation and the close link between testing and teaching. For some, the AAPPL served as a catalyst to further align their curricula and instruction. Recommendations are offered for those who may wish to implement a standards‐based external language assessment such as the AAPPL as a means by which to foster professional growth and promote teachers' adoption of proficiency‐oriented practices.

Development and evaluation of verbal fluency cut-off scores for the Brisbane Evidence-Based Language Test (EBLT) for use in clinical practice

ABSTRACT The Brisbane Evidence-Based Language Test (EBLT) incorporates verbal fluency tasks (animals and words starting with ‘F’) although it does not currently provide cut-off scores for the verbal fluency subtest. The aim is to gain speech pathologists’ perceptions of the current scoring of the verbal fluency subtest (i.e., initial survey) and develop new verbal fluency cut-offs. An online survey study design was implemented and involved three online survey stages (1) initial survey, (2) weekly surveys and (3) final survey. Forty-two speech pathologists (age range: 23–66 years) participated in the initial survey and 23 clinicians participated in the weekly surveys. The verbal fluency cut-offs were calculated through diagnostic receiver operating characteristic sensitivity and specificity analysis comparing verbal fluency test scores with the binary (yes/no) language reference standard result. A cut-off score of ≤6 words on each task (animal task and words starting with ‘F’ task) was indicative of impaired performance. When not stratified by age, the combined animal and words starting with ‘F’ task cut-off score had a lower cut-off of ≤15 indicative of impairment. Overall diagnostic accuracy was greater when the animal and ‘F’ words tasks were combined. Participants reported that the new cut-offs were helpful, appropriate, in line with their clinical impression, patient presentation and met their needs as clinicians. The findings of this study indicate speech pathologists found the new verbal fluency cut-offs to be a useful addition in informing their decision-making in their clinical language assessments.

Language abilities and associated risk factors of school-aged children with cleft lip and palate.

Previous research on children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) reported unequivocal findings with regard to language skills, with the majority suggesting persistent difficulties in early childhood. While expressive language deficits improved with age, receptive language skills were consistently lower than peers. Further study investigating the long term and persistent impact of language deficits amongst school-aged children with CLP is warranted. This was a cross-sectional study, aimed to determine the language abilities and explore the associated risk factors in Malay speaking children with CLP in Malaysia. Fifty-two children with CLP aged 7- to 12-year-old participated in this study. Language skills were assessed using the Malay Preschool Language Assessment Tool and the adapted Subway-School-age Language & Assessment Measures. Findings revealed that 14 (26.92%) school-aged children with CLP demonstrated language deficits. Children with CLP performed significantly poorer in reading comprehension (p = 0.031) and narrative (p = 0.026) skills. It was found that the age significantly influenced total receptive language score (β = 0.421, p = 0.003) and total expressive language score (β = 0.477, p = 0.000). Findings suggested that children with CLP may continue to have persistent language deficits into their school-age years. Recommendations for regular monitoring of language performance especially for those from younger age groups is warranted to help maximize school attainment.

Malaysian ESL Teachers’ Language Assessment Literacy Issues in Implementing CEFR-Aligned Classroom-Based Assessment: How to Deal with Them?

Malaysian ESL Teachers’ Language Assessment Literacy Issues in Implementing CEFR-Aligned Classroom-Based Assessment: How to Deal with Them?