International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores have been widely used as the language entry requirements for international students in many English-medium universities. However, research on the predictive validity of IELTS on subsequent academic performance has been inconclusive. Additionally, despite the proliferation of IELTS…

The RP Group's Multiple Measures Assessment Project (MMAP) produced this technical report as part of a series on how California's community colleges can ensure more English learners (ELs) successfully complete "gateway" English coursework -- courses that satisfy the English writing requirements for completion of an associate's degree as…

Defined as a combination of perseverance and passion for long-term goals, grit has been hypothesized to be as important as talent in determining the success of students, adding incremental predictive validity for achievement criteria above and beyond natural or inherent ability. In this study, we tested this hypothesis by comparing the effects of…

The Elicited Imitation Test (EIT) is widely recognized for its reliability in research settings as a proficiency assessment tool. However, there exists a need to examine its predictive validity in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. This study investigates the extent to which the EIT, alongside the Oxford Placement Test (OPT), can…

Despite the profusion of studies into the factor structure of language tests, limited research is currently available on the relationship between test performance and language use in TLU domains. Utilizing the structural equation modeling approach, this study set out to investigate the factor structure of a high-stakes university-based English…

Given the recent attention to language-domain-specific grit in the field of SLA and the scarcity of research on the antecedents of L2 grit, we proposed a model that links L2 learners' basic psychological needs (BPN) (i.e. autonomy, competence, and relatedness), L2 grit (i.e. perseverance of effort (PE) and consistency of interest (CI)), and L2…

Some universities in Iran have recently witnessed a shift in admission criteria from university admission test performance towards high school records. This sudden change seems to be unwarranted since the predictive power of high school records has not been explored. To fill in this gap, this study aims at showcasing the predictive validity of…

'Grit' has been identified as an important predictor of success in a number of academic and non-academic domains (Duckworth, A. L., C. Peterson, M. D. Matthews, and D. R. Kelly. 2007. "Grit: Perseverance and Passion for Long-Term Goals." "Journal of Personality and Social Psychology" 92: 1087-1101.…

Language learning strategies have drawn researchers' substantial attention since Rubin's (1975) and Stern's (1975) studies on "good language learners". Nevertheless, research pertaining to speaking strategies is inadequate, especially in relation to learning Chinese as second/foreign language (CSL/CFL). This study, therefore, seeks to…

Few classroom measures of English language proficiency have been evaluated for reliability and validity. This research examined the concurrent and predictive validity of an oral language test, titled A Developmental English Language Proficiency Test (ADEPT), and the relationship to the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) in the…

Developing assessments within a program can create more useful measures of our students' language. This includes rating scales used in performance assessments such as writing or speaking tests. This article describes the process of development, use, and revision of a writing placement scale by teachers in an intensive English language program. To…

The study reported here investigates the predictive validity of language assessments by "Direct Entry" programs at an Australian University--programs developed on site for Non English Speaking Background international students, principally to provide (i) pre-entry academic and language preparation and (ii) language assessment for…

Models such as Eckman's markedness differential hypothesis, Flege's speech learning model, and Brown's feature-based theory of perception seek to explain and predict the relative difficulty second language (L2) learners face when acquiring new or similar sounds. In this paper, we test their predictive adequacy as concerns native English speakers'…

Discusses psycholinguistic models of reading comprehension and presents general guidelines for reading comprehension testing in a second language. The guidelines focus on content validity, construct validity, and predictive validity. Suggestious are given for ways teachers can prepare students for tests and avoid problems in each of the three…

In response to a previous article, this article addresses issues raised about the identification of subjects as learning disabled and the use of the Modern Language Aptitude Test as a predictor of success. (JL)