Goh Chuen Meng Christine

A number of scaling models – developed originally for psychological and educational studies – have been adapted into language assessment. Although their application has been promising, they have not yet been validated in language assessment contexts. This study discusses the relative merits of two such models in the context of second language (L2) listening comprehension tests: confi rmatory factor analysis (CFA) and cognitive diagnostic models (CDMs). Both CFA and CDMs can model multidimensionality in assessment tools, whereas other models force the data to be statistically unidimensional. The two models were applied to the listening test of the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). CFA was found to impose more restrictions on the data than CDMs. It is suggested that CFA might not be suitable for modelling dichotomously scored data of L2 listening tests, whereas the CDM used in the study (the Fusion Model) appeared to successfully portray the listening sub- skills tapped by the MELAB listening test. The paper concludes with recommendations about how to use each of these models in modelling L2 listening.

This article evaluates the construct validity of the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) listening test by investigating the underpinning structure of the test (or construct map), possible construct under representation and construct-irrelevant threats. Data for the study, from the administration of a form of the MELAB listening test to 916 international test takers, were provided by the English Language Institute of the University of Michigan. The researchers sought evidence of construct validity primarily through correlated uniqueness models (CUM) and the Rasch model. A five factor CUM was fitted into the data but did not display acceptable measurement properties. The researchers then evaluated a three-traits1 confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) that fitted the data sufficiently. This fitting model was further evaluated with parcel items, which supported the proposed CFA model. Accordingly, the underlying structure of the test was mapped out as three factors: ability to understand minimal context stimuli, short interactions, and long-stretch discourse. The researchers propose this model as the tentative construct map of this form of the test. To investigate construct under representation and construct-irrelevant threats, the Rasch model was used. This analysis showed that the test was relatively easy for the sample and the listening ability of several higher ability test takers were sufficiently tested by the items. This is interpreted to be a sign of test ceiling effects and minor construct-underrepresentation, although the researchers argue that the test is intended to distinguish among the students who have a minimum listening ability to enter a program from those who don’t. The Rasch model provided support of the absence of construct-irrelevant threats by showing the adherence of data to uni dimensionality and local independence, and good measurement properties of items. The final assessment of the observed results showed that the generated evidence supported the construct validity of the test.

Singaporeans speak English in a variety of ways. There are speech patterns that are the same as those an educated speaker of English might expect, but there are also features of spoken English that are distinctively regional and that may cause initial problems for foreigners in Singapore. This variation in Singapore often depends on the background of speakers and the situation in which English is used (Tay 1982). For the last twenty-five years, linguists have studied the way English is spoken by Singaporeans, among them Tongue (1974), Crewe (1977), Tay (1 978), Brown (1 986) and Biedrzycki (1994). Most of these studies, however, have concentrated on sentence structures, word usage or phonemes (vowels and consonants). There has been relatively little research done on the prosodic features of Singapore English (SE) with the notable exception of Deterding (1993, 1994a and 1994b) who has examined rhythm, intonation patterns and stress placement. My paper attempts to fill in some gaps in the description of this variety of English by analysing intonation features in a sample of about 400 educated SE speakers.