The presented study deals with test-taking strategies used in high-stakes English  proficiency exams used by NATO military. Although language testing is standardized im NATO by STANAG 6001 (an international agreement), individual countries are responsible for testing their personnel. Test writers from NATO member states can benefit from research conducted into language assessment according to STANAG 6001.

When taking language tests, students employ not only their knowledge and language learner strategies, but also test-taking strategies (TTSs), i.e. test-management strategies (TMSs) and test-wiseness strategies (TWSs) (Cohen 2011, 306). The existing research conducted into TTSs and their impact on receptive skills test performance seems to be inconclusive – Wu, Chen, and Stone (2018) found lower-profiiciency test-takers needed to employ more strategies to arrive at an answer.  Another author (Ghafournia, 2013) discovered the group with the highest proficiency achieved in an English reading test used the highest number of strategies, on the other hand, the group with the lowest number of strategies used was the intermediate group.

The study focuses on TTSs which STANAG 6001 English proficiency exam test-takers use in multiple-choice listening tests, their impact on the final results, and the possible differences in strategy use by different groups of test-takers. The study makes use of an exploratory mixed-methods research design – semi-structured interviews were conducted to arrive at an array of strategies, the use of which by test takers was then explored by means of a questionnaire.  Preliminary results show four types of strategies were used – language learner strategies, TTSs, TWSs, and affective strategies. The differences in strategy use among learners of different levels of proficiency in English seem insignificant so far. Strategy use will subsequently be analyzed using multiple regression to ascertain its possible impact on test results.

The reseach is an exploratory mixed-methods research in design. Semi-structured interviews were used, interviewing test-takers immediately after they have taken the exam, to arrive at a comprehensive list of strategies. 39 strategies used in listening tests were identified. A questionnaire concerning the use of the strategies (using a five-point Likert scale) was subsequently distributed to test-takers. Random sampling was used, all respondents were over 18 years of age. Exploratory factor analyis was conducted, detecting four factors (language learner strategies, test-management strategies, test-wiseness strategies, and affective strategies). The questionnaire also contained items aiming to find out the test-takers exam level, gender, whether they have taken the exam for the first time or repeatedly, whether they have taken part in an exam preparatory course, etc. So far only basic statistical analysis has been conducted. Multiple regression analysis is going to be used as well.

Preliminary results show four types of strategies were used – language learner strategies, TTSs, TWSs, and affective strategies. Test-management strategies were the most widely employed; affective strategies were used the least. The reported usage of test-wiseness strategies was significantly lower then the employment of test-management strategies. We might speculate this is due to the high quality of test items, as test-writers strive to limit the use of this type of strategies - further interviews with test-takers might shed light on why test-wiseness strategies use was limited.The differences in strategy use among learners of different levels of proficiency in English, and between men and women seem insignificant so far. Subsequent multiple regression analysis should uncover the impact of TTSs use on exam resuls and whether the impact differs acording to the level of the exam taken, or other variables.

Cohen, A. (2011). Strategies in Learning and Using a Second Language. London: Taylor & Francis. Ghafournia, N. (2013). The relationship between using multiple-choice test-taking strategies and general language proficiency levels. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Science, 70, 90-94. STANAG 6001 Ed. 5. Retrieved from https://www.natobilc.org/files/ATrainP-5%20EDA%20V2%20E.pdf Wu, A.D., Chen, M.Y., Stone, J.E. (2018). Investigating how test-takers change their strategies to handle difficulty in taking a reading comprehension test: implications for score validation. International Journal of Testing, 18(3), 253-275.