The solution for these problems is to use different and specific test forms for each academic grade with equated scores. Moreover, the results can be influenced by extreme floor or ceiling effects in lower and upper grades, respectively ( Santos et al., 2016b). The use of the same test across a wide range of academic grades is problematic due to the learning effects and reactivity effects of the measures. However, when the goal is to compare the achievement of the same student across different time points (intra-individual differences), the administration of the same test at different educational levels has several disadvantages. Reading and listening comprehension tests developed to assess specific age or grade level groups are useful tools to compare inter-individual differences (i.e., to compare a student’s performance with a normative group). The overall aim of this paper is to describe the development and validation of two vertically scaled forms of a reading comprehension and a listening comprehension test for Portuguese students in the fifth and sixth grades. For this purpose, the use of standardized measures with robust psychometric qualities is essential ( Salvia et al., 2010). The assessment of these skills allows us to identify at-risk readers, to support the development of intervention and teaching programs, and to monitor the students’ progress in these areas over time ( Santos et al., 2016b). The processes necessary to extract meaning from written or oral language are generally similar: integration of information, making inferences, association of what one reads/hears with one’s previous knowledge, and construction of the meaning of the material ( Perfetti et al., 2005 Cain and Oakhill, 2008). The product of listening and reading comprehension is an integrated mental representation of the meaning of a text ( Oakhill et al., 2019). The developed test forms are an important contribution in the Portuguese educational context as they allow for the assessment of students’ performance in these skills across multiple time points and can be used both in research and practice. The data from both studies provided evidence for good psychometric characteristics for the test forms: unidimensionality and local independence, as well as adequate reliability and evidence of validity. The samples included 454 and 179 students for the first and second study, respectively. The purpose of the second study was to collect evidence for the validity of these tests based on the relationships of test scores with other variables. The purpose of the first study was to develop tests of reading and listening comprehension in European Portuguese, with vertically scaled test forms for students in the fifth and sixth grades, using Rasch model analyses. Two studies were conducted to achieve these goals. Moreover, measures which include specific test forms for different academic grade levels, that are vertically equated, allow the direct comparison of results across multiple time points and avoid floor and ceiling effects. 3School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, PortugalĪn efficient assessment of reading and linguistic abilities in school children requires reliable and valid measures.2Research Centre on Child Studies, Institute of Education, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.1Psychology Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.80 into the Power (1-beta err prob) box, unless researchers want to change the power according to the current empirical or clinical context.Bruna Rodrigues 1*, Irene Cadime 1, Fernanda Leopoldina Viana 2 and Iolanda Ribeiro 3
Leave the alpha value at 0.05, unless researchers want to change the alpha value according to the current empirical or clinical context.Ĩ. Select Two if researchers are unsure whether the association/correlation will be positive or negative.Įnter ".01" into the Coefficient of determination p2 box if researchers believe there will be a small treatment effect.Įnter ".09" into the Coefficient of determination p2 box if researchers believe there will be a moderate treatment effect.Įnter ".25" into the Coefficient of determination p2 box if researchers believe there will be a large treatment effect.ħ. In the Tail(s) drop-down menu, select One if researchers have a definitive and literature-based reason for believing that the association/correlation that the correlation travels in a certain direction (either positive or negative). Under the Type of power analysis drop-down menu, select A priori: Compute required sample size - given alpha, power, and effect size.ĥ. Under the Statistical test drop-down menu, select Correlation: Point biserial model.Ĥ. Under the Test family drop-down menu, select t tests.ģ.
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