1:02pm Dec 17 at 1:02pm
What are some of the cultural, language, family, ethnic, and other factors that a test user should take into consideration when selecting a particular test, administering a test, and interpreting test scores for this population?
This article;
Standardized language Test Use: A Canadian Survey, looks at multicultural issues with standardized tests languages. It explores speech-language tests to measure the treatment progress of children. It specifically states, “ use of less sensitive standardized tests may be interfering with accurate measurement of the effectiveness of the intervention provided.” (Kerr, 2003) A cultural consideration that should be taken into account based on this article would be where in the world this test is taken, Canada.
They have different dialects there, some people even speak French and the translations can vary greatly due to this cultural change. The use of words can vary depending on what area of Canada you are in and how heavily influenced it might be due to the use of French in their language. Family, what type of family unit are they testing? Mostly single parents, divorced, what were their family backgrounds growing up. There is a direct correlation between broken homes of parents and their children ending up in a similar situation when they reach adulthood. The involvement in their child’s life can affect the testing results and wording used on these tests. If they are located in a more or less affluent area. How is the test administered compared to say a test in the United States? What types of variance of results might we see just due to the differences in culture of where these are administered- Making sure the tests take all these factors into account and are adapted to the culture ensures the best possible outcomes and results based on the research.
References:
Kerr MA, Guildford S, Bird EK. Standardized language test use: a Canadian survey.
Journal of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology. 2003;27(1):10-28. Accessed December 17, 2020. http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cpid&custid=s8856897&db=ccm&AN=106846046&site=ehost-live