{"title":"Discussion of Issues Related to Assessment Constructs in Spoken and Signed Languages","authors":"Susy Macqueen, T. Haug","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0022","url":null,"abstract":"Thinking about what is assessed—the construct—in any language assessment raises questions about the nature of language use, the nature of developmental trajectories, and whose language patterns determine what is ‘standard’. The assessment of signed languages draws attention to assessment practices and understandings that are entrenched, for better or worse, in the assessment of spoken languages. Spoken language assessments of standardized varieties tend to value the written sentence as an ideal unit, a legacy of standardization. Signed language assessments, on the other hand, may be emerging alongside processes of standardization. Capturing semiotic complexity in the construct remains a significant challenge for both signed and spoken language assessments, despite the development of corpora which exemplify it. This chapter discusses these theoretical, ideological, and practical challenges for assessing signed and spoken language abilities. It brings together key ideas from chapters Chapters 7.1 and 7.2 and offers future directions in the development of theory and practice in signed and spoken language assessments.","PeriodicalId":150857,"journal":{"name":"The Handbook of Language Assessment Across Modalities","volume":"3 2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116765194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dynamic Assessment of Learners of a Signed Language","authors":"W. Mann, J. Hoskin, H. Dumbrill","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0009","url":null,"abstract":"In this chapter, the authors discuss the use of dynamic language assessment with signing deaf children. This is a fairly new area, and, in spite of the growing interest on behalf of researchers and practitioners, there is very limited research. Given the lack of available studies, the authors use anecdotal information that draws on observations made by two of the authors from their own work with signing deaf children, one in a hospital and the other in a school setting. Some of the questions that will guide the discussions are: What makes dynamic assessment useful for signing deaf children? And, how do we determine that dynamic assessment is appropriate for a particular child, and how do we evaluate whether it works? The authors finish with a look at possible future directions and present recommendations on how to make dynamic assessment (more) meaningful for use with signing deaf children.","PeriodicalId":150857,"journal":{"name":"The Handbook of Language Assessment Across Modalities","volume":"74 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124995334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Construct in Assessments of Signed Language","authors":"T. Haug","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0021","url":null,"abstract":"Descriptions of test constructs in second signed language assessment, such as vocabulary knowledge, are rare and far from receiving the attention by the field of signed language test research that they deserves. Detailing the construct in second signed language assessment poses a challenge for obvious reasons: only very few published studies on signed language tests for adult learners are available, and none of them focuses on construct-related issues. Equally, there is a shortage of operationally used test instruments accessible for review. In this chapter, published studies on second signed language assessment will be reviewed, focusing specifically on construct representation; tests that are used for hiring and promotion are discussed and an example of how to define the construct for a signed language test is discussed.","PeriodicalId":150857,"journal":{"name":"The Handbook of Language Assessment Across Modalities","volume":"29 6 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123586075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assessing Signed Language Development in Deaf/Signing Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder","authors":"A. Shield, Deborah Mood, Nicole Salamy, J. Henner","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0012","url":null,"abstract":"In this chapter, the authors discuss assessment of signed language development in deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH) signing children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The development of sign in D/HH children with ASD is an area of growing research, with recent papers describing how the language profile of such children is both similar to and different from hearing/speaking children with ASD. The authors highlight the difficulties of assessing signed language in this population, focusing on a lack of tests designed specifically for D/HH children. Furthermore, they describe how variations in degree of exposure to sign at home and different behavioral norms in the Deaf community complicate identification and assessment. Finally, the authors suggest some directions for possible future research.","PeriodicalId":150857,"journal":{"name":"The Handbook of Language Assessment Across Modalities","volume":"152 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122554222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Discourse Analysis in Second Language Speaking Assessment","authors":"K. Frost","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0029","url":null,"abstract":"Discourse analysis has been widely used in the field of language testing. This chapter provides an overview of research examining features of test-taker discourse across different task types and under different task conditions and the extent to which these features align with rating scale criteria. Attention is also drawn to discourse analytic studies of the language demands of study and work domains and the extent to which test tasks can elicit relevant features. The chapter concludes by reflecting on the challenges posed to existing high-stakes test constructs by increasing diversity in universities and workplaces and the potential for discourse analytic approaches to establish stronger alignments between testing practices and the aspects of spoken discourse relevant and valued in communication.","PeriodicalId":150857,"journal":{"name":"The Handbook of Language Assessment Across Modalities","volume":"538 