Current Research on an Integrative Test of English Grammar

Bowen, J. Donald

doi:10.1177/003368827600700204

Cited by 30 publications

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“…The Sandhi-Variation Exercise (SVE), the instrument used to measure subjects' comprehension in the two treatment conditions, is a modification of the Integrative Grammar Test (IGT) developed by Bowen( 1975aBowen( , 1976Bowen( , 1977aBowen( , 1977b, who has reported it to be "highly reliable (r = .968calculated by the equivalent form method for 686 subjects) and valid (r = ,871 with the grammar subtest of The Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency, .866 with the MTELP itself. .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sandhi‐variation: A Filter of Input for Learners of Esl

Henrichsen

1984

Language Learning

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When considering the process of second language acquisition, it is useful and important to distinguish between input and intake since, due to various factors, language learners do not take in all the language they are exposed to. Perceptual saliency—a formal characteristic of the input—is believed to be one of these factors. This experiment was conducted to determine how the presence of sandhi‐variation, a common characteristic of spoken English which reduces the perceptual saliency of many of its features, affects the comprehensibility of English input. Assuming that comprehension is dependent not only on signal clarity but also on cognitive factors, it was hypothesized that the presence of sandhi‐variation in the input would reduce comprehension less when listeners were proficient in English than when they were learning the language. The results support this hypothesis and lead to the conclusion that for those whose knowledge of English is sufficient to compensate for reduced perceptual saliency. sandhi‐variation affects the input‐to‐intake process very little. For ESL learners, however, sandhi‐variation is an important input‐intake filter. These findings are discussed in connection with the input hypothesis of second language acquisition. Implications include the possible benefits of modified input and formal instruction for ESL learners.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sandhi‐variation: A Filter of Input for Learners of Esl

Henrichsen

1984

Language Learning

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“…Three measures were used in this study, and each measure had two forms: Bowen's (1976) Integrative Grammar Test (IGT), divided into two forms of 50 items each; a version of the UCLA English as a Second Language Placement Examination (ESLPE) listening comprehension subtest, recombined and divided into two approximately equivalent subtests of 25 items each; and two reduced forms dictations, each including 45 reduced forms presented in the daily lessons. The three tests were administered to both the treatment and control groups at the beginning and end of the experiment.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1. Does formal instruction in reduced forms significantly increase students' abilities in integrative grammar, as measured by the Integrative Grammar Test (Bowen, 1976)? 2.…”

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Listening for Reduced Forms

1986

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“…It was adapted from the Integrative Grammar Test (referred to as IGT) developed by Bowen (1975aBowen ( , 1976 Only the second word of each sentence actually was scored, since that was the word which had been modified in pronunciation. Each test relied on the principle of redundancy (see discussion in the previous chapter) to supply cues to the proficient student to recall knowledge of grammar, schemata, and conversational strategies to fill in the reduced, contracted, or assimilated element.…”

Section: Chapter III Contextualized Grammar Test Research Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While random deletion more accurately represents authentic interference, it may be somewhat less effective because it may destroy the "syntactic and semantic relationships in the text" (1982:61,66 However, in testing for overall proficiency, mistakes in comprehending the context would seem to indicate the non-native speaker's lack of understanding in an authentic communicative situation, and therefore, be a reliable measure of the student's competency. The validity of cloze tests can also be correlated to standardized tests which are designed to test overall grammatical proficiency (see Bowen 1976). …”

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A contextualized grammar proficiency test using informal spoken English

Hinrich¹

2000

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Intensive college-level ESL programs typically focus on building students' academic skills in English. Yet many ESL students leave the intensive programs only to find that they cannot sufficiently comprehend conversations with native English-speaking classmates or understand freshman-level lectures. While the students fre- The present research is based on the hypothesis that a test using spoken informal forms in a context (a dialogue between two speakers; transcript and answers are found in the Appendix) should prove as reliable and valid in ranking the student's level of competence in recognition and written production of English as a test using independent informal elements (the original Integrated Grammar Test).The types of items tested include sentences in both declarative and interrogatory format. The grammatical points targeted for study include the verb (to) BE used as both the copula and as progressive tense auxiliary, and pronouns used in the objective (accusative) and possessive cases.The research also attempts to confirm the hypothesis that the contextualized test should positively correlate with rankings resulting from standardized test scores, although these scores may not be dependent on successful correlation with the Integrated Grammar Test. Scores for test groups are to be correlated and discussed as they relate to these hypotheses.The remainder of this Chapter will focus on characteristics of terms relevant to the present study and outline the information to be presented. 4 DEFINITION OF TERMS TestingTests to examine language fit into several broad categories, each depending on the specified need for in- In the next chapter, several issues relating to integrative versus discrete-point testing will be discussed further. Specific topics will include views on both types of testing, the "general language proficiency factor," schema theory, and the redundancy factor. Reduction is weakened stress on particular words or morphemes within a phrase or sentence: elision is the dropping out of a sound resulting in shortened speech forms, and assimilation is the process by which sounds change phonetically to become more like neighboring sounds (1980:37-53). Bowen (1975) points out that various combinations of sounds in phrases or sentences cause the sandhi effects.His Integrative Grammar Test is based on the hypothesis that the comprehension of informal English can be used as a means to measure overall grammar proficiency of high school and college students studying English. The present 7 research aims to apply Bowen's research to a contextualized dialogue spoken at natural speed by native speakers of English. This exercise is then used to measure the overall grammar proficiency of three groups of college students in ESL programs. ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDYChapter I has introduced the problem of measuring language proficiency based on communicative principles, specifically whether informal spoken English can be used to identify levels of language proficiency. Chapter II discusses the literature on informal...

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Current Research on an Integrative Test of English Grammar

Cited by 30 publications

References 0 publications

Sandhi‐variation: A Filter of Input for Learners of Esl

Sandhi‐variation: A Filter of Input for Learners of Esl

Listening for Reduced Forms

A contextualized grammar proficiency test using informal spoken English

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