Language History Questionnaire (LHQ3): An enhanced tool for assessing multilingual experience

Abstract

The language history questionnaire (LHQ) is an important tool for assessing the linguistic background and language proficiency of multilinguals or second language learners. Previously we developed a generic LHQ based on the most commonly asked questions in published studies (Li, Sepanski & Zhao, 2006) and provided a web-based interface (LHQ 2.0) that has flexibility in functionality, accuracy in data recording, and privacy for users and data (Li, Zhang, Tsai & Puls, 2014). LHQ3 (version 3) introduces new functions, developed in response to many comments/requests from users. One important improvement is the addition of an automatic scoring system, in that the new interface automatically calculates aggregated scores for language proficiency, language dominance, and language immersion levels. Finally, LHQ3 allows researchers to assign different weights to the modules when calculating the aggregated scores, addressing the issue of different focuses that different researchers put on multilingual speakers’ language usage and background.

Bilingualism Is Associated with a Delayed Onset of Dementia but Not with a Lower Risk of Developing it: a Systematic Review with Meta-Analyses

“…Given the lack of a standard definition and measurement tool for mono-and bilingualism across our included studies, it is critical for future research to improve the measurement of participants' language profile. This could mean quantifying the spectrum of language knowledge on a continuum and by measuring proficiency, frequency of use, and the age of second language acquisition (Anderson, Mak, Chahi, & Bialystok, 2018;Li, Zhang, Yu, & Zhao, 2019;Luk & Bialystok, 2013). Researchers could then apply multiple linear regression (Plonsky & Oswald, 2017) or Bayesian inference (Ross & Mackey, 2015) to explore whether language skills can predict the age of dementia symptom onset and diagnosis.…”

“…Formal assessments of second language proficiency while treating the degree of bilingualism as a continuous variable (DeLuca, Rothman, Bialystok, & Pliatsikas, 2019;Laine & Lehtonen, 2018;Luk & Bialystok, 2013) should be applied. Authors have recently developed questionnaires to quantify participants' language profiles on a continuum (Anderson et al, 2018) and to measure language proficiency, dominance, as well as immersion (Li et al, 2019). Researchers might want to establish a priori whether they wish to measure bilingualism, the ability to speak two languages (Anderson et al, 2018) or multilingualism, the ability to speak three or more languages (Li et al, 2019).…”

“…Authors have recently developed questionnaires to quantify participants' language profiles on a continuum (Anderson et al, 2018) and to measure language proficiency, dominance, as well as immersion (Li et al, 2019). Researchers might want to establish a priori whether they wish to measure bilingualism, the ability to speak two languages (Anderson et al, 2018) or multilingualism, the ability to speak three or more languages (Li et al, 2019). Clearly reporting participants' immigration status will also be beneficial.…”

Immersive Virtual Reality as an Effective Tool for Second Language Vocabulary Learning

“…All participants provided written consent before any data were collected. Exclusionary criterion included any participants who (1) had any untreated visual or auditory deficits or a history of neurological disorders, (2) were left-handed, as assessed by performance on a Handedness Questionnaire (Snyder and Harris 1993), and (3) had any knowledge of Mandarin Chinese, advanced L2 learning, studied abroad, or had learned a tonal language, as assessed through self-reports on the Language History Questionnaire (LHQ 3.0; Li et al 2019).…”

“…The LHQ 3.0 (Li et al 2019) is an updated comprehensive survey on language history and experience. This online tool assesses the language history background through a web-based interface for any and all used and/or learned languages across participants.…”