Variation of Scores in Language Achievement Tests according to Gender, Item

Significance of the Study

Language tests are increasingly understood in terms of their political functions and social consequences (Brown & McNamara, 1998; Shohamy, 2001). Hence, inferences made about individuals based on language tests should be free of

bias and error. Good language testing should care for the rights and interests of particular social groups who may be at risk from biased language assessments (Davies, 1997). Any potential differential and unequal treatment of candidates in language tests based on gender is thus an ethical issue. To avoid such problems, a further insight into specific variables that might affect the achievement of learners and understanding the reasons causing variation of scores is crucial. This study may contribute to the existing literature by providing answers regarding how achievement scores vary according to gender, item format and skill areas, and whether gender has an effect on the students’ scores received from different item formats and skill areas. Thus, the findings of this study might help resolve the inconclusiveness in the literature by either strengthening the idea of female dominance in language learning and contributing to growing concern over educational performance of boys (Tyre, 2005; Van Houtte, 2004) or by confirming the literature that emphasizes the variation resulting from individual differences other than gender (Ehrman & Oxford, 1995; Nyikos, 2008).
At the local level, by revealing the variation of scores in language achievement tests according to gender, item format and skill areas, it is expected that the results of the study may help test writers develop tests free of gender bias and predict potential challenges that may be encountered by either group; females or males. The interaction effect of these variables on language achievement scores, if any, will also reveal whether there are any curriculum materials or instructional practices that somehow favor or help either group to develop some skill areas more than the others or to succeed more in a particular question format. Hence, the results
will help unravel any dynamics resulting in differential opportunities for either gender. Sensitivity to the learning preferences or weaknesses of either gender will create a more supportive learning environment for all language learners and help teachers meet learners’ needs more fairly.