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The present article gives an overview of several studies on the predictive validity of the C-test. In the first part of the article, we discuss the construct validity of this test format. Only if the underlying construct of this test is understood, can a justification for high predictive validity be made. In the second part, we discuss several previous studies where the C-test format is used to predict the study and training success of international students. The third part discusses the findings of two as yet unpublished studies on the predictive validity of the C-test. We wish to contribute to the ongoing discussion of the validity of the C-test and argue that it is not only a language test, but also a test of processing speed which is related to working memory. For international students, processing speed in English as a foreign language is related to vocabulary knowledge, which includes statistical knowledge about the probability of words occurring in a given context as well as the probability of words following or preceding each other. The C-test taps precisely into these aspects of language proficiency which explains its high predictive validity for the study success of international students.

Educational digital games are often presented at Technology in Language Education conferences. The games are entertaining and are backed by research detailing how games can improve the learning experience through active critical learning, learner interaction, competition, challenge, and high learner motivation. The authors, inspired by such presentations, were interested in creating digital games to mitigate problems of demotivation in a beginner Japanese kanji (non-alphabetic script) class at Auckland University of Technology but found there was no body of research on digital games for learning non-alphabetic scripts. This paper contributes to filling this gap by describing the creation of three digital games for kanji learning. Difficulties were experienced during the development of the games and these are described with reference to the divide, discussed in gaming literature, between the type of digital games being showcased at conferences and the reality for teachers wishing to emulate the practice by developing their own digital games. Questionnaire responses and the game-related journal entries of three cohorts of learners were analysed, and teacher reflections on the action research project were used to answer the questions "Should we be leaving this field to the experts?" and "Other than high-end multi-level curriculum-centred digital games, are there different gaming scenarios worth exploring?"

This article explores the usefulness of a web-based education game for learning English idioms and examines attitudinal factors contributing to the learning of the idioms with the game. The two studies reported in this article involved two groups of English as a foreign language students in two different contexts. The students were surveyed on their opinions of language learning and games and tested on their idiom knowledge before and after using the web-based educational game over a similar period of gameplay time. The studies found that both groups had significant gains in idiom knowledge, with some variation. It was also found that idiom knowledge improvement was largely mediated by willingness to learn English. In addition, other factors such as satisfaction and self-perception of improvement were noted. It is suggested that, in game-based language learning, attitudinal and motivational factors such as satisfaction with games and willingness to learn with games need to be carefully considered as they can generate positive learning outcomes. Further studies on the use of online educational games for language learning are recommended to be conducted in and out of the classroom in line with the evaluation of the games.

This paper attempts to demonstrate the differences in writing between International English Language Testing System (IELTS) bands 6.0, 6.5 and 7.0. An analysis of exemplars provided from the IELTS test makers reveals that IELTS 6.0, 6.5 and 7.0 writers can make a minimum of 206 errors, 96 errors and 35 errors per 1000 words. The following section explores the differences in error patterns between IELTS 6.0, 6.5 and 7.0 writers and a proposition is made that the IELTS 7.0 writer shows some convergence of error types found among native English writers. In regard to workload issues, the paper discusses the impact of errors as a distraction which affects reading time and gives an indication of the amount of extra workload that may be required to assess IELTS 6.0, 6.5 and 7.0 writing. The paper concludes with remarks about entrance requirements for tertiary study and suggests that it may be simpler to raise entry standards than attempt to remediate the writing of students with low IELTS scores.

