How efficient is translation in language testing? Deriving valid student vocabulary tests in Spanish (StuVoc1-Esp and StuVoc2-Esp) from established English tests.

Abstract

This study examined the efficiency of item translation in a challenging language-testing situation. We created a Spanish translation of recently developed English vocabulary tests to assess word knowledge in Spanish-speaking students and highly educated adults, a group for whom it is a challenge to find words that some people know and others do not. The English tests were multiple-choice tests based on meaning recognition and consisted of a total of 150 items. From these, we were able to create two Spanish tests with 37 questions each. We constructed and validated the tests in two separate studies, including another established vocabulary test (Lextale-Esp, based on form recognition), general knowledge tests, and a test for reading comprehension. Two online studies with 161 and 196 participants confirmed that both vocabulary tests have reliability above .75 (.86 when combined) and correlate more highly with general knowledge and reading comprehension than Lextale-Esp. This shows that test translation is an efficient way to find useful items for language tests in different languages. All materials (including the general knowledge tests and the reading comprehension test) are freely available for research purposes.