Towards a computer-delivered test of productive grammatical ability

This study piloted test items that will be used in a computer-delivered and scored test of productive grammatical ability in English as a second language (ESL). Findings from research on learners’ development of morphosyntactic, syntactic, and functional knowledge were synthesized to create a framework of grammatical features. We outline the interpretive argument and present results from four pilot test administrations in terms of (a) reliability, (b) relationships between item difficulties and developmental stages, (c) correlations with other English tests, and (d) predictability of test scores in relation to proficiency levels. The results support the potential of assessing productive ESL grammatical ability by targeting areas identified in SLA research, and the plausibility of moving forward with computer delivery and scoring.

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