Article appearing in Shiken 30.1 (May 2026) pp. 2-18;
Article Doi: https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.TEVAL30.1-1
By Natalie Correia1 and Todd Phillips2
1Hakodate La Salle Academy
2Asia University
Abstract
Before using a test to make inferences about the abilities of test takers, it needs to be determined whether the test is effective and useful for its intended interpretations. With the Jitsuyo Eigo Gino Kentei (“the EIKEN test”) being among the most popular English proficiency tests for Japanese learners, there is a surprising lack of external research supporting the validity of the test. This small-scale study investigated the validity of the second grade EIKEN speaking test through analysis of data from 10 learners using many-facet Rasch measurement analysis. The results showed that the standards of evaluation for the speaking test could reliably differentiate examinee ability and demonstrate consistent inter-rater reliability.
Keywords: Eiken Test, Rasch analysis, test evaluation, validity