The paper titled "Using an Estimate of Language Ability for Making Pass-or-Fail Decisions at an Intensive English Program in Saudi Arabia" by Mohammed Shuaib Assiri focuses on the decision-making process regarding pass-or-fail outcomes for students in an intensive English program at King Khalid University in Saudi Arabia. The primary research question explores whether reporting a total average score, in addition to individual skill scores, can more accurately estimate a learner’s language ability and inform pass-or-fail decisions.
The study aims to address the perceived unfairness in the current assessment system, where failing in one language skill often results in failing the entire course. The study investigates whether a total average score, which sums and averages the individual scores from different language skills (listening, oral, reading, writing, and grammar), can serve as a more equitable basis for these critical decisions.
The research methodology employed involved analyzing the score data of 644 learners enrolled in the program across four proficiency levels. The study utilized factor analysis, linear regression, and correlation tests to determine the relationship between the total average score and the learners' overall language ability. The factor analysis confirmed that language ability could be represented as a higher-order factor comprising the four-skill components. This finding suggests that the total average score could serve as an accurate estimate of a learner's language ability.
Key findings from the study indicated that the total average score reliably predicts language ability and can be used to make more balanced pass-or-fail decisions. Specifically, the results demonstrated that learners who had high total average scores were less likely to have failed in individual skill components, thus supporting the use of a total average score in assessment.
The study concludes that adopting a total average score for making pass-or-fail decisions could improve assessment fairness and reduce the negative consequences of the current practice, such as the unnecessary repetition of courses. The author suggests that incorporating total average scores in decision-making could help align assessment practices with the overall goal of promoting language ability development, ultimately benefiting both learners and educators in the program.