Building a Validity Argument for the Use of Academic Language Tests for Immigration Purposes: Evidence from Immigration-Seeking Test-Takers

Autor/in	Hoang, Ngoc Thi Huyen
Titel	Building a Validity Argument for the Use of Academic Language Tests for Immigration Purposes: Evidence from Immigration-Seeking Test-Takers
Quelle	In: Language Education & Assessment, 2 (2019) 3, S.135-154 (20 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Hoang, Ngoc Thi Huyen)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2209-3591
Schlagwörter	Language Tests; Immigrants; Immigration; Testing Problems; Test Validity; Academic Language; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Scores; Decision Making; Evidence; Stakeholders; High Stakes Tests; Scoring; Online Surveys; Test Anxiety; Psychological Patterns; International English Language Testing System; Test of English as a Foreign Language + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Language test; Sprachtest; Immigrant; Immigrantin; Immigranten; Testvalidität; Academic; Language; Languages; Akademiker; Sprache; Wissenschaftssprache; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Evidenz; Bewertung; Examination phobia; Testangst; Prüfungsangst; Language tests; Englisch
Abstract	As validity pertains to test use rather than the test itself, using a test for unintended purposes requires a new validation program using additional evidence from relevant sources. This small-scale study contributes to the validation of the use of originally academic language tests--the International English Language Testing System and the Test of English as a Foreign Language--for assessing skilled immigration eligibility. Data were collected from 39 immigration-seeking test-takers, who are arguably under-represented in validation research. Analysis was informed by contemporary validity theory, which treats validity as a unitary concept incorporating score reliability, score interpretation, scorebased decisions and their consequences. Results showed that the test-takers' perceptions varied widely. The evidence supporting this use included generally positive perceptions of the scores' reliability, washback effect, and fairness of score-based decisions. The refuting evidence concerned factors perceived to interfere with test-takers' performance and the complex consequences for the test-takers in aspects other than washback. However, overwhelmingly, as test-takers found the score-based decisions as fair, the validity judgement appeared tilted towards the positive side from the perspectives of these key stakeholders. Although the ultimate validity judgement requires the examination of evidence from other significant stakeholders as well, the present study has contributed valuable and unique evidence and bears important implications for research, practice, and policy particularly in high-stakes contexts such as immigration. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01