Detection of DIF items in Japanese Can-do-statements

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to conduct DIF analysis of Japanese Can-do-statements, focusing on the learner's mother tongue, either Chinese or Korean, and investigate (1) concrete verbal behavioral situations that cause DIF and (2) the extent to which differences in methods for detecting DIF affects the results. Results indicated that (1) DIF was advantageous to a speaker whose mother tongue was Chinese, in the direction of 'Can-do' for 5 question items on reading and writing skills. On the other hand, DIF was advantageous to the speaker whose mother tongue was Korean, in the direction of 'Can-do' for 5 question items regarding speaking and listening skills. (2) Similar results, from the perspective detecting DIF, were obtained using SIBTEST, BILOG-MG DIF command, Likelihood ratio test, the Mantel-Haenszel statistical method, and Logistic regression method.