A Rasch model analysis of the items on the VIQ8 scale of a Sesotho translated version of the JSAIS

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)Psychological assessment in the multicultural and multilingual society of South Africa presents many complex issues and concerns. One is the need for valid and reliable assessment measures relevant to the African population, specifically Foundation Phase Sesotho learners. This study forms part of a longitudinal research project which focuses on the cognitive development of children from a Soweto primary school. This particular investigation serves as a pilot study to help determine whether the translation and adaptation of an already existing measure, the Junior South African Individual Scales (JSAIS), will serve as a suitable assessment measure for this context and target group. This study aims to investigate the quality of the items on the verbal scale of a translated Sesotho version of the JSAIS and also reveal the verbal ability of the Grade 1 Sesotho learners of the Soweto primary school. To ascertain the quality of the items and the learners’ verbal ability, a Rasch analysis was conducted on the verbal subtest scores (Vocabulary, Picture Riddles and Word Association subtests) of the translated version of the JSAIS. The sample consisted of 29 Sesotho children between the ages of 5 and 7. The Rasch analysis revealed the difficulty of the items, the person ability, and the fit of both the items and persons to the model. The relationships between observed scores and the underlying trait were explored, as well as item and person reliability. Misfitting and overlapping items were identified, as was lack of item coverage. The results of this study show how the Rasch model can provide an in-depth understanding about the functionality and effectiveness of an adapted measure in terms of item difficulty and the participants’ underlying abilities. This study has revealed that the VIQ8 scale of the translated JSAIS is a valid and reliable measure, but requires further adaptations in order to make it a suitable instrument for Sesotho Foundation Phase learners