Developing a Standardized English Proficiency Test Based on the CEFR and Language Test Development Manual

(in progress)

Authors

  • Jhonel Balleras Christian University of Thailand
  • Chakrit Yippikun 2Thaksin University, Thailand
  • Ruth Castro 4Christian University of Thailand
  • Anuthida Prasertsak Christian University of Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62819/jel.2025.1007

Keywords:

Standardized English Proficiency Test, Language test development manual, CEFR

Abstract

This study was conducted to construct a Council of Europe Common European Framework of Reference-aligned Standardized English Proficiency Test which is reliable and valid. It utilized the instrument development research design participated by 217 students at Christian University of Thailand during the second semester of Academic Year 2024. The actual test material was made based on the Council of Europe’s (2011) Manual for Language Test Development and Examining with its four major stages: planning, designing, try-out, and informing stakeholders. Items of Listening and Reading test were adopted from the existing references and examination utilized by the university. The findings revealed that the English Proficiency Test was valid with ds=0.35 – Listening Test, and ds=0.35 – Reading Test both in moderate level. The test reliability result was r=1.35>0.05. Therefore, the test can be considered good and valid since the committee carefully designed and considered the processes of development aligned Council of Europe’s (2011) Manual for Language Test Development and Examining.

Author Biography

Chakrit Yippikun, 2Thaksin University, Thailand

English Language Lecturer

Faculty of Multidisciplinary Sciences and Entrepreneurship

References

Abd Gani, N. I., Rathakrishnan, M., & Krishnasamy, H. N. (2020). A pilot

test for establishing validity and reliability of qualitative interview in

the blended learning English proficiency course. J Crit Rev, 7(5), 140 143.

http://dx.doi.org/10.31838/jcr.07.05.23

Cheewasukthaworn, K. (2020). Developing a Standardized English

Proficiency Test in Alignment with the CEFR. Journal of Language

Teaching and Learning in Thailand, 63, 66-92. ISSN-0125-2488.

EISSN-2287-0024. Retrieved from:

https://doi.org/10.58837/CHULA.PASAA.63.1.3

Council of Europe. (2001). Common European Framework of Reference

for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment – Structured

overview of all CEFR scales. https://rm.coe.int/168045b15e

EF Education First. (2022). EF English Proficiency Index 2022: A ranking

of 111 countries and region by English Skills.

https://www.ef.com/assetscdn/WIBIwq6RdJvcD9bc8RMd/cefcom-epi-site/reports/2022/ef-epi-2022-english.pdf

Elleman, A. M., & Oslund, E. L. (2019). Reading comprehension research:

Implications for practice and policy. Policy Insights from the Behavioral

and Brain Sciences, 6(1), 3-11.

https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732218816339

Irwing, P., & Hughes, D. J. (2018). Test development. The Wiley handbook of

psychometric testing: A multidisciplinary reference on survey, scale and test

development, 1-47.

https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118489772.ch1

Jayanti, D., Husna, N., & Hidayat, D. N. (2019). The validity and reliability

analysis of English National Final Examination for junior high school. Voices of English Language Education Society, 3(2), 127-135.

http://dx.doi.org/10.29408/veles.v3i2.1551.g929

Jing, X. (2019). The reliability and validity of language proficiency

assessments for English language learners. Frontier of Higher

Education, 1(1), 36-42.

https://doi.org/10.36012/fhe.v1i1.893

Khanal, P. (2020). Key considerations in test construction, scoring and

analysis: A guide to pre-service and in-service teachers. International

Journal of Research Studies in Education, 9(5), 15-24.

https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2020.5027

Orozco, R. A. Z., & Shin, S. Y. (2019). Developing and Validating an

English Proficiency Test. MEXTESOL Journal, 43(3), n3.

Oxford, Preparation Course for the TOEIC Test, New Edition, 2006,

Oxford University Press India, ISBN: 10-0194454355, ISBN: 13-978-0194454355

Purnawan, A., Nurharjanto, A. A., & Ilmi, A. N. (2023). Problems Faced by

English Teacher Candidates in Developing Test Kits for Assessing

Students’ Learning. Script Journal: Journal of Linguistics and English

Teaching, 8(2), 215-225. https://doi.org/10.24903/sj.v8i2.1441

Rosaroso, R. C. (2015). Using reliability measures in test validation. European

Scientific Journal, 11(18).

Setiabudi, A., Mulyadi, M., & Puspita, H. (2019). An Analysis of Validity and

Reliability of a Teacher-Made Test. Journal of English Education and

Teaching, 3(4), 522–532.

https://doi.org/10.33369/jeet.3.4.522-532

Sims, J. M. (2015). A valid and reliable English proficiency exam: A model

from a university language program in Taiwan. English as a Global

Language Education (EaGLE) Journal, 2(1), 91-93.

https://doi.org/10.6294/EaGLE.2015.0102.04.

Sridhanyarat, K., Pathong, S., Suranakkharin, T., & Ammaralikit, A. (2021).

The Development of STEP, the CEFR-Based English Proficiency

Test. English Language Teaching, 14(7), 95-106.

https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v14n7p95

Sugianto, A. (2017). Validity and reliability of English summative test for

senior high school. Indonesian EFL Journal: Journal of ELT, Linguistics,

and Literature, 3(2), 22-38. Retrieved from https://ejournal.kopertais4.or.id/mataraman/index.php/efi/article/view/3191

Tannenbaum, R. J., & Wylie, E. C. (2008). Linking English‐language test

scores onto the common European framework of reference: An

application of standard‐setting methodology. ETS

Research Report Series, 2008(1), i-75.

https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2333-8504.2008.tb02120.x

TOEIC Practice Exams, 4th Edition, Lin Lougheed, Ed. D., Teachers College

Columbia University, Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. Library of Congress Control Number: 2018950640, ISBN: 978-1-4380-1182-0

van Splunder, F., Verguts, C., De Moor, T., & De Paepe, S. (2022). The

Interuniversity Test of Academic English (ITACE) Assessing

lecturers’ English proficiency in Flanders. Journal of English-Medium Instruction, 1(2), 255-274.

https://doi.org/10.1075/jemi.21007.van

Wudthayagorn, J. (2022). An Exploration of the English Exit Examination

Policy in Thai Public Universities, Language Assessment Quarterly, 19:2,

-123,

https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2021.1937174

Yu, L. T., Chen, M. C., Chiu, C. W., Hsu, C. C., & Yuan, Y. P. (2022).

Examining English ability-grouping practices by aligning CEFR

levels with university-level General English courses in

Taiwan. Sustainability, 14(8), 4629. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084629

Yu, M. H., Reynolds, B. L., & Ding, C. (2021). Listening and speaking for

real-world communication: what teachers do and what students

learn from classroom assessments. SAGE Open, 11(2),

https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211009163

Downloads

Published

2025-08-16

How to Cite

Balleras, J., Yippikun, C. ., Castro, R., & Prasertsak, A. . (2025). Developing a Standardized English Proficiency Test Based on the CEFR and Language Test Development Manual : (in progress). Journal of English Language and Linguistics, 6(2), 169–189. https://doi.org/10.62819/jel.2025.1007