Transcript What can you use DMDX for? - Department of Linguistics and

Type of Work: Language Materials Development
Duration: 06-Jul-2015 to 14-Aug-2015
Compensation: Paid Attractive compensation
Internship Location: Princeton, New Jersey, USA
Minimum Education Level: No Minimum
ELL summer interns will produce materials for use on large-scale, high-stakes standardized tests of English language proficiency. Each intern will
work on
one of the following: - TOEFL iBT® Test: The TOEFL iBT test is taken by nonnative speakers of English who are planning to apply to a college or
university in an English-speaking country. - TOEIC® Tests: The TOEIC tests are taken principally by people who need to communicate with
both native and nonnative speakers of English in the context of the global workplace.
- TOEFL® Primary™ Tests: The TOEFL Primary tests are taken by nonnative English language learners ages 8+ who are studying English as part of
their
school curriculum. They measure the English communication skills that provide a foundation for students’ future success.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The test development work is intellectually challenging and rewarding. The work may include:
- writing items that test knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension;
- creating conversations and talks that test listening comprehension;
- developing scenarios and prompts that allow candidates to demonstrate their writing, speaking or teaching skills;
- analyzing curriculum and matching the curriculum with prescribed test specifications.
Requirements:
Interns must have a very high degree of fluency in English but do not need to be native speakers, nor do they need to be U.S. citizens. Non-U.S.
citizens
must have appropriate work visas. All interns must have excellent writing skills. The work requires verbal precision and sensitivity to nuance, analytic
skill, attention to detail, and receptiveness to instruction. Interns must be able to work well individually and collaboratively, carefully consider
constructive feedback, and manage their time effectively to meet targets.
How to Apply:
Each of the test sections hiring for the summer is associated with a specific work sample. You will need to complete and submit a separate work
sample for
each test section for which you would like to be considered. Directions for completing and submitting your work sample(s), along with a cover letter
and
résumé, are available on the ELL Summer Institute Web site at: http://www.ets.org/ell/internship.
Applications are due Sunday, March 29, 2015. Applicants are selected mainly on the basis of their performance on the work samples. Work samples
will be
evaluated in April, and you will be notified of your status by April 29.
Application Deadline: 29-Mar-2015
What is DMDX good for?
Lexical Decision Task

One way of seeing how words are stored or related
is to measure how long it takes to recognize them.
–
Task: press yes if the word you see (or hear) is a
word and no if it isn't.
Lexical Decision Task

One way of seeing how words are stored or related
is to measure how long it takes to recognize them.
–
Task: press yes if the word you see (or hear) is a
word and no if it isn't.
–
Reaction time measured
Lexical Decision Task

Some findings:
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longer words take longer to recognize
–
less frequent words take longer to recognize
Lexical Decision Task

Priming: seeing (or hearing) a word activates words
that are connected to it
Lexical Decision Task


Priming: seeing (or hearing) a word activates words
that are connected to it
So RT to a related word will be affected
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If RT speeds up there is facilitatory priming
–
If RT slows down there is inhibitory priming
Lexical Decision Task


Word thought to affect other word, and which is
seen first is the PRIME
Word thought to be affected by prime is the Target
Lexical Decision Task


Word thought to affect other word, and which is
seen first is the PRIME
Word thought to be affected by prime is the Target
–
Prime: tree
–
Target: leaf
Lexical Decision Task

Things you can test with a LDT using DMDX
–
When a word is accessed, are similar sounding
words also accessed?
•
–
Are semantically similar words activated?
•
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will tree prime leave as well as leaf?
will plate prime fork?
Are words with same morpheme activated?
•
will sang prime singer?
Lexical Decision Task

Are syllables real?
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Task: Name the color a particular letter is in
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colors go along with syllables
–
•
colors don't go along with syllables
–
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What color is G?
» magnet
What color is G?
» magnet
If there are more mismatched when colors don't
follow syllables that is evidence that people use
syllables.
Lexical Decision Task

Are the two languages in bilinguals processed
separately or together?
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Will a word in one language prime the cognate in
the other?
•
•
matin > morning
tree > arbol
Stroop Effect

You can't help but understand language

Name the color of the word, not the word
BOAT
TREE
BLUE
Phoneme Restoration
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How much of understanding is in the context
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Words presented with a noise masking one phone
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People had hard time guessing meaning of word
Phoneme Restoration

How much of understanding is in the context
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Words presented with a noise masking one phone
–
People had hard time guessing meaning of word
–
When same words presented in sentences there was
not problem guessing meaning
Phoneme Restoration
It was found that the *eel was on the axle. (wheel)
It was found that the *eel was on the shoe. (heel)
It was found that the *eel was on the orange. (peel)
It was found that the *eel was on the table. (meal)
Dichotic Listening

Is language processed by one side of the brain?
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present different words to each ear at same time