Critical Book Review: English Young Learners

CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW

S1 - STUDY PROGRAM OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
EDUCATION- FBS

SCORE:

English Language Proficiency Assessments for Young Learners

(John M. Norris, James E. Purpura, Steven John Ross, Xiaoming Xi, Mikyung Kim
Wolf, and Yuko Goto Butle, 2017)

Arranged by:

GROUP 4

Name Essiana Ketty Sihombing - 2203321002

Firza Khairunnizat – 2202121003
Maharani Amelia Hasibuan – 2201121006
Risma Khairiyah – 2203121012
Yemima Simanjuntak - 2203121063
Class : DIK ENGLISH 2020 D

ENGLISH MAJOR

ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ART

MEDAN STATE UNIVERSITY

2022

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 FOREWORD
First of all, we would like to thank God for the blessings and opportunities that have
been given to us from group 4 to complete this paper. Furthermore, we also thank our lecturer,
Ma’am Rafika Dewi Nasution, S.Pd., M.Hum. who teaches English Young Learners. Finally,
we would like to thank our family, friends, relatives who are willing to help us and provide
information related to the task of this paper.
We believe that this paper still has many shortcomings, both in terms of the preparation
of the paper, the order of the discussion, and the clarity of purpose. Hopefully, readers can
provide criticism and suggestions to improve this paper in the future.
That's all we can convey, hopefully this paper can be useful for us compilers and
readers. Thank you.

September 16th, 2022

Group 4

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD .............................................................................................................................. i
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...........................................................................................................ii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 1
1.1 Background of the Study ............................................................................................. 1
1.2 The Purpose of Writing CBR ...................................................................................... 2
1.3 The Benefits of Writing CBR...................................................................................... 2
CHAPTER II DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................... 1
2.1 Identity of the Book..................................................................................................... 1
2.2 Summary of Each Book Chapters ............................................................................... 1
Section 4. Future Assessments and Innovations for Young Learners. ................................... 7
Section 5 Conclusion.............................................................................................................. 9
2.3 Book Rating................................................................................................................. 9
A. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Book....................................................................... 9
B. Relationship Between Chapters ................................................................................ 10
C. Book Content Update ................................................................................................ 10
CHAPTER III CLOSING ........................................................................................................ 11
A. Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 11
B. Suggestion ..................................................................................................................... 12
REFERENCE ........................................................................................................................... 12

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 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
In countries where English is used as a second or third language, English courses are
usually entered when the student is in middle and high school behavior. Thus, students tend to
be unable to master English because they do not start at a young age. Whereas in the context
of ESL, mastery of English language skills (ELP) is very important for school-age children not
only to achieve academic success but also to participate in social activities.

The author conducted an assessment of English language skills at a young age. The
young age starts from the age of about 9 years to 13 years as "young students". Learning
assessments are intended to provide information about students' current level and achievement
after a certain teaching period (i.e., for summative purposes), whereas learning assessments are
intended to provide information about students' strengths and weaknesses to improve learning
during teaching (i.e., for formative purposes).

According to research, young learners have relatively short attention spans so they tend
to be easily distracted, and the completion of a given task can also be greatly influenced by
their level of interest. According to Cameron (2001) and Molloy (2015), in the context of EFL
and ESL, younger students (that is, in the early grades of primary school) tend to acquire L1
literacy in comprehension skills (especially listening skills) than productive skills at L2.

This reviewed book consists of 5 parts, namely an introductory section, a basic theory
and assessment framework section, an empirical study section for evidence of validity, an
assessment section and future innovations for young learners, and a conclusion section. Each
chapter in this book offers a unique view of youth student assessment and provides stimulating
ideas for future research and development to improve ELP assessment practice with young
learners. Furthermore, all chapters indicate that much empirical research needs to be done to
better understand the development of young learners' ELP and the interactions between the
unique characteristics of young learners and assessment features. The authors hope that the
contents in the book chapters can contribute to advancing our knowledge of ELP assessment
in young learners, and to facilitating further discussion for language testing and the field of
education to promote the development of ELP young learners through good assessment
practices.

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1.2 The Purpose of Writing CBR
The purpose of this CBR is to:

1. Completion of tasks: This CBR is carried out to complete one of the KKNI assignments
in the course of English Young Learners.
2. Adding: Knowledge and insight about the book is criticized.
3. Improve: Accuracy and understanding of the book we are criticizing by summarizing
the book.
4. Potential or expertise in criticizing the contents of the books we read and making
conclude the contents of the book.

