A Confirmatory Approach to Differential Item Functioning on an ESL Reading Assessment

Autor/in	Abbott, Marilyn L.
Titel	A Confirmatory Approach to Differential Item Functioning on an ESL Reading Assessment
Quelle	In: Language Testing, 24 (2007) 1, S.7-36 (30 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0265-5322
DOI	10.1177/0265532207071510
Schlagwörter	Test Bias; Test Items; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Language Tests; Psychological Testing; Reading Tests; Reading Strategies; Achievement Tests; Mandarin Chinese; Semitic Languages; Language Proficiency; Item Analysis; Guidelines + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Testkritik; Test content; Testaufgabe; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Language test; Sprachtest; Psychological test; psychological tests; Psychological examination; Psychologischer Test; Lesetest; Reading strategy; Leselernstufe; Lesetechnik; Achievement test; Achievement; Testing; Test; Tests; Leistungsbeurteilung; Leistungsüberprüfung; Leistung; Testdurchführung; Testen; Arabisch; Hebräisch; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Itemanalyse; Richtlinien
Abstract	In this article, I describe a practical application of the Roussos and Stout (1996) multidimensional analysis framework for interpreting group performance differences on an ESL reading proficiency test. Although a variety of statistical methods have been developed for flagging test items that function differentially for equal ability examinees from different ethnic, linguistic, or gender groups, the standard differential item functioning (DIF) detection and review procedures have not been very useful in explaining why DIF occurs in the flagged items (Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing 1999). To address this problem, Douglas, Roussos and Stout (1996) developed a confirmatory approach to DIF, which is used to test DIF hypotheses that are generated from theory and substantive item analyses. In the study described in this paper, DIF and differential bundle functioning (DBF) analyses were conducted to determine whether groups of reading test items, classified according to a bottom-up, top-down reading strategy framework, functioned differentially for equal ability Arabic and Mandarin ESL learners. SIBTEST (Stout and Roussos, 1999) analyses revealed significant systematic group differences in two of the bottom-up and two of the top-down reading strategy categories. These results demonstrate the utility of employing a theoretical framework for interpreting group differences on a reading test. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.) (Author).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10