Abstract Summary
We have developed a culturally appropriate vocabulary test specifically for young Chinese learners of English. We will discuss the development process and present the full set of results from two field tests with several hundred participants, including an analysis of the relationship proficiency level and distractor choice (phonological, semantic, unrelated).
Abstract :
Millions of Chinese children learn English at increasingly younger ages [1]. Yet to measure their vocabulary, educators and researchers have to rely either on individually designed tests or on assessments that have been developed for L1 learners and different cultural contexts such as the PPVT [2], which is problematic (e.g., [3, 4]). We have developed a receptive vocabulary assessment specifically for young Chinese learners (ACCE). The items are drawn from current teaching materials used in China, and depictions of people and objects are culturally appropriate. In the first field-test, 181 children (4-6 years) with varying levels of English instruction quantity and quality participated. An Item Response Theory analysis showed that first version of the ACCE was sufficiently sensitive to capture different proficiency levels and had good psychometric properties. After removing and modifying items with sub-optimal performance, we are currently testing the ACCE in a second field-test. Children are also completing the Chinese and English PPVT to measure concurrent validity. We will share the development process and the results of both field tests, including an analysis of the relationship between proficiency level and choice of distractor (semantic, phonological, unrelated). We will also discuss cross-cultural differences between European/American and Chinese items, and challenges in early English language teaching and assessment in China.
[1] Feng, A. (2012). Spread of English across Greater China. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 33(4), 363–377.
[2] Dunn, L. M., & Dunn, D. M. (2007). PPVT-4: Peabody picture vocabulary test. Pearson Assessments.
[3] Peña, E. D., & Halle, T. G. (2011). Assessing Preschool Dual Language Learners: Traveling a Multiforked Road: Assessing Preschool Dual Language Learners. Child Development Perspectives, 5(1), 28–32.
[4] Solano-Flores, G., & Trumbull, E. (2003). Examining Language in Context: The Need for New Research and Practice Paradigms in the Testing of English-Language Learners. Educational Researcher,32(2), 3–13.
