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Abstract

The present studies examined the validity of a new foreign language attitude scale (FLAS). One study compared the validity coefficients of the FLAS with those of ability predictors. The FLAS was correlated .25 with college foreign language (FL) grades, while being essentially orthogonal to most ability predictors. High school GPA was correlated .50 with FL grades. The correlations of FL grades with the total scores and subtest scores on the Modern Language Aptitude Test ranged from .12 to .44. College Board Scholastic Aptitude Verbal and Mathematics sub-test scores were not significantly related to FL grades. Stepwise regression analyses indicated that the FLAS made a significant contribution to the prediction of FL grades. In a second study with a different sample of college students, correlations between the FLAS and standardized measures of FL reading and listening proficiency were in the middle .40s. Although further research is needed, the present findings suggest that the moderate relationship between the FLAS and FL proficiency may be used to augment the validity in the prediction of success in FL courses.

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References

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Development and Validation of a Foreign Language Attitude Scale

Abstract

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