A study on CSL proficiency evaluation—Reading and Listening subject.

Abstract

Presently there are many Chinese proficiency tests (CPTs) available today measuring participants’ proficiency in CSL. Most of them, the AP Chinese language and Cultural examination (AP), Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) and Test of Proficiency-Huayu (TOP), had classified their test results in proficiency levels which corresponded to the levels of CEFR (The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, and Assessment). However, some of Reading and Listening subjects in Top had not completely conducted their proficiency level in corresponding to CEFR. Therefore, the items implemented in this study were on the basis of CEFR for CSL CPT reading and listening subject construction. This study applied IRT 3PL model to analyze and interpret 751 reading and 762 listening subjects empirical data collected from Grace Christian Collage in Philippine on September 2009 via the computerized based test (CBT). The contribution of this study was not only on the construction of a CSL Proficiency Test on a basis of CEFR but also in comparison with examinees’ proficiency scales in referring to their background and explored factors that might affected CSL learning effectiveness.