Appendix 2:

Questionnaires

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14.2 Questionnaires
Student Name/ID:
ESLC ID:
Date:

Student Questionnaire for the European

Survey on Language Competences 2011 Main
Study

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About this full note version

Accompanying each question are:
Notes for WebTrans indicating the recurring question elements that have to be linked in
WebTrans, so they have to be translated only once.
Notes for the NRC clarifying terms and options, noting where localisations should be made, and
Notes for the translator clarifying terms and options, noting where response categories and/or
terms should not be translated, because they have to be localised.
Notes for the Test Administrators giving some guidance in how to answer questions that
students might pose during the administration. Note that where an Educational system has
adapted a question, it may be necessary for the NRC to add notes that will assist the Test
Administrator to answer student questions.

Conventions in this document

Terms in curly brackets { } should not be translated, but localised. The NRC is asked to instruct the
reconciler which localised (a term which is appropriate for the country) terms to insert.
Terms in square brackets [ ] means that the translator should replace the term with a term which is
appropriate. In some cases adaptation is required; for example [Educational system]. In other cases
adaptation is optional; for example [grade] may not need adaptation, and may be directly translated.
The term [target language] refers to the language for which the students will be tested prior to filling out
st
the questionnaire, in other words the 1 most widely taught language among English, French, German,
Spanish and Italian. Please instruct the translator which language to fill in when the term [target language]
appears.
The curly brackets { } and square brackets [ ] should not appear in the translated text. Please instruct the
translators and reconciler to remove these brackets from the translated text.
Please note that all questions should be translated even when it is expected that all respondents in your
country will give the same answer. Question order is known to have an effect upon the answers. Removal
of questions will compromise the comparability across countries and the comparability with future cycles.
Overall we have tried to prevent questions that require an open-ended text response as much as
possible, as the coding of such questions (an NRC task) is very time consuming and costly.

Translator note
Throughout the questionnaire the informal address is used.
otherwise indicated.
Terms in curly brackets { } should not be translated, but localised. The reconciler and/or NRC
should insert a phrase or word which is appropriate for the country.
Terms in square brackets [ ] means that the translator should replace the term with a term which
is appropriate. In some cases adaptation is required; for example [Educational system]. In other
cases adaptation is optional; for example [grade] may not need adaptation, and may be directly
translated.
Please remove all curly brackets { } and square brackets [ ] in the translated text.

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In this questionnaire you will find questions about:

You
Your family and your home
Computers in your home
Languages in your home environment
Your opinion about foreign languages

Your school subjects

Learning foreign languages in school
Your [target language] lessons
Tests and assignments for the subject of [target language]
Studying and doing homework for foreign languages out of school time
Your skills in [target language]

In this questionnaire, there are no right or wrong answers. Your answers should be
the ones that are right for you. Please read the questions carefully. You may ask for
help if you do not understand something or are not sure how to answer a question.
It is important that you answer all questions.
All your answers will be kept confidential and secret.
Translator note
Please check that the list of subjects is consistent with the section headings.
home - refers to that place where the student usually resides, not including boarding school. The
term used should connote a family or domestic setting.
[Target language] National Research Coordinator (the name of the language for which the students will be tested
prior to filling out the questionnaire).
[target language] lesson - fixed period of time at school when students are taught the subject of
[target language].
all - Please underline the appropriate text in the translation.

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