Test fairness: a DIF analysis of an L2 vocabulary test

The purpose of this study is to analyse gender-uniform differential item functioning (DIF) in a second language (L2) vocabulary test with the tools of item response theory (the separate calibration t-method) and to study potential gender impact on the test performance measured by different item composites. The results of the study show that despite the fact that there are test items with indications of DIF in favour of either females or males, the test as a whole is not gender-biased. In spite of this, it was demonstrated that some item composites are gender-biased. In view of item bank building and use, it means that some of the tests constructed on the basis of an item bank might be bias…

Relating examinations to the Common European Framework: a manual

This article deals with the linking of examinations to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Following the rapid adoption of the CEFR by the Council of Europe and the European Union as well as many national and local actors, there have been calls for guidance on how examinations could be made more transparent by means of the CEFR, especially by using its calibrated scales as a tool. The Council of Europe has recently produced a preliminary pilot Manual, which presents a procedure for doing this. The article describes the political and educational context of this work and presents the main procedures proposed in the Manual. Since the Manual is a preliminary document for discuss…

LANGUAGE POLICY AND PLANNING

The field of language policy and planning is clearly a sub-field within applied linguistics. It generally does not draw heavily on formal linguistics, except for aspects of corpus and status planning. However, it does draw extensively from a range of disciplines in order to plan, implement, and evaluate language policies that respond to the needs of stake holders of various types. Despite continuous development of the field, aspects of language policy and planning need to be developed further. One of the key areas where policy can be enhanced considerably is in the area of policy and planning evaluation. This direction of inquiry is also relevant to a number of other areas within applied li…

Book review: Criterial Features in L2 English: Specifying the Reference Levels of the Common European Framework

Review of some recent Soviet research on vocabulary learning and teaching

This article presents a review of some recent Soviet research on vocabulary learning and teaching. It has been demonstrated in a number of experiments with young and older students, and using both first and second/foreign languages, that even young children can learn linguistic word analysis skills and can benefit from such teaching.

Editorial

Kielikoulutuksen uusi nousukausiko odotettavissa?

Seuraavassa esityksessä Sauli Takala kommentoi yli 40 vuoden omakohtaiseen osallistumiseen nojaten Suomen kielikoulutuspolitiikan muutoksia. ”Kehitys” olisi kirjoittajan mielestä väärä sana, koska myönteisen kehityksen lisäksi on tullut paljon takapakkia. nonPeerReviewed