Kwaliteit En Efficientie Van Multiple-Choice Cloze-Toetsing
This article presents and discusses a number of empirical findings concerning the psychometric quality of multiple-choice cloze tests as tests of general language proficiency, with emphasis on their validity and efficiency.
The Dutch proficiency of various groups of foreign speakers was measured both by a series of separate proficiency tests in listening, speaking, reading and writing and by a series of multiple-choice cloze tests. Scores on multiple-choice cloze tests were found to correlate significantly with those on each of the proficiency tests. In addition, scores on multiple-choice cloze tests appeared to form a solid basis for predicting the total scores for listening, speaking, reading and writing taken together. Further, a clear relation was found to exist between levels of language proficiency and subjects' scores on multiple-choice cloze tests. Our conclusion is that the multiple-choice cloze tests under investigation have proved to be high-quality instruments for measuring proficiency in Dutch as a second language.
Compared to a four-skills test, a multiple-choice cloze test is a very efficient instrument. Administering and processing take only little time. Besides, they can be administered to very large groups of subjects. Because of its quality and efficiency, multiple-choice cloze testing should be preferred to four-skills testing.
Article language: Dutch