Assessing Writing最新文献

Comparing trained L2 writing student reviewers’ feedback behaviors as well as examining the extent to which their claims are aligned with their actual evaluation practices have received limited scholarly attention. Employing think-aloud protocols, one cause and one effect essays evaluated by five upper-intermediate L2 learners, and follow-up semi-structured interviews, this case study research aimed to explore trained L2 peer reviewers’ feedback behaviors and the matches and mismatches between their claims and evaluation practices. While the first and the second data source compared the participants’ actual feedback practices in terms of nature, type, and validity, the last source probed their claims on peer evaluation. The findings contribute to peer feedback research by emphasizing on the need for individual, customized, and constant peer review training sessions rather than general, all-purpose, and decontextualized instructions which can consequently improve peer feedback quality in L2 writing contexts.

Recently, researchers are paying increasing attention to the influence of second language (L2) writers’ personal beliefs on writing learning experiences and outcomes. Drawing on the Positive Psychology approach and from a gender difference perspective, this study investigates the relationships among two important motivational factors (i.e., growth mindsets and the ideal L2 writing self) and L2 writing enjoyment, as well as the impacts of these three positive mentalities on English writing performance with 679 12th grade high school students in mainland China. Independent sample t-tests results indicated that female students had significantly better English writing performance and higher levels of the three mentalities, although the effect sizes of the differences were small. Our multi-group structural equation model reported positive associations among the three mentalities for both male and female students. Growth mindsets were more influential for male students, whereas the ideal L2 writing self more influential for female students. In terms of the influence of the three mentalities on English writing performance, only the ideal L2 writing self was a significant predictor for female students. Pedagogical suggestions are provided based on the findings.

An array of pictorial supports (e.g., emojis, geometrical figures, animals) is often used in studies assessing young students’ writing motivation with Likert scales. However, although these images may influence the students’ responses, sufficient rationales for these choices are often absent from the studies. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to investigate two different types of pictorial support (circles vs. faces) in Likert scales assessing first and third graders’ writing interest, self-concept, and spelling interest and self-efficacy. The samples consist of 2197 first graders (mean age 6.8 years) and 1740 third graders (mean age 8.4 years). Results show statistically significant differences among the scales indicating that when face-scales are used, first-graders skip motivation items more often, and students in both grades avoid the minimum values of the scale more often. Gender differences are also found indicating that when face-scales are used, boys in third grade avoid maximum values more often, and girls in both grades avoid the minimum values more often. These findings suggest that the use of circle-scales compared to face-scales seem more appropriate in scales measuring young students’ writing and spelling interest and self-beliefs.

This study addresses a critical need in large-scale L2 writing assessment by emphasizing the significance of tailoring assessments to specific teaching and learning contexts. Focusing on the CET-4 writing test in China, the research unfolded in two phases. In Phase I, an empirically-developed analytic rating scale designed for the CET-4 writing test was rigorously validated. Twenty-one raters used this scale to rate 30 essays, and Many-Facets Rasch Model (MFRM) analysis was performed on the rating data. The outcomes demonstrate the scale’s robustness in effectively differentiating examinees’ writing performance, ensuring consistency among raters, and mitigating rater variation at both individual and group level. Phase II extends the research scope by applying the validated scale to score 142 CET-4 writing scripts. Utilizing Hierarchical and K-Means cluster analyses, this phase unveils three distinct score profiles. These findings are significant for both the CET-4 writing test and other L2 large-scale writing assessment. Theoretically, this study introduces a perspective that aims to enhance our understanding of learners’ performance in large-scale L2 writing assessment. Methodologically, this study presents a framework that integrates the validation of the rating scale with the identification of distinct score clusters, thus aiming to provide a more detailed solution for tailoring assessments to specific learning contexts.

Given increased prevalence of automated writing evaluation (AWE) systems in classroom settings, more research is needed to explore the potential for bias in automated scores with respect to English language learners (ELLs). Thus, this research study investigated and compared the predictive validity of automated and human scoring methods for elementary-age English ELLs on a writing test designed for ELLs and a state writing test designed for the general population. This study focused on the MI Write AWE system and sampled 2829 students comprising ELLs and non-ELLs in Grades 3–5. Results of multilevel regression analyses and simple slopes estimation indicated that, for ELLs, the automated MI Write score had similar predictive validity to the human score for both writing tests. However, automated and human scores for ELLs were less closely related to the state writing test score than scores for non-ELL students. Findings suggest that MI Write’s automated scoring was not uniquely biased relative to human scoring but does reproduce the same biases evident with human scoring. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.