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133263941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Epilogue","authors":"W. Mann, T. Haug, U. Knoch","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0038","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0038","url":null,"abstract":"The preceding chapters on signed language assessment and spoken language assessment have demonstrated that the two fields may have different roots and contexts of application, mostly due to the difference in modality, but there are also similarities that may be lesser known. In this chapter, the authors demonstrate how both differences and similarities between the field of signed and spoken languages can create exciting opportunities to rethink old, traditional perspectives and engage in new approaches and collaborations between experts who share the same overall goal: that is, to develop language assessments that are methodologically sound and can be applied to their respective contexts.","PeriodicalId":150857,"journal":{"name":"The Handbook of Language Assessment Across Modalities","volume":"39 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115561600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Design of Spoken Language Tests for Hearing L1 Children","authors":"P. Roy, S. Chiat","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0002","url":null,"abstract":"The identification of language problems and subsequent evaluation of interventions depend in part on the availability of useful and psychometrically robust assessments to determine the nature and severity of a child’s problems and monitor progress. This chapter addresses issues involved in the development of spoken language tests for L1 children and the ways in which they have been addressed, with reference to specific examples. Spoken language here refers to oral language, both receptive (comprehension) and expressive (production). The authors draw on a range of existing tests to illustrate the decisions that need to be made when assessing children’s language; they then discuss issues that arise in the development of new tests, drawing on examples of tests that the authors have themselves developed.","PeriodicalId":150857,"journal":{"name":"The Handbook of Language Assessment Across Modalities","volume":"93 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124520810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Score Use and Interpretation of First Signed Language Assessments","authors":"Charlotte Enns, Patrick Boudreault","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0006","url":null,"abstract":"This chapter provides a critical examination of the different uses of test scores; their interpretation by test administrators, educators, professionals, and researchers; and the implications these scores may have for test-takers. Before discussing the issues of test scores, an overview of the complexities involved in defining the L1 of deaf signers will be shared. Understanding the potential pitfalls of signed language assessment with a diverse background of L1 users is emphasized. Four sections address critical issues on scoring and interpreting assessments: purpose, consistency, norming and scoring, and interpreting the results beyond the score. Conducting valid and reliable language assessment is critical to establishing a baseline for intervention, education or research, monitoring an individual’s language competency and growth, justifying the need for additional language support, and providing accurate reporting to parents and administrators.","PeriodicalId":150857,"journal":{"name":"The Handbook of Language Assessment Across Modalities","volume":"13 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128400128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Developmental Language Disorder and the Assessment of Spoken Language","authors":"C. Murphy, Pauline Frizelle, C. McKean","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0014","url":null,"abstract":"Developmental language disorder (DLD), previously known as specific language impairment (SLI), is a long-term developmental disorder affecting approximately 7.5% of children. Language abilities in children with DLD are variable and can be challenging to ascertain with confidence. This chapter aims to discuss some of the challenges associated with assessing the language skills of children with DLD through an overview of different forms of language assessment including standardized language testing, language sample analysis, and observations. Uses and limitations of the different forms of assessment are considered, bearing in mind the different functions of assessment and the need to gain a full understanding of children’s profiles of strength and weakness and communicative functioning in context. The authors conclude with requirements for best practice in assessment and promising avenues of development in this area.","PeriodicalId":150857,"journal":{"name":"The Handbook of Language Assessment Across Modalities","volume":"45 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131926621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
C. Murphy, Pauline Frizelle, C. McKean, David Quintos-Pozos
{"title":"Discussion of Issues Related to Assessing Signed or Spoken Language in Children with Developmental Language Disorder","authors":"C. Murphy, Pauline Frizelle, C. McKean, David Quintos-Pozos","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190885052.003.0016","url":null,"abstract":"Issues regarding assessment of the deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) child with developmental language disorder (DLD) have implications for the assessment of the child with DLD who is not D/HH. Of note are suggestions regarding literacy, the potential for semantic fluency assessment to contribute to the identification of DLD, the use of standardized protocols to support assessment at the conversational level, and the necessary skills of those completing assessments. Similarly, issues in assessment and identification of children with DLD who are not D/HH have implications for practice with children who are D/HH. These include the shift from exclusionary approaches to identification and recognition of co-occurring conditions, addressing the impact of development over time and considering the contribution of dynamic assessment. This chapter is a joint discussion of key items related to the assessment of deaf and hearing children with a developmental language disorder that were presented in Chapters 5.1 and 5.2.","PeriodicalId":150857,"journal":{"name":"The Handbook of Language Assessment Across Modalities","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134555209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}