1.3 The Benefits of Writing CBR

The benefits of writing this Critical Book Report include:

1. So that students know and understand the contents of the book.

2. So that students indirectly master the material discussed in the book.

3. So that students know the advantages and disadvantages of a book.

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 CHAPTER II DISCUSSION
2.1 Identity of the Book

The Title of Book : English Language Proficiency Assessments for Young

Learners
The Authors : John M. Norris, James E. Purpura, Steven John Ross,
Xiaoming Xi, Mikyung Kim Wolf, and Yuko Goto Butler
Series Editor : Marion Williams and Tony Wright
The Publisher : Routledge
The Location of : New York
Publication
The Year of Publication : 2017
eBook Published : 17 May 2017
The Pages of Book : 295 pages (With Cover)
The ISBN : 978-1-138-94035-2 (hbk)
: 978-1-138-94036-9 (pbk)
: 978-1-315-67439-1 (ebk)

2.2 Summary of Each Book Chapters

Section 1. Introduction
1 : An Overview Language Profiency Assesment For Young Learners

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 English Language Proficiency (ELP) is essential for children to achieve academic and
social activities. ELP assessments for young learners differ from adult assessments, following
communicative language skills, language knowledge and strategic competencies. The
development of the ELP is intended for follow-up assessment of the target population. In either
EFL (English as a Foreign Language) or ESL (English as a Second Language) the standard
curriculum is used as a way to encourage young school-age students to learn English, but the
fact is that teaching and assessment young students is not always carried out as in the
curriculum. ELP assessment formats vary from portfolio assessment, class tests and quizzes,
observation, and self-assessment. Of course, in the development of the ELP assessment there
is a rigorous process starting from the target language using analysis, developing item and task
designs with expert review, field testing with samples from the target population, analysis of
technical qualifications of items and test forms, and setting standards for scores as needed. To
the development procedure, administrative factors also affect the consistency of the
assessment, so administrators must be trained.

The characteristics of young learners that need to be considered in the development

and use of ELP assessments may be described largely in terms of the following aspects: english
language learning contets and language ability, cognitive development, and affective factors.

Cognitive development in young learners is a consideration for designing L2

developmental abilities as well as their performance in assessment. Students' cognitive abilities
include information processing speed, working memory, short-term memory, reasoning, and
executive function. Young students' cognitive abilities are immature for structured concepts.
Children have a relatively short time span so they are easily distracted and strongly influenced
by their interests. Young learner affective factors are critical to the development and use of
ELP assessments. The learner's affective factors come from parents and schools. Young
students are not fully able to control their emotions even though when students are motivated,
their assessment performance increases. Students should be given clear instructions and goals
with positive feedback and rewards. Assessing ELP for young learners serves as a learning
assessment or as an assessment for learning. Learning assessment provides information about
students' strengths and weaknesses to improve learning during teaching. This means that the
ELP assessment helps students improve their English language skills.

Section 2. Theoritical Basis And Assessment Frameworks

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 2 : Theoretical And Development Issues To Consider In The Assessment Of
Young Learners’ English Language Proficiency

Theories about how language processes can help to identify ELP assessment and test
validation. Before puberty, the cognitive and social development of young learners is more
easily changed because young learners also acquire language from the environment followed
by the formation of language accents that are relatively easy. The SLA theory contains an ELP
assessment theory in terms of the rate of development of language use and formation. The rate
of increase in the number of young language learners is evidenced in the form of language
structure and increasingly widespread use of language. The child's proficiency depends on the
L2 speakers obtained from practice.

Learning theory is dynamic where students can learn linguistics before it is taught. An
evaluator compares not only the performance but also the student's process during completing
the task. Alternatively, examiners can provide assignments competently and independently
without support. Clearly, more ressearch and development is needed at the intersection of
language. Language assessment as games as a trait in order to gain and hold the attention of
young learners and motivate their interest optimally.

3 : Designing The TOEFL Primary Tests

Each task type in the TOEFL Primary tests is designed to assess young EFL learners’
ability to achieve one of the communication goals outlined in the test construct. Because
children generally have shorter attention spans than adults, it was decided during the
conceptualization stage that the maximum testing time for each skill must not exceed 30
minutes. Per the final test specifications, the Reading and Listening tests are paper-based and
consist of single-selection multiple-choice items. Listening test stimuli are played on audio
CDs. The listening test is computer-based and consists of listen and match, dialogue, question-
response, social-navigational monologue, narrative, academic monologue and follow
directions. Reading test consist of short expository, narrative, instructional correspondence,
telegraph, sentence clue and match picture to sentence and word. Structure speaking test consist
of warm-up, expression, description, directions and narration.

