Investigating potential bias in testing migrants’ language proficiency in Switzerland

Author(s) : Hrisztalina Hrisztova-Gotthardt, Gábor Szabó

Source : https://www.alte.org/resources/Documents/8th%20ALTE%20Conference%20Proceedings.pdf#page=94

Abstract:

“The fide test is aimed to assess the ability of migrants to master everyday communication in Switzerland. The communicative tasks, which candidates must accomplish during the test, reflect common real-life situations in which migrants and Swiss residents interact. Since most migrants living in Switzerland are, most probably, familiar with these communicative situations, it is assumed that the test reflects the same construct for all test-takers and does not advantage or disadvantage any individuals or test-taker groups. To check this hypothesis, the results of the French and German fide tests completed between March and July 2022 are statistically analysed and checked for potential systematic differences across candidate groups. The analysis is performed with the goal of
examining whether – with regard to the overall test results – there is any difference (i) between male and female test-takers and (ii) across test-taker groups with different first languages.”