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Validity of the Secondary Level English Proficiency Test at Temple University-Japan SLEP ESL LC RC

Author(s):
Wilson, Kenneth M.; Graves, Kimberly
Publication Year:
1999
Report Number:
RR-99-11
Source:
ETS Research Report
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
81
Subject/Key Words:
Secondary Level English Proficiency Test (SLEP), Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension, Correlation, Validity, Japan, Postsecondary Education, Language Proficiency, English as a Second Language (ESL)

Abstract

The study reported herein assessed levels and patterns of concurrent correlations for Listening Comprehension (LC) and Reading Comprehension (RC) scores provided by the Secondary Level English Proficiency (SLEP) test with direct measures of ESL speaking proficiency (interview rating) and writing proficiency (essay rating), respectively, and the internal consistency and dimensionality of the SLEP, by analyzing intercorrelations of scores on SLEP item-type "parcels" (subsets of several items of each type included in the SLEP). Data for some 1,600 native-Japanese speakers (recent secondary-school graduates) applying for admission to Temple University-Japan (TU-J) were analyzed. The findings tended to confirm and extend previous research findings suggesting that the SLEP which was originally developed for use with secondary-school students also permits valid inferences regarding ESL listening- and reading-comprehension skills in postsecondary-level samples.

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