4 : TOEFL Junior Design Framework

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 TOEFL Junior has been developed to address this need by providing much needed
information on the English language proficiency (ELP) attainment of young adolescent English
learners worldwide. TOEFL Junior focuses on English learners’ communicative language
ability to participate in English-medium instructional contexts. English-medium instructional
contexts can take a range of forms, including (a) schools in English-dominant countries, (b)
international schools in non-English-dominant, and (c) schools in any country in which some
content instruction is delivered in English.

Although these instructional models are different in several respects, they

commonly call for students to use English to learn new information in content areas. The
traditional distinction between English as a second language (ESL) and EFL is of little
importance in the aforementioned instructional models; the most relevant feature of all models
is that English is used as an instructional language regardless of whether English is the language
of communication outside of school. To differing degrees, these models also call for the use of
English for non-academic purposes, such as for social interactions, service encounters, and
classroom management.

Both theoretical and practical considerations that guided decisions through the
TOEFL Junior development process. These considerations have formed the basis for
determining validity research areas needed at various stages of test development and use. For
example, the test design team referred to the information discussed in this chapter to collect
validity evidence at different stages of test development. The information has also served as a
frame of reference, subsequent to the introduction of the test, to validate assessment-based
interpretations and uses of TOEFL Junior test results. The comprehensive list of research topics
that have been addressed to validate the claims associated with the TOEFL Junior test scores
is presented in So et al.

5 : Designing Task Types for English Language Proficiency

ETS is the test developer responsible for all aspects of assessment design, development
and implementation. ETS's work on two assessment systems; ELP Assessment 21st Century
and the ELP Assessment for California. Domain analysis following information:

• the important and salient aspects of the domain

• the work and situations that are central to the domain

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 • the knowledge representations central to the domain

Domain modeling is a model for articulating the assessment argument based on the
domain analysis. Conceptual assessment contains elements: student model, evidence model,
task model, which is the framework contains question about:

• What claims do teachers want to be able to support about student knowledge, skills,
and abilities (KSAs) based on assessment scores?
• How do teachers coordinate the substantive, statistical, and operational aspects of
the assessment to gather evidence in support of these claims?

Assessment implementation contains production aspects of assessment

development: authoring tasks, scoring details, statistical models. Assessment delivery contains
the following elements: student interaction with tasks, evaluation of performances, creation of
feedback.

Section 3. Empirical Studies for Validity Evidence

6 : A Field Test Study For The TOEFL Primary Reading and Listening Test

The TOEFL® PrimaryTM tests were developed to measure the English language
proficiency of young learners from various language and cultural backgrounds learning English
as a foreign language. The field test did by identifying items from a wide variety of item types
that measured a common skill (either reading or listening), discarding items that were poor
indicators of that skill, and identifying items at various difficulty levels. The purpose of field
test was to good measures of language proficiency for the full range of ability that is observed
in young learners who are learning English as a foreign language.

7 : Strategies Used by Young English Learners in An Assessment Context

A total of 12 language learners’ strategies were identified such as: make use of
grammatical knowledge of words, translate, recognize poppers no nouns, figure out the
meaning of a word based on the context, relate personal experience, not being distracted by
unknown words, make inferences, relate bits of information together, identify associated
words, guess the meaning of a word based on words that associated, use prior knowledge and
the last use knowledge of punctuation marks.

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 Both language learner strategies and test management strategies are considered to
be construct-relevant. Test-management strategies require test takers to use learners’ linguistic
knowledge to respond meaningfully to test items. In other words, in order to use test-
management strategies effectively, learners need to understand the language provided in the
stimuli or questions with answer options.

8: Using the Common European Framework of Reference to Facilitate Score

Interpretations for Young Learner’s English Language Proficiency Assessments.
The Common European Framework, abbreviated CEFR (Council of Europe, 2001), is
one of the Council of Europe's publications. The major goal of the CEFR is to offer a standard
foundation for the development of language syllabuses, exams, and textbooks by explaining in
detail what language learners must master in order to successfully communicate in a language.
The author examined the application of the CEFR in the context of young EFL learner
evaluations in this chapter providing a full analysis of how the CEFR has been applied to give
an extra framework for supporting assumptions that may be formed based on TOEFL Junior
and TOEFL Primary test scores. This is especially important in educational settings as the
CEFR levels and characteristics are commonly used to construct learning objectives for young
EFL learners.

