Validation of Level Classification in an English Proficiency Test for Young-Learners

표혜원; Haedong Kim (김해동)

Validation of Level Classification in an English Proficiency Test for Young-Learners

Modern English Education
Abbr : MEESO
2011, 12(1), pp.73-88
Publisher : The Modern English Education Society
Research Area : Humanities > English Language and Literature > English Language Teaching

표혜원 ¹, Haedong Kim ¹

¹한국외국어대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study aims to illustrate how to determine and justify level classifications for a standardized test for young learners. The data from eight test developers and 1,378 test takers were utilized for the analysis. The Angoff method was used to get a pass/fail boundary and the identified cut score was compared with the actual scores obtained from the test. Correlation coefficients were respectively checked on listening questions and reading questions. Cluster analyses were carried out to identify the number of possible levels, which were checked by the test writers’ predicted scores on each item. The results indicate that there were two distinguishable level-groups. However, there was a gap between expected cut score and actual cut score. As a conclusion, it is proposed to use the methods used in this study to check the validity of level classification in a standardized test.

KEYWORDS

testing, level, cut score, validation

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

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