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Using Raters From India to Score a Large‐Scale Speaking Test
Author(s) -
Xi Xiaoming,
Mollaun Pam
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
language learning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.882
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1467-9922
pISSN - 0023-8333
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9922.2011.00667.x
Subject(s) - test of english as a foreign language , psychology , test (biology) , scale (ratio) , language proficiency , certification , test score , language assessment , linguistics , mathematics education , standardized test , paleontology , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics , political science , law , biology
We investigated the scoring of the Speaking section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language™ Internet‐based (TOEFL iBT ® ) test by speakers of English and one or more Indian languages. We explored the extent to which raters from India, after being trained and certified, were able to score the TOEFL examinees with mixed first languages accurately and consistently. The effectiveness of a special training package designed for scoring Indian examinees was examined as well. We found that the raters from India performed as well as the operational U.S.‐based raters in scoring both Indian and non‐Indian examinees. The special training also helped the raters score Indian examinees more consistently and confidently.