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This study explored factors associated with English as Second Language (ESL) and English Literacy Development (ELD) students performance on the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) from three aspects: 1) the relationship between test performance and the characteristics of ESL/ELD students; 2) the relationship between ESL/ELD students aggregated school performance and their school-level socio-economic status; and 3) the comparison of ESL/ELD and non-ESL/ELD students performance on three test formats in the reading component of the OSSLT. Test data from 4,311 ESL/ELD students and 5,003 non-ESL/ELD students, their responses to the Educational Quality and Accountability Office s (EQAO) Student Questionnaire, and school-level socio-economic status data from the Education Quality and Indicators Program (EQUIP) were analyzed. The results of this study offered insights into identifying and understanding factors that influenced ESL/ELD students OSSLT performance. The results also provided directions for future research and instructional support in relation to ESL/ ELD students in the context of the accountability framework in Ontario.

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Dr. Ying Zheng, Research Director for Pearson Language Tests, Pearson plc, UK, obtained her M. Ed.(2005) and Ph.D. (2010) degrees from Faculty of Education, Queen s University, Canada. Her research interests include large-scale language testing, English as second/foreign language education, and quantitative research methodology.

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