A Conversation-Analytic Hermeneutic Rating Protocol to Assess L2 Oral Pragmatic Competence

Autor/in	Walters, F. Scott
Titel	A Conversation-Analytic Hermeneutic Rating Protocol to Assess L2 Oral Pragmatic Competence
Quelle	In: Language Testing, 24 (2007) 2, S.155-183 (29 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0265-5322
DOI	10.1177/0265532207076362
Schlagwörter	Inferences; Testing; Speech Acts; Language Tests; Hermeneutics; Pragmatics; Second Language Learning; Oral Language; Epistemology; Psychometrics; Evaluators; English (Second Language); Validity; Evaluation Methods + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Inference; Inferenz; Testdurchführung; Testen; Sprechakt; Language test; Sprachtest; Hermeneutik; Pragmalinguistik; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Oral interpretation; Mündlicher Sprachgebrauch; Erkenntnistheorie; Psychometry; Psychometrie; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Gültigkeit
Abstract	Speech act theory-based, second language pragmatics testing (SLPT) poses problems for validation due to a lack of correspondence with empirical conversational data. Since conversation analysis (CA) provides a richer and more accurate account of language behavior, it may be preferred as a basis for SLPT development. However, applying CA methodology in turn poses epistemological and practical challenges to psychometrics-driven language testing. The present pilot study, attempting to resolve this seeming conflict, focuses on the behavior of two CA-trained raters applying a holistic rubric to responses on a test of ESL oral pragmatic competence. Results showed that CA-informed testing (CAIT) could be practical, though statistical reliability was not achieved. However, post-rating hermeneutic dialogues between the raters provided evidence that valid inferences of examinee oral ESL pragmatic ability could be made through iterative, rater recourse to empirical data in a conversation-analytic mode. A model for iterative, CA-informed SLPT development is offered. CA transcription conventions are appended. (Contains 2 tables.) (Author).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10