1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Development of SPOT for the purpose of Placing Japanese Language Students
| Project/Area Number |
07044003
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for international Scientific Research
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | Joint Research |
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| Research Field |
Japanese language education
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| Research Institution | University of Tsukuba |
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Principal Investigator |
KOBAYASHI Noriko University of Tsukuba, Institute of Literature and Linguistics, Associate Professor, 文芸・言語学系, 助教授 (00241753)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
BROWN Robyn Spence Monash University, Department of Japnaese Studies, Senior Lecturer, 日本学科, 上級講師
TOHSAKU Yasuhiko University of California, San Diego, Associate Professor, サンディエゴ校, 準教授
NIWA FORD Junko Johsai International University, Department of Humanities, Assistant Professor, 人文学部, 講師 (70286201)
YAMAMOTO Hilofumi University of Tsukuba, Institute of Literature and Linguistics, Assistant Profes, 文芸・言語学系, 講師 (30241756)
SAKAI Takako University of Tsukuba, Institute of Literature and Linguistics, Associate Profes, 文芸・言語学系, 講師 (40215588)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1995 – 1997
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| Keywords | Japanese Language Ability / SPOT / Placement Test / Language Testing / automaticity / Real-time Processing / Grammatical Item / Assessment |
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| Research Abstract |
When organizing a language course, it is necessary to determine the general language proficiency level of the students and place them in the appropriate class. We have invented SPOT (Simple Performance-Oriented Test) as a new device that allows learners at various levels to be placed simply, swiftly and accurately. The results of the research suggest that SPOT is a sufficiently accurate means to place students.
SPOT consists of an audio taped recording of a native speaker reading a series of complete sentences, to which the testee listens while reading the same sentences in Japanese script on the answer sheet. Each sentence on the answer sheet contains a blank which the testee must fill in based on the tape. Each blank consists of a single hiragana character which represents all or part of a grammatical item.
This research project has elucidated the follwings.
1) The results of trials at several institutions (both in Japan and foreign countries) under different circumstances has been analyzed and the results show the score of the SPOT is highly reliable.
2) The SPOT does not seem suitable for testing each discrete point of language knowledge, but is effective for testing intergrated proficiency.
3) The phonetic variations (duration, pitch contour, devoicing or weakening of vowels or consonants) of the sentences read in the SPOT have strong relation with the score.
4) The research suggests that SPOT ranks Japanese learners by measuring their automatic processing ability.
5) The SPOT would be a good instrument to investigate the process and outcome of grammar acquisition by Japanese Language lerarners.
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