INVESTIGATING THE VALIDITY OF THE ADVANCED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ENGLISH TEST AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN VIETNAM

Abstract

Testing and assessment plays an integral role in teaching and learning. In language teaching, despite their ready availability, many Commercial English proficiency tests seem rather costly and not appropriate for specific needs. Thus, many universities have designed their own English proficiency tests. This study evaluated three types of validity of the Advanced Educational Program English Test (AEPET) at a public university in Vietnam: concurrent, predictive and content validity. The results revealed that AEPET scores significantly correlate with IELTS scores and CGPA; whereas, the content validity and preparation for the test remain moderate. The paper will discuss the steps to further improve AEPET’s validity. It is hoped that this research will serve as a model for the evaluation of in-house language tests.