Department of World Languages & Cultures

Cristina Pardo Ballester, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Program/s

Spanish

Interests

My primary areas of research are second language acquisition (SLA) and Language Assessment. My current research entails the design and development of a placement listening exam and investigates validity issues using Bachman’s (2005) framework of an "assessment use argument." The purpose of this exam is to assess the listening proficiency of second language learners of Spanish. This exam was built to be used in a Spanish program in which students need to be grouped according to their levels of language ability before proceeding with their instruction. I investigated the applicability of a validation argument to an assessment that is based on language use tasks in the domain of a language class. This study also shows how the performance standards are associated with exam cut scores. Performance standards were described in two different ways: First, proficiency level descriptions were used only to remind judges of what students should be able to know at each specific level. Second, the placement standards of the Spanish Listening Exam were also defined based on what students were able to do in the exam. The performance standards were based on what students at each level should know and be able to do in listening. This research aims to improve the accuracy of student placement within a language program. Secondly the results of students on the exam are a reflection of the instruction methodology used in class. This research is important, because accurate student placement in the appropriate instruction level presents a tremendous challenge faced by many institutions.

Professional Activity

• The acquisition of listening in Spanish using real-life input

• Teaching listening with real-life input to intermediate learning of Spanish