On the construct and perceptual validity measures of L1-based vs. L2-based elicitation as a measure of L2 classroom performance assessment

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ perceptions of L1-based and L2-based elicitations in the English classroom employing an explanatory sequential mixed-method design. Ninety-seven Iranian intermediate EFL learners of English have been selected from Islamic Azad University (Science and Research Branch) in Tehran Province using a convenient sampling method. Of these, in the qualitative phase, 15 individuals were selected through a convenience sampling method as the focus group (N = 15; n = 8 for the L1 group and n = 7 for the L2 group). In the quantitative phase, 90 intermediate EFL learners were selected. The selected participants’ L2 performances were assessed through L1-based and L2-based elicitation techniques. They completed two validated researcher-made questionnaires to capture their perceptions of the elicitation techniques. Accordingly, five separate exploratory factor analyses were run to investigate the underlying constructs of the five components of the L1-based and L2-based perception questionnaires, the results of which showed that the correlation matrices were not singular and there were perfect correlations among all variables of L1-based and L2-based perception questionnaires. The findings show that the majority of respondents prefer to use their L2 in speaking classes and believe that L2 should be the prior language in general speaking classes. More than two-thirds of the respondents prefer to use L2 when they want to communicate with each other inside and outside of the classroom and prefer to use L2 in doing their assignments or performing orally in class. More than half of the respondents prefer to use L2 in assessment sessions.