However, users of these assessments should not interpret any type of connectivity as a
reliable indicator of an assessment's overall quality or as confirmation of the validity of its
scores for their intended purpose. In actuality, the Council of Europe (2009, p. 90) states clearly
that connecting an evaluation to the CEFR levels is unsuitable unless it is of excellent quality.
As a result, while using the CEFR for young learner evaluations is necessary, it should only be
part of a larger research program whose goals are important for two reasons: providing
evidence for assumptions made about the use of these tests with young EFL learners, and
delivering beneficial results.

9: Making A Validity Argument for Using the TOEFL Junior Standard Test as A
Measure of Progress for Young English Language Learner.
The author provided validation research in this chapter to investigate the hypothesis
that the TOEFL Junior Standard test may be used to assess young learners' progress in learning
English as a foreign language. The current study is an early step toward demonstrating that the
TOEFL Junior Standard exam may reflect changes in language ability caused by learning. As

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a result, the data give preliminary support for the hypothesis that the test may be used to track
progress in young English language learners. More study is undoubtedly required to properly
explore numerous contextual elements that may impact the progress of young English language
learners' English language ability as evaluated by a standardized assessment such as the TOEFL
Junior test.

10: Comparing the Performance of Young English Language Learners and Native
English Speakers on Speaking Assessment Tasks
This chapter's research has several key implications for the creation and implementation
of ELP exams aimed to identify early EL learners. First, both EL and non-EL kindergarten
children, as well as students in Grades 1 and 2, made language mistakes and had weak
knowledge of discourse techniques to recount a tale or describe events coherently. As a result,
while developing scoring rubrics and rater training materials, it is important to ensure that
evaluators have appropriate and realistic expectations of student speaking performance for this
age range. Second, the sample considered The Playground assignment, which required
kindergarten learners to repeat a tale, to be difficult for the sample of students who had just
begun their formal schooling.

Section 4. Future Assessments and Innovations for Young Learners.

11: Considering Young Learners’ Characteristics in Developing a Diagnostic
Assessment Intervention
One of the most significant aspects is that students must be involved in the whole
assessment process, particularly in examining and utilizing assessment results for future
learning. Mediation should not be generalized for all students across learning settings in
learning-oriented assessment. Instead, the focus and intensity of mediation should be modified
based on the reactions of students to mediated evaluation. Attempts should be made to ease the
switch from externally driven to self-generated mediation. Instead of responding to questions,
young learner assessments should encourage students to construct their own questions and
make choices based on their interests and preferences.

Finally, emotional experiences of students can have a significant impact on their

cognitive and metacognitive participation in assessment activities. Task-related and
performance-oriented emotions can both help and limit students' motivation and strategy

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usage. Teachers will be able to measure young learners' cognitive progress through a dynamic
interaction with other features in digital settings using data mining and machine learning
technologies used to examine synchronized data.

12. Computerized Dynamic Assessments for Young Language Learners

The results of the method are communicated with participants in a way that is both
understandable and actionable, which is one of the most critical challenges in L2 C-DA. Any
insights into student skills acquired by C-DA are meaningless if teachers and learners are
unable to act on the information supplied.

Other issues in establishing an effective mediation for school-aged English learners

include engineering additional flexibility within the mediation process in C-DA. One concern
is that providing mediation in each learner's native language is unlikely to be practical. As a
result, mediation in English creates additional difficulty since learners' lack of interest may
suggest that the mediation was not detailed enough, but it may also indicate that the language
in which the mediation was delivered was just too difficult. Similarly, lengthy written
suggestions, comments, and explanations may be less effective with young learners or those
with low English reading ability. Auditory prompting, in conjunction with graphical
representations and other imagery, may prove significantly more effective and potentially
beneficial.

13 Measuring 21st-Century Reading Comprehension Through Scenario-Based

Assessments
This chapter described how SBA design features could be applied in creating new
reading assessments for school-aged children. The researchers focused on illustrating concrete
examples of scenario-based tasks using two research and development projects, GISA and
ELFA. It was described how tasks were designed to measure higher-order reading skills
expected of school-aged children.

