This article offers a critical review of the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology English Proficiency Test (MSRT), a high-stakes exam required for postgraduate graduation, scholarships, and certain employment positions in Iran. Despite its widespread use, the design and implementation of the MSRT raise concerns about its validity and…

With the increasing interest in Positive Psychology within the realm of L2 learning, the role of positive emotions, particularly Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) has garnered attention in Second Language Acquisition research (Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2014). Despite the growing interest in FLE in Turkey, the widely used Foreign Language Enjoyment…

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…

Chulalongkorn University Language Institute (CULI) test was developed as a local standardised test of English for professional and international communication. To ensure that the CULI test fulfils its intended purposes, this study employed Kane's argument-based validation and Rasch measurement approaches to construct the validity argument for the…

The role of preschool teachers in supporting children's language development is unquestionably substantial. To ensure the quality of preschool teachers' performance in this specific task, various assessing instruments have been developed and justified in recent years. This study joins such efforts by investigating a new scale based on the…

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…

Concerns have recently been raised about the validity of scales used in the L2 motivational self system tradition, particularly in relation to sufficient discriminant validity among some of its scales. These concerns highlight the need to systematically examine the validity of scales used in this tradition. In this study, we therefore compiled a…

The purpose of this paper is to (a) establish whether meaning recall and meaning recognition item formats test psychometrically distinct constructs of vocabulary knowledge which measure separate skills, and, if so, (b) determine whether each construct possesses unique properties predictive of L2 reading proficiency. Factor analyses and…

Self-efficacy has emerged as a popular construct in second language research, especially in the frontline and practitioner-researcher spaces. A troubling trend in the relevant literature is that self-efficacy is often measured in a general or global manner. Such research ignores the fact that self-efficacy is a smaller context-driven construct…

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was twofold. First, we aimed to adapt the English-speaking Anxiety Scale. Second, we intended to investigate the mediating role of English learning motivation and self-confidence on the relationship between English-speaking anxiety and English self-efficacy through a serial mediation analysis.…

Despite the numerous endeavours made to develop questionnaires to assess learners' strategic behaviour in general and learning/use strategies across different language areas and skills, one can surprisingly find no inventories to address learners' grammar learning /use strategies. This study aims to validate a measure of additional language…

This study provides evidence of the validity and reliability of a self-efficacy questionnaire in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in a Vietnamese sample of university students. A total of 656 non-English-major students completed the questionnaire in an online format. SPSS version 24, SPSS AMOS, and SmartPLS 3 were employed to analyze the data.…

The distinguishing feature of dynamic assessment (DA) is the dialectical integration of assessment and instruction. However, how to design the targeted instruction or mediation has been relatively underexplored. To address this gap, this study proposes the attribute-based mediation model (AMM), an English-as-a-foreign-language listening mediation…

The current article evaluates a national English language proficiency test known as the "MSRT test" which is used to determine the eligibility of candidates for admission to and completion of higher education programs in Iran. Students in all majors take this standardized, high-stake criterion-referenced test to determine if they have…

Learning a second language is a life-long process requiring acquaintance with a repertoire of language learning strategies (LLS). Despite copious research on LLS and their role in fostering autonomous learning, few studies have examined strategies employed when trying to master specific subsystems of the target language, especially grammar.…