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Testing Aptitude for Second Language Learning

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Language Testing and Assessment

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Language and Education ((ELE))

Abstract

The construct of aptitude for language learning began with the work of John Carroll, who conceived of aptitude as a relatively fixed set of attributes that made some people better able to learn a second language than others. Carroll’s work culminated in the Modern Language Aptitude Test, and Carroll’s work on aptitude in general and on the MLAT in particular continues to provide the foundation for the development of new aptitude tests and for research and theory related to the role of aptitude in second language acquisition (SLA) research. Since the development of the MLAT, several other aptitude tests have been developed. The US Department of Defense has played a particularly large role in developing aptitude tests, including the Defense Language Aptitude Battery and the High-level Language Aptitude Battery (Hi-LAB). Within SLA research, researchers have refined aptitude as a construct and investigated whether aptitude plays a role in various aspects of second language (L2) learning. One of the ways aptitude has been investigated in SLA research is as an individual factor that might predict ultimate attainment. Some studies find a significant role for aptitude in predicting ultimate attainment – aptitude scores correlate in these studies with end-state L2 knowledge and performance. The present chapter discusses the construct of aptitude, how aptitude is measured, and how it has been used in SLA research.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of English, Mississippi State University, Wells Hall, B331, 619 Red Cedar Road, East Lansing, MS, 39762, USA

    Megan Smith

  2. Language Learning and Testing Foundation, 10713 Mist Haven Terrace, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA

    Charles W. Stansfield

Authors
  1. Megan Smith
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  2. Charles W. Stansfield
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Correspondence to Megan Smith .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Elana Shohamy

  2. School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Iair G. Or

  3. Faculty of Education and Social Work, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Stephen May

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© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

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Smith, M., Stansfield, C.W. (2017). Testing Aptitude for Second Language Learning. In: Shohamy, E., Or, I., May, S. (eds) Language Testing and Assessment. Encyclopedia of Language and Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02261-1_5

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