Cognitive processes and strategies of bilingual students when attempting assessments in an L2

In bilingual education programs, students learn content knowledge through an additional language (L2). Their content knowledge is also assessed through their L2, which raises concerns about underestimating their actual learning. This study addresses such concerns by investigating the cognitive processes and strategies of bilingual learners when being assessed in their L2. 49 university students, divided into more proficient and less proficient L2 learners, participated in an eye-tracking experiment which captured their eye movements when attempting a biology assessment. They then reported their thinking processes and strategies during the assessment process in a stimulated recall. In general, the participants engaged in more cognitive processes when attempting questions that were more cognitively demanding and required productive language skills. The less proficient group had more and longer fixations and regressions than their more proficient counterparts, but the two groups reported similar strategies. These findings have implications for assessment design in bilingual education programs.

在雙語教育中，學生透過附加語言（L2）學習學科知識，並以此L2參與學科的評估。這評估方式很可能低估了學生的實際學習進度，因而未必準確。 本研究調查雙語學生以L2進行評估時的思考過程和策略，以加深對雙語教育評估潛在問題的了解。 49 名大學生參加了一項眼球追蹤實驗，他們被分為英語程度較高和較低兩組。該實驗紀錄了他們在作答生物科評估問題時的眼球移動。 然後，他們在刺激回憶訪談中報告了在評估過程中的思考過程和策略。 研究結果顯示，參加者在作答認知要求和語文能力要求較高的問題時，會經歷較深入的思考過程。 英語程度較低的參加者比英語程度較高者有更多、更長的注視和回望，但兩組報告了相似的策略。 這些研究結果對雙語教育的評估設計有啟示作用。