The development of a language ability scale for English as a Second Language in Hong Kong secondary schools is described. The project used a local computer network designed as a database of teacher–designed English language tests. From test items in the database, a series of seven tests was prepared, one for each grade level. Tests for the lowest three grades and upper four grades were prepared and pilot tested separately. Tests were piloted in mid-range-ability schools, in two classes at each grade level, providing a sample size of about 500 for each test. Based on the results, a common scale was developed and validated for the seven tests. Development of the item bank continues. (MSE) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Educat.o… Rematch and Improvement TIONAL RESOURCESC) INFORMATION CENTEERI document has been reproduced as OKI from the person or cogantzatton atom; it r changes have been made to improve tOOKOduCtIon Qu*Ilty PVIIIS 01 view or OpmOnS stated In thisdocuMont do not nocessardy represent (Acta’ OERI posttton or policy Designing an ability scale for English across the range of secondary school forms. David Coniam Dept. of Curriculum Studies, The University of Hong Kong. “PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY A-Le. C \`ke-C TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC).” This paper details the construction of a common scale which attempts to span the English language ability range of students in the Hong Kong secondary school system. The TeleNex Computer network project, which operates out of the University of Hong Kong, aims to provide English language teachers in Hong Kong secondary schools with professional support. One of these areas of support is a testing database, which is attempting to recycle teacher-produced tests. To refine and feed tests back into the system at points appropriate to the ability levels of other schools and classes, the necessity for a common scale became apparent. Tests with common items were therefore designed and administered to Secondary forms 1 7. Using Item Response Theory techniques, the common items were then used as the basis for the common scale. Introduction This paper describes the initial construction of a common ability scale for English language across the Hong Kong secondary school system. The project operates under the aegis of the TeleNex Computer network out of the University of Hong Kong.’ This network aims to provide English language teachers in Hong Kong secondary schools with professional help and input via computer to their teaching, as well as supporting them by means of a number of databases. One of these databases is a testing database, which was established with the objective of supplying teachers with a variety of reliable tests at various levels across the secondary school age and ability ranges. The TeleNex testing database therefore aims to recycle analysed and refined teacherproduced tests at appropriate points throughout the database. To be able to insert teachers’ tests at different points in the database in such a manner, however, it became apparent that a scale calibrated across the range of the Hong Kong secondary school system needed to be established as a reference point for different levels of ability. The author had worked with secondary school teachers, getting them to design tests, and had discovered that many teachers’ concepts of test difficulty and the intended target audience were often very disparate. For example, a test which was destined for a ‘low ability’ Secondary 4 class of, for example, appeared to be rather more suitable after item analysis had been conducted for a ‘high ability’ Secondary 5 class. It was therefore decided to set up an item bank of short items which could then be drawn upon selectively. These could be appended to a test, and students’ performance on these items would be used to determine the level of the remainder of the test they had taken. TeleNex operates from the Department of Curriculum Studies at the University of Hong Kong It was set op with a donation of some $4 million in funding for both hardware and personnel from the Hong Kong Telecom Foundation.
