Cognitive Assessment in Education in a Multicultural Society

Abstract

The question is raised whether instruments used for cognitive assessment in educational settings such as school achievement tests and intelligence tests are adequate for a multicultural society. Empirical studies often show that migrant pupils score consistently lower on these tests than native pupils. Various factors are discussed that can challenge the equivalence (and hence, the comparability) of the test scores obtained in these groups such as intergroup differences in verbal skills, in cultural values and norms, and in test-wiseness. Commonly applied remedies to enhance the suitability of cognitive tests are discussed: adaptation of existing tests, the use of different norms, statistical and linguistic procedures to correct for item bias, and the development of new tests. Conclusions and implications are discussed.