All illustrations: Matilda Salmén.
The test is called PIRATE:
- P picture-based
- I informative/international/interactive
- R receptive/recall
- A assessment/adaptive
- T test (of)
- E English
About the project
Across the globe, children enter school with vastly different levels of English vocabulary knowledge. Yet, teachers and researchers lack an accessible, and child-friendly tool to assess these differences. The PIRATE project addresses this problem and research gap by developing a novel, research-based test for young learners of English as a foreign/second/additional language (L2 English).
By providing teachers and researchers with such a reliable L2 assessment instrument, PIRATE will (i) promote more equitable learning and testing opportunities and (ii) improve language educational practices worldwide, since it will be possible to (iii) make valid inferences based on the PIRATE scores.
Background
Research on L2 English shows great variation in terms of children’s vocabulary size, often due to varied engagement in extramural English activities (e.g., gaming and listening to music in English). Since building vocabulary is key for successful L2 development, measuring vocabulary knowledge in young learners in a reliable and valid way is crucial. An age-appropriate English vocabulary test is needed.
See also related research project: STarting AGe and Extramural English: Learning English in and outside of school in Norway and Flanders (STAGE)
Examples of illustrations from the PIRATE-test (illustrations by Matilda Salmén):
To run
Frog
To eat
