Affiliation:
1. The University of Hong Kong
Abstract
Abstract
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.
Publisher
John Benjamins Publishing Company
Subject
Linguistics and Language,Language and Linguistics,Education