Placement Test Development for Chinese Heritage Language Learners
Many universities have offered separate-track courses for non-heritage and heritage language learners. However, heritage learners’ heterogeneity in terms of their target language proficiency still makes it difficult to place them in appropriate classes. This study describes the placement exam devel...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages
2011-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages |
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| Online Access: | http://www.ncolctl.org/files/placement-test.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819183091940327424 |
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| author | Jack Jinghui Liu |
| author_facet | Jack Jinghui Liu |
| author_sort | Jack Jinghui Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Many universities have offered separate-track courses for
non-heritage and heritage language learners. However, heritage learners’ heterogeneity in terms of their target language proficiency still makes it difficult to place them in appropriate classes. This study describes the placement exam development for Chinese heritage learners in a Southern Californian university through assessing heritage learners’ formal education background, oral interview performance, and Chinese writing ability. To reveal students’ oral proficiency and ensure consistent and accurate responses, the students’ detailed interview
answers were compared with their family background and Chinese
learning background that students provided via a survey. This
initial analysis indicates that the placement exam is effective only if both the oral interview and the written proficiency components are combined with the survey of the students’ educational background. This combination instrument may serve as a guide for developing local placement exams and may be useful for future less commonly taught heritage languages. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T22:56:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f22cd94ca7f140d5aaaaa946da1ed86e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1930-9031 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T22:56:31Z |
| publishDate | 2011-08-01 |
| publisher | National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages |
| spelling | doaj.art-f22cd94ca7f140d5aaaaa946da1ed86e2022-12-21T18:09:49ZengNational Council of Less Commonly Taught LanguagesJournal of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages1930-90312011-08-0110169191Placement Test Development for Chinese Heritage Language LearnersJack Jinghui Liu0California State UniversityMany universities have offered separate-track courses for non-heritage and heritage language learners. However, heritage learners’ heterogeneity in terms of their target language proficiency still makes it difficult to place them in appropriate classes. This study describes the placement exam development for Chinese heritage learners in a Southern Californian university through assessing heritage learners’ formal education background, oral interview performance, and Chinese writing ability. To reveal students’ oral proficiency and ensure consistent and accurate responses, the students’ detailed interview answers were compared with their family background and Chinese learning background that students provided via a survey. This initial analysis indicates that the placement exam is effective only if both the oral interview and the written proficiency components are combined with the survey of the students’ educational background. This combination instrument may serve as a guide for developing local placement exams and may be useful for future less commonly taught heritage languages.http://www.ncolctl.org/files/placement-test.pdfPlacementDevelopmentHeritageChineseLearnersheterogeneitySouthern Californian universityoral proficiencysurvey |
| spellingShingle | Jack Jinghui Liu Placement Test Development for Chinese Heritage Language Learners Journal of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages Placement Development Heritage Chinese Learners heterogeneity Southern Californian university oral proficiency survey |
| title | Placement Test Development for Chinese Heritage Language Learners |
| title_full | Placement Test Development for Chinese Heritage Language Learners |
| title_fullStr | Placement Test Development for Chinese Heritage Language Learners |
| title_full_unstemmed | Placement Test Development for Chinese Heritage Language Learners |
| title_short | Placement Test Development for Chinese Heritage Language Learners |
| title_sort | placement test development for chinese heritage language learners |
| topic | Placement Development Heritage Chinese Learners heterogeneity Southern Californian university oral proficiency survey |
| url | http://www.ncolctl.org/files/placement-test.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jackjinghuiliu placementtestdevelopmentforchineseheritagelanguagelearners |