Predicting study success of international students

Michael Daller; Wang Yixin

doi:10.1515/applirev-2016-2013

Article

Predicting study success of international students

Michael Daller and Wang Yixin

Published/Copyright: August 18, 2016

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From the journal Applied Linguistics Review Volume 8 Issue 4

Abstract

The study success of international students in Higher Education (HE) in English speaking countries has been a major concern for both the students and the host universities. However, studies on the predictive validity of established language tests, such as IELTS, are inconclusive (for an overview see Daller and Phelan 2013, Predicting international student study success. Applied Linguistics Review 4(1). 173–193). The present study explores the predictive validity of new test formats that could be used in the admissions process alongside the established tests to identify students who are at risk. In the long-term these new test formats have the potential to form the basis of a stand-alone admissions test. The formats under investigation are a gap-filling test (C-test) as test of general language proficiency and several measures of lexical richness (Guiraud, Guiraud Advanced, “D”; see also methodology). All measures were taken at the beginning of an academic year to predict the average grades at the end of the academic year (General Points Average/ GPA). In total 107 international students, mainly from China, with a wide range of subjects participated in the study. A multiple regression analysis including hierarchical models shows that the C-test and “Guiraud” have the highest predictive validity. Given the fact that these two measures can be administered quite easily in a short period of time, we conclude that they have clear advantages over IELTS in the prediction of international student’s study success.

Keywords: international students; academic success; C-test; IELTS; lexical richness (“D”; Guiraud’s index; Guiraud Advanced)

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the anonymous reviewers of the journal and Saskia Ayşe Daller for their valuable comments on an earlier version of this article.

Appendix. C-test

Please fill in the missing letters. You have 25 minutes in total. Roughly the second half of the word is deleted. Be aware of the inflection such as third person singular, plural, past tense, etc. Only words with correct spelling can score. There are 100 points available for the whole test, with 20 points available from each passage. Thanks for your interest in this test and your contribution will be highly appreciated.

Here are some examples to help your understanding:

I li__ to go with you.
Answer: like
I wo____ love to go with you.
Answer: would
They are teen_____.
Answer: teenagers

A. Learning to write

I was four when I started to learn to write. My grandfather started to teach me before I went to school. I remember th____ I always fo____ the cap______ letters mu___ easier t__ write th___ the sm___ letters. I reme____ that on___ we sta____ writing i___ school w__ were n__ allowed t__ use pe___, we h___ to u___ pencils un___ we bec___ really go__ at writing. I can write a few characters in Chinese now, but not very many.

B. Teenagers

It is clear that not all teenagers respond in the same way to peer group pressure. For exa_________, young peo_________ in t_______ early ye________ of seco__________ school a_______ more lik_________ to fe________ under pres__________ to we________ the sa________ clothes a_______ listen t_______ the sa________ music a_______ the re________ of t_______ peer gr________. By t________ time th________ reach middle or late adolescence, however, young people are more able to stand up against such influences.

C. Sleep room

One in three Japanese suffer from sleep disorders, which has prompted technologists to build a sound- insulated capsule – the Suimin (Sleep) Room. Users start by sit_______ up i_______ bed i_______ front o_______ a screen sho_______ a river win_______ through for_______. Soft mu________ plays i_______ the backg________, along wi______ the so_______ of wa_______ and bird________. After a f_________ relaxing min________, the lig_______ dim, t________ screen go________ blank, t___________ music fades and the bed reclines into a sleeping position.

D. Geography

The UK is located on a group of islands known as the British Isles, which lie between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France. At i_________ widest t_________ UK i_________ 300 mi_________ across a_________ 600 mi________ from No_________ to So_________. It sha_________ a sin_________ land bor_________ with the Irish Repu_________. Despite i_________ relatively sm_________ size t_________ UK boa_________ incredibly var_________ and of_________ very beau_________ scenery, fr_________ the mountains and valleys of the North and West to the rolling landscape of the South, and from downland and heath to Fens and marshland.

E. Record employment

Latest employment figures show that there are 28.2 million people in work. Work & Pensions Secretary said this showed the UK labour market has coped well so far with the current international economic uncertainty. He said: “Employment cont_________ to ri_________, with th_________ month’s fig_________ showing a rec_________ 28.2 mil_________ people i_________ work. Th_________ are 65,000 mo________ people i_________ work th_________ last qua_________ and 252,000 mo_________ than la_________ year. Alth__________ both meas_________ of unempl_________ have ri_________ slightly, th_________ are st_________ significantly lower than they were a year ago.”

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Published Online: 2016-8-18

Published in Print: 2017-11-27

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2016-2013

Keywords for this article

international students; academic success; C-test; IELTS; lexical richness (“D”; Guiraud’s index; Guiraud Advanced)