ERIC Number: EJ1005796
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Apr
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0265-5322
EISSN: N/A
Partial Dictation as a Measure of EFL Listening Proficiency: Evidence from Confirmatory Factor Analysis
Cai, Hongwen
Language Testing, v30 n2 p177-199 Apr 2013
Partial dictation is a measure of EFL listening proficiency that can be easily constructed, administered, and scored by EFL teachers. However, it is controversial whether this form of test measures lower-order abilities exclusively or involves both lower- and higher-order abilities. In order to answer this question, a study was designed to examine the difference between partial dictation and test forms believed to measure more higher-order abilities. In a series of confirmatory factor analyses, the simplex, second-order, and bi-factor models were fitted to the scores of 367 college-level EFL learners in China in a listening test composed of partial dictation, gap-filling and constructed response tasks. The bi-factor model was identified as the best-fitting and this supports the view that partial dictation measures the same construct as test forms believed to measure more higher-order abilities. Concomitant statistical analyses also showed that the partial dictation tasks were suited to the ability level of the test takers and had high internal consistency. (Contains 3 tables and 3 figures.)
Descriptors: Factor Analysis, Listening Comprehension Tests, English (Second Language), Foreign Countries, Verbal Communication, Test Format, Second Language Learning, Language Tests, College Students, Scores, Evaluation Methods, Language Proficiency
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: China
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A