Students’ profiles and language tasks that best predict students’ language ability: some recommendations and caveats for gifted language programs

Abstract

This research examined the relationships between students’ profiles and their abilities to perform language tasks.  Nine hundred and eight ninth graders performed different language tasks including listening tasks, word analogy, grammar tasks, reading comprehension tasks, and new word invention tasks.  Their profiles included gender, years of English study, and grade point averages.  The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment.  The results indicated that boys outperformed girls in doing the new word invention task; the years of English study and the grade point averages were connected to the ability to complete the grammar, reading comprehension, and new word invention tasks.  At the end some recommendations and caveats for indicating potential students to participate in gifted language programs are presented.