As described in this chapter, increased attention on ensuring assessments attend to

complex and evolving reading skills has inspired innovation. Both assessments described in
this chapter attempt to address the primary goal of reading assessment innovation by the use of
SBAs. For begin, GISA uses particular scenarios to assess a wide range of integrated and
complicated higher-order reading abilities associated with 21st-century competencies, such as

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multiple text comprehension, disciplinary literacy, digital literacy, and perspective taking. It
also collects information on performance modifiers, such as background knowledge, to support
in the interpretation of test outcomes and, in the case of reading tactics, to develop healthy
mental habits. GISA integrates reading comprehension components in real and relevant ways
in this way. ELFA differs from SBA in that it tries to assess the multilayered processes of
reading comprehension, notably those affecting EL students' reading ability. It examines and
describes EL reading profiles using scenarios for activities that evolve from fundamental to
higher-order abilities in both collaborative and individual forms. Both approaches are given
using SBA methodologies to handle the difficulty of assessing diverse reading processes.

GISA and ELFA both support the idea of participating in a learning activity while doing
a measuring task. That is, both the GISA and the ELFA evaluation activities are planned to be
learning experiences in and of themselves. GISA forms work by situations, involving students
in strategic reading practices, and replicating reading-supporting activities, such as reflection
and peer interaction, through tasks themselves. Lastly, one purpose of exams like GISA and
ELFA is to guarantee that the outcomes are educationally relevant.

Section 5 Conclusion
14 Challenges and Future Directions for Young Learners’ English Language
Assessments and Validity Research
It seems like the aim of this chapter is to discuss the challenges of both developing
assessments for young learners and building validity arguments for test development and score
use.

2.3 Book Rating

A. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Book
In terms of cover, this book has an abstract cover that is a mixture of purple and pink.
Nice mix of colors so it catches the eye too. The division of the parts that make up the
subsections makes an ordered explanation. Another advantage is that in each subsection there
is the name of the author, notes, and references. It is also complemented by many previous
studies which further strengthen the content in the chapters. However, for the cover there is no
author's name, instead there are editors. So, for incomplete identity. We found only one
weakness.

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 B. Relationship Between Chapters
Each chapter has a relationship with one another. Section by section begins with the
introduction, discussion, closing, notes, and references. Each content is all related and does not
run away from the discussion of English proficiency assessment in young learners.

C. Book Content Update

The writers in each section on average use research and opinions from experts that have
been around for quite a long time, which is from 1900 to 2014 the highest. Thus, the reviewer
can say that this book has not updated the research and opinions laid out in the chapters.

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 CHAPTER III CLOSING
A. Conclusion
This book comprises three main sections. In the first section, the writer address four
major contextual and theoretical changes that seem to be influencing our general
conceptualizations of assessment for young learners: (a) changes in the target population, (b)
changes in the way young learners use language, (c) changes in how L2/FL development is
conceptualized (theory of second language acquisition/development), and, (d) changes in how
the purpose of assessment in educational settings is conceptualized. In the second section,
this book told the reader how these contextual and theoretical changes create new challenges
for developing and validating assessments for young learners, particularly standardized tests.
In the final section, the writer gives some suggestion about unresolved issues as future
directions for research.

The essence of the discussion of the book is about ELP (English Language
Proficiency) that have influenced the conceptualization construct and the design task types.
ELP assessments are an essential tool in helping to ensure that students are gaining the
English skills they need and given advantage of educational opportunities. This increased
language used have implications for students because new ELP standards are also organized
in a manner that emphasizes the integrated use of language skills (for example,
collaborative/interactive, interpretive/receptive, and productive), unlike earlier ELP standards
that are arranged following the traditional structure of four discrete language skills (for
example, listening, reading, speaking, and writing).

Many factors such as country/region, education policy, and the social-economic

status of the family may affect the way a child starts learning English. To develop reasonably
short TOEFL Primary tests that produce reliable scores and are useful for children globally.

To summarize, we have a variety of issues designing and evaluating assessments

since we are in the middle of major changes in theories of young learners' learning and
evaluation. Much more research is needed. Because an increasing number of young learners
are taking ELP standardized exams, and because the effects of test taking on their learning
and life can be important, the roles of test producers, researchers, teachers, and other relevant
parties are higher.

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 B. Suggestion
For explanations and passages, this book has been excellent. The explanations are also
easy to understand and complete with the author's name of each chapter, notes, and
references. However, it is also necessary to read other reference books, because this book
does not include the latest research and expert opinion. So, as a reviewer, this book is
recommended to be read because of its advantages in explaining the contents of the book.

REFERENCE

Norris, J. M., Purpura, J. E., Ross, S. J., Xi, X., Wolf, M. K., & Butler, Y. G. (2017). English
Language Proficiency Assessments for Young Learners. New York: Routledge.

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