Tsang, Hoi Ka Carrie; (2013) Student motivation on a diagnostic and tracking English language test in Hong Kong. Doctoral thesis , Institute of Education, University of London.

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Abstract

Performance in an assessment is not the reflection of just one’s knowledge and skills;motivation also plays a part. When the stakes of the assessment are low, it is logical to assume that students will have lower motivation to perform well in it. The Diagnostic English Language Tracking Assessment (DELTA) diagnoses and tracks students’ English language progress during their years of study at three universities in Hong Kong. Although the DELTA is a low stakes assessment, students get a report with their DELTA measure and detailed feedback on their performance. This study provides insights into test motivation as well as how useful students find a diagnostic report is to their language learning by ways of questionnaire survey and group interview, so as to explore students’ perceptions of test stakes and test value. The survey includes the Student Opinion Scale by Sundre and Moore (2002),which measures students’ motivation during the test; and a feedback usefulness scale specifically designed for this study to measure students’ perceptions of the usefulness of the diagnostic report. The results show that both scales are valid instruments to be used in this context and students are not motivated whilst sitting the test although they find the DELTA report quite useful. Data from the students’ interviews provide further information as to students’ motivation before and after the DELTA. In general they are not motivated before the test and their motivation to work on their English after the test largely depends on their perceived usefulness of the DELTA report. Lastly, as L2 motivation is a dynamic entity which will not remain constant over time, the study also demonstrates how Dörnyei and Ottó’s (1998) process model of L2 motivation can be adapted in explaining students’ test preparation and test taking process in low stakes diagnostic tests.

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