Examining the criterion validity of curriculum-based measurement of writing (CBM-W) with young EFL learners

This study examines the criterion validity of curriculum-based measurement of writing (CBM-W) for assessing the writing of young language learners in an EFL context. CBM-W has been found to have criterion validity with a variety of tests and student populations, including learners in ESL settings taking standardized tests. However, evidence of CBM-W's validity for use with young learners in EFL settings is limited. This study seeks to address this gap by investigating the criterion validity argument for the following CBM-W scoring procedures: words written (WW), words spelled correctly (WSC), correct word sequences (CWS), and correct minus incorrect word sequences (CIWS). The data set included classroom-administered narrative prompt writing samples and official test scores from the Cambridge Assessment English Young Learners exam reading and writing test collected from 51 Taiwanese English learners aged seven to eight. A Bayesian correlation data analysis found a greater probability favoring the criterion validity argument for CWS and WSC, with strong evidence for CWS and moderate evidence for WSC. This study sets the foundation for future research examining the validity argument of CBM-W for evaluating young EFL learners’ writing in research and classroom settings.