A Case for Faculty Involvement in EAP Placement Testing

James, Cindy L.; Templeman, Elizabeth

doi:10.18806/tesl.v26i2.416

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 24 publications

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“…These results, however, showed that either combination of a commercially available standardized test with the locally developed composition test (i.e., either the combination of COMP and TOEFL ITP or the combination of COMP and EPT) yielded very similar results in terms of placement accuracy. This finding corresponds to that of James and Templeman’s study (2009), where a significant increase in placement accuracy occurred when scores on a commercially available test were considered in conjunction with scores on other assessments. The combination of all three tests yielded the highest rates of placement accuracy, but this was most likely a result of the reduction in overall testing error that multiple measures provided.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Placement testing: One test, two tests, three tests? How many tests are sufficient?

Hille

Cho

2020

Language Testing

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Accurate placement within levels of an ESL program is crucial for optimal teaching and learning. Commercially available tests are commonly used for placement, but their effectiveness has been found to vary. This study uses data from the Ohio Program of Intensive English (OPIE) at Ohio University to examine the value of two commercially available tests (the TOEFL ITP and the Michigan EPT) and a locally developed writing test for accurate placement decisions. Placement accuracy was measured in terms of the relationship between test scores and (1) appropriate placement levels for individual students according to their teachers, and (2) student performance in the classes. Findings support the continued use of multiple measures for more accurate placement decisions in the study context. However, the relationship between test scores and student performance, measured by students’ grades in the actual course levels and their success in advancing to a higher course level as additional indicators of the extent to which placement tests provide an accurate indication, was weak when analyzed through multiple regression and cross-tabulation, suggesting that factors other than initial proficiency are primarily determinative of student success when students have been accurately placed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%