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Validity of the English Language Proficiency Test.

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Title: Validity of the English Language Proficiency Test.
Language: English
Authors: Bridgeman, Brent, Harvey, Anne
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 26
Publication Date: 1998
Document Type: Reports - Research
Speeches/Meeting Papers
Descriptors: College Students, Concurrent Validity, English (Second Language), Grade Point Average, High School Students, High Schools, Higher Education, Language Usage, Listening Comprehension Tests, Multiple Choice Tests, Reading Tests, Student Placement, Test Use, Test Validity
Geographic Terms: U.S.; New Jersey
Abstract: The English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) is a multiple-choice examination that is designed to assess the test taker's ability to use English in day-to-day interactions involving listening and reading. It is intended primarily as an admissions and placement test for college students with English as a second language. The ELPT consists of subtests for listening skills and reading skills. Research generally supporting the validity of the ELPT was reviewed, and the external aspects of construct validity were studied with a special data collection and analyses. One set of analyses addressed the relationship of proficiency ratings as made by the ELPT to proficiency ratings made by students' teachers using the same scale descriptors. The second set of analyses investigated the relationship of ELPT scores to college grades assigned in English as a second language courses, regular English classes, and/or freshman grade point average (GPA). Two samples were used, one of 412 high school students from 32 classes and 24 schools and the other of 190 college students from 15 classes over 10 colleges. In the college sample, ELPT reading standard scores correlated 0.50 with teacher ratings of reading proficiency and 0.48 with teachers' relative rankings of reading competence. In the high school sample, comparable correlations were 0.68 and 0.69. In the college sample, the correlation for listening scores was 0.57 with teacher ratings of proficiency and 0.56 with teachers' rankings. In the high school sample, these ratings were 0.71 and 0.67 respectively. For the 2 colleges for which GPA was available, the reading correlation was 0.53 for 1 college, and 0.05 for the other (perhaps a function of small sample size and relatively high reading scores). Results for the listening scale also suggest that the kinds of language skills assessed by the ELPT play some role in overall academic success, but are hardly deterministic of success or failure. Yet to be investigated is whether the absence of writing or speaking components of the ELPT is important in assessing the usefulness of the measure. An appendix defines the reading and listening proficiency scales. (Contains eight tables and two references.) (SLD)
Notes: Paper presented at a symposium on Issues in Developing and Administering a Test of English Language Proficiency at the Annual Meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education (San Diego, CA, April 12-16, 1998).
Journal Code: RIEFEB1999
Entry Date: 1999
Accession Number: ED423242
Database: ERIC
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IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Validity of the English Language Proficiency Test.
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bridgeman%2C+Brent%22">Bridgeman, Brent</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Harvey%2C+Anne%22">Harvey, Anne</searchLink>
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 26
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 1998
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Research<br />Speeches/Meeting Papers
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Concurrent+Validity%22">Concurrent Validity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+Point+Average%22">Grade Point Average</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+School+Students%22">High School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Usage%22">Language Usage</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Listening+Comprehension+Tests%22">Listening Comprehension Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multiple+Choice+Tests%22">Multiple Choice Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Tests%22">Reading Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Placement%22">Student Placement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Use%22">Test Use</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Validity%22">Test Validity</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22U%2ES%2E%3B+New+Jersey%22">U.S.; New Jersey</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) is a multiple-choice examination that is designed to assess the test taker's ability to use English in day-to-day interactions involving listening and reading. It is intended primarily as an admissions and placement test for college students with English as a second language. The ELPT consists of subtests for listening skills and reading skills. Research generally supporting the validity of the ELPT was reviewed, and the external aspects of construct validity were studied with a special data collection and analyses. One set of analyses addressed the relationship of proficiency ratings as made by the ELPT to proficiency ratings made by students' teachers using the same scale descriptors. The second set of analyses investigated the relationship of ELPT scores to college grades assigned in English as a second language courses, regular English classes, and/or freshman grade point average (GPA). Two samples were used, one of 412 high school students from 32 classes and 24 schools and the other of 190 college students from 15 classes over 10 colleges. In the college sample, ELPT reading standard scores correlated 0.50 with teacher ratings of reading proficiency and 0.48 with teachers' relative rankings of reading competence. In the high school sample, comparable correlations were 0.68 and 0.69. In the college sample, the correlation for listening scores was 0.57 with teacher ratings of proficiency and 0.56 with teachers' rankings. In the high school sample, these ratings were 0.71 and 0.67 respectively. For the 2 colleges for which GPA was available, the reading correlation was 0.53 for 1 college, and 0.05 for the other (perhaps a function of small sample size and relatively high reading scores). Results for the listening scale also suggest that the kinds of language skills assessed by the ELPT play some role in overall academic success, but are hardly deterministic of success or failure. Yet to be investigated is whether the absence of writing or speaking components of the ELPT is important in assessing the usefulness of the measure. An appendix defines the reading and listening proficiency scales. (Contains eight tables and two references.) (SLD)
– Name: Note
  Label: Notes
  Group: Note
  Data: Paper presented at a symposium on Issues in Developing and Administering a Test of English Language Proficiency at the Annual Meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education (San Diego, CA, April 12-16, 1998).
– Name: CodeSource
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JC" term="%22RIEFEB1999%22">RIEFEB1999</searchLink>
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 1999
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED423242
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 26
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Concurrent Validity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: English (Second Language)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade Point Average
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: High School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: High Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Usage
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Listening Comprehension Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multiple Choice Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Placement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Test Use
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Test Validity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: U.S.; New Jersey
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Validity of the English Language Proficiency Test.
        Type: main
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            NameFull: Bridgeman, Brent
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            NameFull: Harvey, Anne
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              M: 04
              Type: published
              Y: 1998
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