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Developing a valid and reliable elicited imitation task EIT to measure second language proficiency in isiXhosa
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2024
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| _version_ | 1867614047755567104 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Ngumbela, Unathi |
| author2 | Berghoff, Robyn |
| author_browse | Berghoff, Robyn Ngumbela, Unathi |
| author_facet | Berghoff, Robyn Ngumbela, Unathi |
| author_sort | Ngumbela, Unathi |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/130366 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:50.231Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publishDateRange | 2024 |
| publishDateSort | 2024 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/130366 Developing a valid and reliable elicited imitation task EIT to measure second language proficiency in isiXhosa Ngumbela, Unathi Berghoff, Robyn Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics. Xhosa language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers Second language acquisition Xhosa language -- Ability testing Language acquisition -- Research African languages -- Study and teaching UCTD Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: L2 proficiency assessment tools for Bantu languages are non-existent, as the majority of research on L2 proficiency measuring in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) is centred on European languages. For this study, an elicited imitation task (EIT) is developed in isiXhosa to measure second language (L2) proficiency. An EIT is an L2 proficiency measurement tool in which the participant hears several sentences which they have to repeat as accurately as possible and is a non-resource-intensive method that is widely used for L2 proficiency assessment. The isiXhosa EIT was based on that developed by Ortega et al. (2002) for English. The isiXhosa EIT developed in this study to measure L2 proficiency has been adjusted to accommodate the structural characteristics of isiXhosa. It consists of 30 sentences that vary in syntactic complexity and range in length from 10 to 26 syllables. This study analyses the validity and reliability of the isiXhosa EIT developed in this study to measure proficiency. The EIT was tested amongst 153 participants (N = 52 L1 and 101 L2). Language background data was collected from participants using the Language History Questionnaire LHQ 3.0 (Li et al, 2006).A significantly high Cronbach’s Alpha value of .972 was determined for the isiXhosa EIT which is comparable to that of Ortega et al.’s (2002) four parallel versions which ranged between .92-.95, suggesting that the isiXhosa EIT is valid. The Item Response Theory Rasch model was used to determine the discriminatory power and difficulty of the isiXhosa EIT items and suggested a high discriminatory power. A linear regression model showed a non-significant relationship between L2 participants’ overall EIT scores and their years of use of isiXhosa reported on the LHQ 3.0. A further linear regression model was conducted to determine whether a relationship exists between L1 and L2 participants’ overall EIT scores, where findings showed a significant difference between the two groups’ scores (p < .005), which further bolsters the discriminatory power of the isiXhosa EIT. These findings suggest that the isiXhosa EIT developed in this study is a reliable and valid measure of L2 proficiency in isiXhosa. This study’s contribution is that of a standardised proficiency measure for L2 proficiency in isiXhosa that has the potential to be replicated in other African languages. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Masters 2024-03-02T20:49:20Z 2024-04-26T14:59:40Z 2024-03-02T20:49:20Z 2024-04-26T14:59:40Z 2024-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/130366 en_ZA Stellenbosch University iv, 113 pages : illustrations, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Xhosa language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers Second language acquisition Xhosa language -- Ability testing Language acquisition -- Research African languages -- Study and teaching UCTD Ngumbela, Unathi Developing a valid and reliable elicited imitation task EIT to measure second language proficiency in isiXhosa |
| title | Developing a valid and reliable elicited imitation task EIT to measure second language proficiency in isiXhosa |
| title_full | Developing a valid and reliable elicited imitation task EIT to measure second language proficiency in isiXhosa |
| title_fullStr | Developing a valid and reliable elicited imitation task EIT to measure second language proficiency in isiXhosa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Developing a valid and reliable elicited imitation task EIT to measure second language proficiency in isiXhosa |
| title_short | Developing a valid and reliable elicited imitation task EIT to measure second language proficiency in isiXhosa |
| title_sort | developing a valid and reliable elicited imitation task eit to measure second language proficiency in isixhosa |
| topic | Xhosa language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers Second language acquisition Xhosa language -- Ability testing Language acquisition -- Research African languages -- Study and teaching UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/130366 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ngumbelaunathi developingavalidandreliableelicitedimitationtaskeittomeasuresecondlanguageproficiencyinisixhosa |