This study examines how second/foreign language (L2) word difficulty estimates derived from item response theory (IRT) and classical test theory (CTT) frameworks are virtually identical in the context of vocabulary testing. This conclusion is reached via a two-stage process: (a) psychometric assessments of both approaches and (b) L2 word…

Reading aloud is recommended as a simple technique to measure speaking ability (Hughes & Hughes, 2020; Madsen, 1983). Reading aloud is currently used in the Pearson Test of English and a couple of other international English as a second language proficiency tests. Due to the simplicity of the technique, it can be used in conjunction with other…

C-tests are gap-filling tests mainly used as rough and economical measures of second-language proficiency for placement and research purposes. A C-test usually consists of several short independent passages where the second half of every other word is deleted. Owing to their interdependent structure, C-test items violate the local independence…

The C-test is a type of gap-filling test designed to efficiently measure second language proficiency. The typical C-test consists of several short paragraphs with the second half of every second word deleted. The words with deleted parts are considered as items nested within the corresponding paragraph. Given this testlet structure, it is commonly…

Cloze tests are gap-filling tests designed to measure overall language ability and reading comprehension in a second language. Due to their ease of construction and scoring, cloze tests are widely used in the context of second and foreign language testing. Previous research over the past decades has shown the reliability and validity of cloze…

Language testing has witnessed three major trends in the 1990s: theoretical, methodological, and analytical. Theoretically, emphasis has been placed on the further understanding of the construct of language proficiency. Methodologically, there has been an outburst of interest in language performance testing and the promotion of the professional…

Existing methods used to validate self-report questionnaires in foreign language teaching effectiveness have relied on Classical Test Theory (CTT). However, the use of CTT approaches limits the reliability and validity of self-report instruments. The Rasch Model, which is based on the principles of objective measurement, addresses some of the…

The aim of this study is to adapt the Crick Learning for Resilient Agency (CLARA) to Turkish culture, and to examine the psychometric features of the Inventory according to both Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT). In this respect, it is a descriptive level survey design research. Two different study groups were formed in…

Developing a diagnostic tool within the diagnostic measurement framework is the optimal approach to obtain multidimensional and classification-based feedback on examinees. However, end users may seek to obtain diagnostic feedback from existing item responses to assessments that have been designed under either the classical test theory or item…

Stakeholders of language tests are often interested in subscores. However, reporting a subscore is not always justified; a subscore should provide reliable and distinct information to be worth reporting. When a subscore is used for decisions across multiple levels (e.g., individual test takers and schools), it needs to be justified for its…

Studies have shown that language assessment literacy (LAL) is important for language teachers since they make important classroom decisions to improve student learning based on their assessment. However, some studies have shown that teachers need more knowledge and skills in assessment. Teachers also seem unconfident in assessing their students…

The present study used the mixed Rasch model (MRM) to identify subgroups of readers within a sample of students taking an EFL reading comprehension test. Six hundred and two (602) Chinese college students took a reading test and a lexico-grammatical knowledge test and completed a Metacognitive and Cognitive Strategy Use Questionnaire (MCSUQ)…

Self-regulation has become a widely discussed subject in education as it facilitates learners' ability to master their own learning. The purpose of the present study is to examine the psychometric properties of self-regulation in second language learning via Rasch measurement. A total of 528 high-school students from an East Asian country…

This study aims to examine the relationship between reading comprehension and lexical and grammatical knowledge among English as a foreign language students by using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). There were 825 test takers administered both a second-language reading test and a set of psychometrically validated grammar and vocabulary tests.…

Second language vocabulary acquisition has been modeled both as multidimensional in nature and as a continuum wherein the learner's knowledge of a word develops along a cline from recognition through production. In order to empirically examine and compare these models, the authors assess the degree to which the Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS;…