Development and evaluation of the adaptive tests for language abilities (ATLAN)

The present research used item response theory to develop the Adaptive Tests for Language Abilities (ATLAN) for elementary school children. These tests, which are available on-line and also for stand-alone computers, are comprised of 2 subtests: vocabulary and kanji reading, both of which are componential language skills needed for Japanese reading comprehension. Children from preschool to junior high school (N =3,067) participated in determining the parameters of each item in the vocabulary subtest, whereas 4,463 children from elementary to junior high school participated in the development of the kanji reading subtest. Because the results of a simulation using the Adaptive Tests for Language Abilities adequately replicated the original data, the parameter estimation was judged to be reliable. The tests also have validity, because the results from each subtest moderately correlated with existing vocabulary and kanji tests. Advantages of the Adaptive Tests for Language Abilities are that they need fewer items than existing tests for measuring these abilities, and that different patterns of items are shown for different children.