While test interpretation could be complicated, when it comes to multicultural issues within test interpretation we face many problems. Initially the availability of a reliable or adequate test for the bilingual population is rarely possible, and there will probably never be a perfect test to assess this population. There are many tests available in Spanish but due to the wide variation of the language from person to person, many challenges arise. For those people who speak other languages than Spanish, the amount of tests available to their population is very low or even nonexistent. Some tests are only available in English, an example is the California English Language Development Test (CELDT). This test assesses the English listening, speaking,
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It is important to consider the language of the test being given, the persons experience in each language and determine if that background and case history relate to the normative sample of the test. It is said that it is sometimes a routine to assess ELL people only in English although this is not accurate and has been debated for about 30 years, many agree that people should be assessed in each language when possible. This relates to the fact that it is important to assess a persons’ language in their primary language to determine their overall language skills. It makes interpretation even more challenging because few individuals possess equal language skills in each language within the same contexts, some contexts are easier for them to talk about in a certain language. As well in English, a low vocabulary could be in relation to the context, it may not be related to language knowledge. Another prime factor to consider is that a person’s primary language could decline over time, due to the lack of practice or exposure, this should always be considered if there is a lower proficiency in one language. An assessor needs to be aware of the difference between dominance and proficiency within a language. Someone can be dominant in a language but that does not mean they are proficient within that
It is important to consider the language of the test being given, the persons experience in each language and determine if that background and case history relate to the normative sample of the test. It is said that it is sometimes a routine to assess ELL people only in English although this is not accurate and has been debated for about 30 years, many agree that people should be assessed in each language when possible. This relates to the fact that it is important to assess a persons’ language in their primary language to determine their overall language skills. It makes interpretation even more challenging because few individuals possess equal language skills in each language within the same contexts, some contexts are easier for them to talk about in a certain language. As well in English, a low vocabulary could be in relation to the context, it may not be related to language knowledge. Another prime factor to consider is that a person’s primary language could decline over time, due to the lack of practice or exposure, this should always be considered if there is a lower proficiency in one language. An assessor needs to be aware of the difference between dominance and proficiency within a language. Someone can be dominant in a language but that does not mean they are proficient within that