This study compared four commonly used vocabulary tests to screen or identify preschool children for specific language impairment (SLI). Four- and five-year olds with (N=31) and without (N=31) SLI were compared on the tests. Despite moderate to strong inter-test correlations, no test was a strong identifier of SLI. (Author/DB)

Testing and assessment in English-for-Academic-purposes (EAP) contexts has traditionally been carried out as a needs analysis of learners or a content analysis of courses. This article reassesses this approach to the development and validation of EAP tests on the basis of a theoretical model and recent research into content specificity. (VWL)

Investigated whether children's ability to recognize themselves in delayed video feedback indicates change in self awareness. Parallel results in both conditions studied, and the likelihood of false positives and false negatives indicate that the video test in its present form may not be a valid measure of differences in self-awareness. (Author)

Argues for the inclusion of assessment coursework as a necessary component in teacher education through a demonstration of the relationship between test validity and the law. Focuses on the seventh assessment competency listed in the Standards for Teacher Competence in Educational Assessment of Students: recognizing unethical, illegal, and…

A study examined the role of career maturity in the college persistence of 307 freshmen at a public, residential, four-year college. Results indicate that the My Vocational Situation instrument is reliable and valid, although theoretical formulations should be reexamined. Career maturity was positively associated with several variables important…

Examined whether the Teacher Concerns Questionnaire-Physical Education (TCQ-PE) was representative of concerns of British and Belgian preservice and inservice physical educators. Preservice and inservice secondary-level physical educators completed the TCQ-PE before and after student teaching. Neither Belgian nor British data predicted the TCQ-PE…

To assess the psychometric characteristics of the Verbal Behavior Assessment Scale, the 15-item questionnaire was administered to pairs of caregivers of 115 individuals with developmental disabilities. Exploratory factor analysis involving 11 more participants revealed evidence concerning the distinction of three different communicative functions…

This study examined dynamic assessment as a less biased evaluation procedure for assessing the language-learning ability of Native American young children (N=23) identified as either stronger or weaker language learners. Through a test-teach-test protocol, participants were taught principles of categorization. Results supported the further…

Reports the development and validation of video-based game-understanding tests in badminton for elementary and secondary students. The tests included different sequences that simulated actual game situations. Players had to solve tactical problems by selecting appropriate solutions and arguments for their decisions. Results suggest that the test…

The Procrastination Inventory developed for use with doctoral students in clinical psychology was modified for use with all-but-dissertation students and doctoral graduates in a college of education. Factor and Rasch analyses of the revised measure identified three subscales: (1) procrastination, (2) perfectionism, and (3) graduate school comfort.…

Used responses from open-ended interviews with 10 families of young children to develop a 60-item family literacy questionnaire examining families' perceptions of their contributions to emergent literacy. Matched questionnaire factors with those emerging from literature review on family variables influencing literacy. Found 95 percent agreement on…

The usefulness of the 1992 TSA in reading was studied using interviews from 26 state directors of assessment. Perceptions about TSA credibility and orientation of test components and current use of TSA results were examined. The directors suggested involving more teachers in assessment, modifying descriptors, disseminating results quicker, and…

The predictive value for the development of competence of a portfolio as compared with instruments that were easier to administer was studied with 27 government management trainees in the Netherlands. Portfolios were found to be better predictors of workplace performance than were self-rating or peer-rating. (SLD)

Twenty-four studies involving functional assessment of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD) or those at risk for E/BD are reviewed in three main areas: (1) characteristics of participants; (2) types of functional assessment procedures and instruments employed; and (3) the reliability and validity of these instruments and…

Two studies investigated a brief, processing-dependent, nonword repetition task, designed to minimize biases associated with traditional language tests. Results revealed that nonword repetition distinguished between school-age children independently identified as language impaired or normally developing, suggesting its potential usefulness as a…