title: Predictive validity of the post-enrolment English language assessment tool for commencing undergraduate nursing students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nursing students with English as an additional language (EAL) may underperform academically. The post-enrolment English language assessment (PELA) is used in literacy support, but its predictive validity in identifying those at risk of underperformance remains unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To validate a PELA, as a predictor of academic performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective survey design.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at a university located in culturally and linguistically diverse areas of western Sydney, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Commencing undergraduate nursing students who were Australian-born (n=1323, 49.6%) and born outside of Australia (n=1346, 50.4%) were recruited for this study. The 2669 (67% of 3957) participants provided consent and completed a first year nursing unit that focussed on developing literacy skills.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2010 and 2013, commencing students completed the PELA and English language acculturation scale (ELAS), a previously validated instrument. The grading levels of the PELA tool were: Level 1 (proficient), Level 2 (borderline), and Level 3 (poor, and requiring additional support).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants with a PELA Level 2 or 3 were more likely to be: a) non-Australian-born (χ(2): 520.6, df: 2, p<0.001); b) spoke a language other than English at home (χ(2): 490.2, df: 2, p<0.001); and c) an international student (χ(2): 225.6, df: 2, p<0.001). There was an inverse relationship between participants' ELAS scores and PELA levels (r=-0.52, p<0.001), and those graded as 'proficient' with a PELA Level 1 were more likely to obtain higher scores in their: i) unit essay assessment (χ(2): 40.2, df: 2, p<0.001); ii) final unit mark (χ(2): 218.6, df: 2, p<0.001), and attain a higher GPA (χ(2): 100.8, df: 2, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PELA is a useful screening tool in identifying commencing nursing students who are at risk of academic underachievement.
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: paulglew@yahoo.com.au.
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Glew
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: hillegesharon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sharon P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hillege
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: y.salamonson@uws.edu.au.
authors.forename: Yenna
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Salamonson
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: k.dixon@uws.edu.au.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: a.good@uws.edu.au.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Good
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: l.lombardo@uws.edu.au.
authors.forename: Lien
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lombardo
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000067010:Literacy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019303:Multilingualism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013338:Students, Nursing; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Academic performance; Assessment methods; English as an additional language; Nursing students; PELA; Psychometrics; Reliability; Validity