LINGUIST List 26.138
Sat Jan 10 2015
FYI: TOEFL Young Students Small Research Grants 2015
Editor for this issue: Uliana Kazagasheva <ulianalinguistlist.org>
Date: 10-Jan-2015
From: Yeonsuk Cho <ycho
ets.org>
Subject: TOEFL Young Students Small Research Grants 2015
E-mail this message to a friend TOEFL® Young Students Research Program: Small Research Grants - 2015 Call for Proposals
ETS is pleased to announce the Small Research Grants under the TOEFL® Young Students Series.
Applications should be submitted via email to TOEFLYS
ets.org by March 13, 2015.
For further information, please visit
https://www.ets.org/toefl/grants/young_students_small_research_grants/ Purpose:
The Small Research Grants under the TOEFL® Young Students Series are intended to support research related to the TOEFL Young Students assessments (i.e., the TOEFL® Primary™ and TOEFL Junior® tests) as well as foundational research that promotes high-quality language assessment related to young language learners between ages 8 and 16.
This year, priority will be given to proposals that address the topics identified in the research agenda below. Particular preference will be given to validation research on the TOEFL Primary and TOEFL Junior tests.
Please note that, for the current grant period, ETS is able to provide researchers with a TOEFL Junior Standard test form and corresponding item-level data including demographic information about test takers. However, we are not yet able to provide similar test materials and data for the TOEFL Primary test. Nevertheless, ETS welcomes grant applications from researchers who plan to recruit participants and collect data locally in countries where TOEFL Primary is administered.
Eligibility:
Researchers around the world who hold a Ph.D. (or equivalent doctoral-level research degree), have expertise in English language learning and assessment, and who are affiliated with an academic institution or not-for-profit organization.
Amount of grant: up to US $50,000
Research Topics:
1. Construct/Content relevance
a. Relationship between TOEFL Junior or TOEFL Primary test scores and young language-learners' English communication skills outside of testing contexts
b. Effects of test takers' characteristics (e.g., age, cognitive capacity, affective factors) on TOEFL Junior or TOEFL Primary test scores
c. Relationship between young language-learners' strategies and TOEFL Junior or TOEFL Primary test scores
2. Test use and impact
a. Impact of the TOEFL Junior or TOEFL Primary tests on learning and teaching
b. Uses of TOEFL Junior or TOEFL Primary test scores (e.g., Can TOEFL Junior scores be used to measure progress in English language learning over time for program placement?)
c. User perceptions of the TOEFL Junior or TOEFL Primary tests
3. Foundational research topics
a. Theory of language development of young English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners
b. Domain analysis of communication skills of young EFL learners
c. English education and assessment policy for young EFL learners
d. Language development patterns of young EFL learners (including meta-analyses and studies that analyze longitudinal data)
e. Innovations in learning or assessment of young EFL learners
f. The types of assessment or other evidence teachers use to inform the teaching and learning of young EFL learners
g. Impact of large-scale standardized language assessments on young EFL learners, teachers, parents and society
h. Cognitive and affective factors that influence language development in young EFL learners
TOEFL Junior® Test Form and Dataset for Public Use:
A TOEFL Junior Standard test form and corresponding item-level data including demographic information about test takers (age, gender, native language, etc.) can be made available to grant recipients.
Important Dates:
March 13, 2015 - Proposals due
May 15, 2015 - Response to proposals; selected authors invited to revise and resubmit
July 10, 2015 - Revised proposals due
September 11, 2015 - Notifications sent to grant winners
January 1, 2016 - Work on funded research begins
Linguistic Field(s): Applied Linguistics
Subject Language(s):
English (eng)
Page Updated: 10-Jan-2015