A large proportion of nursing home residents in developed countries come from ethnic minority groups. Unmet care needs and poor quality of care for this resident population have been widely reported. This systematic review aimed to explore social conditions affecting ethnic minority residents' ability to exercise their autonomy in communication and care while in nursing homes. In total, 19 studies were included in the review. Findings revealed that ethno‐specific nursing homes create the ideal social condition for residents to express their care needs and preferences in a language of choice. In nonethno‐specific nursing homes, staff cultural competence and nursing home commitment to culturally safe care are crucial social conditions that enable this group of residents to fulfil their autonomy in communicating and in participating in their care. In contrast, social conditions that undermine residents' ability to express their care needs and preferences include low levels of staff cultural awareness and cultural desire, negative attitudes towards residents and limited organisational support for staff to improve culturally responsive and culturally safe care. In conclusion, it is important to optimise the social conditions to support ethnic minority residents to communicate their care needs and preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The initial moisture contents and impurities in the grain mass can interfere with the drying operation in a stationary dryer. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of drying air movement in the rice mass as a function of initial moisture contents (19, 18, 17, and 16% w.b.) and impurities (1.5, 2.5, 2.0, and 3.0%) on the physicochemical properties and morphological rice quality. The moisture and impurity contents provided alterations in the movement and distribution of the drying air in the upper layers of the stationary dryers. Consequently, the physicochemical properties and morphological quality of rice were altered. In addition, the reduction in the starch and fat contents was correlated to higher percentages of crude protein, mainly upper grain layers. Thus, the rice mass at moisture content of 17% (w.b.) and impurity at 2.5% allowed major uniformity and greater drying versatility in the stationary dryer for rice quality. Practical applications: The rice drying in the stationary dryer is an excellent option to reduce drying and storage infrastructure and achieve satisfactory grain quality, as long as there is an adequate control and management of the batches of grain received in terms of moisture uniformity and impurity contents. For proper rice management in the stationary dryer, it is recommended to pre‐cleaning the grain mass to 2% of impurities, while the initial grain moisture content for drying must be below 18% (w.b.). The standardization of batches in terms of initial moisture content and impurities allows for an adequate flow and distribution of air in the grain mass to obtain efficiency in drying at low temperatures and maintaining grain quality. From a commercial point of view, the grains can remain in the drying process and stored in silo‐dryers for the harvest period until the time they can be sold at better market prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have been conducted for developing new dryers and improving existing ones to obtain a higher yield and maintain the quality of agricultural products. Thus, the objective of this study was to model and validate a new concept of a silo–dryer–aerator with a drying chamber and four storage compartmented cells in a fixed and thick layer with the application of high and low air-drying temperatures. To fit the experimental data to a mathematical model, nonlinear regression analysis was performed. To assess the fluid from the heated and cooling air in the silo–dryer–aerator, computational fluid dynamics was used. The experimental prototype of the fixed-bed dryer enabled a uniform distribution of the heated air in the drying cells. There was a uniform distribution of the air in the drying cells of the silo–dryer–aerator. The drying system achieved high operational performance and quality for soybeans. The different mathematical models could predict and adjust to the drying conditions in a fixed and thick layer. It was concluded that the drying model developed and validated is suitable for the new concept of a silo–dryer–aerator with a drying chamber and segregated storage to be applied to soybean drying. Silo-dryer-aerator conceptualized for high quality Drying system applied for different social scales of post-harvest Segregation of the lots in different characteristics of grains and quality Associated application of high and low temperatures in the drying and aeration Alternative for drying and storage in large, medium and small production scales [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article gives an overview of several studies on the predictive validity of the C-test. In the first part of the article, we discuss the construct validity of this test format. Only if the underlying construct of this test is understood, can a justification for high predictive validity be made. In the second part, we discuss several previous studies where the C-test format is used to predict the study and training success of international students. The third part discusses the findings of two as yet unpublished studies on the predictive validity of the C-test. We wish to contribute to the ongoing discussion of the validity of the C-test and argue that it is not only a language test, but also a test of processing speed which is related to working memory. For international students, processing speed in English as a foreign language is related to vocabulary knowledge, which includes statistical knowledge about the probability of words occurring in a given context as well as the probability of words following or preceding each other. The C-test taps precisely into these aspects of language proficiency which explains its high predictive validity for the study success of international students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Adapting production factors and relating them to the effects of rice milling can contribute to obtaining better quality grains in the industry. Thus, the study had an objective to evaluate the effects of cultivars and fertilization levels in the physical, physicochemical, and morphological quality of the polished and brown rice. Findings: The starch underwent minor changes in its structure with increased fertilization levels, conserving the physicochemical rice composition for cultivar IR 431 Cl in the polished rice. However, the combination of cultivar IR 424 Cl and brown rice demonstrated positive correlations in crude protein and starch. In addition, positive correlations between the physical variables were obtained in full milling. Furthermore, brown rice had the highest percentages of whole rice in the high fertilization levels, whereas the polished grain contained the highest percentage of broken and yellow grains in the low fertilization levels. Conclusions: The rice cultivar IR 431 Cl produced with high fertilization levels had high protein and starch quality in the polished grains, while the cultivar IR 424 Cl produced high quality in brown rice. We conclude that the association of cultivars and fertilization levels in rice production obtained high rice quality according to milling type. Significance and novelty: It is possible to define the best way of milling rice in the industry to enhance the final quality, depending on the production factors adopted in the crop, such as the type of cultivar and fertilization levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is one of the most cultivated cereals in the world and the increase in crop yield is associated with cultivars and levels of soil fertilization, and may suffer changes in grain quality after processing. The objective of this work was to evaluate the physical quality of grains of rice benefited as polished and integral of cultivars IR 424 RI and IR 431 CL as a function of different levels of fertilization. After the harvest, the grains were subjected to the debarking and polishing processes. Quality analysis was performed according to the physical classification of rice. The cultivar IR 424 RI obtained higher values ??of yellow, burned and plastered grains, and in the cultivar IR 431 LC more broken, chopped and stained grains were observed. The average yield of polished rice of cultivar IR 431 CL was 44.54% and cultivar IR 424 RI was 56.80%. Meanwhile, the average yield of whole rice of cultivar IR 431 CL was 65.02% and cultivar IR 424 RI was 73.08%. The increase in the fertilization levels of the rice influenced positively on the yield of whole grains, but did not present satisfactory results regarding the physical quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]