1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Development of SPOT (Simple Performance-Oriented Test), a Japanese Language Test
| Project/Area Number |
08458055
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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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) |
SAKAI Takako University of Tsukuba, Institute of Literature and Linguistics, Assistant Profes, 文芸・言語学系, 講師 (40215588)
YAMAMOTO Hilofumi University of Tsukuba, Institute of Literature and Linguistics, Assistant Profes, 文芸・言語学系, 講師 (30241756)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1996 – 1998
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| Keywords | SPOT / Japanese language ability / automaticity / language test / grammatical item |
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| Research Abstract |
SPOT (Simple Performance-Oriented Test) has been originally devised by Noriko Kobayashi and Junko Ford-Niwa as a new device that allows JSL(Japanese as a second language) 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 following.
1 )The results of trials at several institutions under different circumstances have been analyzed and the results show the score of the SPOT to be highly reliable. (The numbers of the co-operative institutions are more than 50, including not only those in Japan but also in USA, Australia, Korea, Indonesia, etc.)
2) SPOT does not seem suitable for testing each discrete point of language knowledge, or the proficiency of each language skill such as reading, listening, writing and speaking, but is effective for testing integrated proficiency or processing ability in natural speed.
3)The phonetic variations (duration, pitch contour, devoicing or weakening of vowels or consonants) of the sentences read in the SPOT have a strong relation with the score.
4)The research suggests that SPOT ranks Japanese learners by measuring their automatic processing ability.
5) SPOT would be a good instrument to investigate the process and outcome of grammar acquisition by Japanese Language learners.
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