How does the IEA address language differences in its assessments?

The International Assessment of Educational Progress (IEA) addresses language differences in its assessments primarily through the translation and adaptation of assessment instruments for different languages. This approach allows the IEA to ensure that the content of the assessments accurately reflects the language and educational context of each participating country. By translating tests, the IEA allows non-native English speakers to understand and respond to questions accurately, which helps achieve a fairer assessment of their knowledge and skills.

Translation and adaptation also involve careful consideration of cultural context, making sure that the way questions are framed is relevant to students' experiences, ensuring that children from diverse linguistic backgrounds are assessed on an equal playing field. This thoughtful approach helps maintain the integrity and comparability of the assessments across different languages and educational systems.

In contrast, using a universal test language would not adequately accommodate students who may not be proficient in that language, while providing tests solely in the native language of participants might limit the comparability of results with those from non-native speakers. Additionally, relying exclusively on pictures and symbols instead of text could oversimplify complex concepts that require linguistic expression, potentially undermining the validity of the assessment results.