Modifying gap placement, topic, and evaluation method: the impact of modified C-Tests and gender on test performance and the relationship between modified C-Tests and mathematical performance
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
Standard
In: Frontiers in Education, Vol. 2025, No. 10, 09.12.2025.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
Harvard
APA
Vancouver
Bibtex
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
T1 - Modifying gap placement, topic, and evaluation method: the impact of modified C-Tests and gender on test performance and the relationship between modified C-Tests and mathematical performance
AU - Klotz, Eileen
AU - Ehmke, Timo
AU - Leiss, Dominik
PY - 2025/12/9
Y1 - 2025/12/9
N2 - Introduction: C-Tests are employed globally to evaluate general language proficiency, and modifications of the typical C-Test have been proposed. Given the strong connection between language and mathematics, this study, besides investigating the difficulty of C-Test modifications and the impact of the test-taker’s gender, examines the relationship between modified C-Tests and mathematical performance across different content areas.Methods: 190 seventh-graders were surveyed on their mathematical skills and given C-Tests with variations in gap placement (beginning vs. end) and topic (mathematical vs. general). Two evaluation methods were examined (correct/incorrect vs. word-recognition).Results: GLMM analyses show that (a) the initial gap is the key factor contributing to test difficulty, (b) girls outperform boys, (c) boys benefit more from mathematical text topics, girls from gaps at the end of words, (d) arithmetic shows the strongest, geometry the weakest relationship to C-Test performance, (e) students with higher mathematical skills benefit significantly from mathematical text topics, and (f) students with lower mathematical skills benefit significantly from gaps at the end of words.Discussion: Findings show that formal characteristics and gender impact C-Test performance and must be kept in mind when determining language proficiency through it. Furthermore, this study extends current research by demonstrating how specific language skills measured through modified C-Tests relate to different mathematical skills and therefore once more advocates the integration of language in mathematics education by presenting the C-Test as a possibility for this.
AB - Introduction: C-Tests are employed globally to evaluate general language proficiency, and modifications of the typical C-Test have been proposed. Given the strong connection between language and mathematics, this study, besides investigating the difficulty of C-Test modifications and the impact of the test-taker’s gender, examines the relationship between modified C-Tests and mathematical performance across different content areas.Methods: 190 seventh-graders were surveyed on their mathematical skills and given C-Tests with variations in gap placement (beginning vs. end) and topic (mathematical vs. general). Two evaluation methods were examined (correct/incorrect vs. word-recognition).Results: GLMM analyses show that (a) the initial gap is the key factor contributing to test difficulty, (b) girls outperform boys, (c) boys benefit more from mathematical text topics, girls from gaps at the end of words, (d) arithmetic shows the strongest, geometry the weakest relationship to C-Test performance, (e) students with higher mathematical skills benefit significantly from mathematical text topics, and (f) students with lower mathematical skills benefit significantly from gaps at the end of words.Discussion: Findings show that formal characteristics and gender impact C-Test performance and must be kept in mind when determining language proficiency through it. Furthermore, this study extends current research by demonstrating how specific language skills measured through modified C-Tests relate to different mathematical skills and therefore once more advocates the integration of language in mathematics education by presenting the C-Test as a possibility for this.
KW - Didactics of Mathematics
KW - C-Test
KW - gender differences
KW - language and mathematics
KW - language proficiency
KW - language testing
KW - mathematics education
KW - Empirical education research
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1699117/full
M3 - Journal articles
VL - 2025
JO - Frontiers in Education
JF - Frontiers in Education
SN - 2504-284X
IS - 10
ER -