Design of a Survey Instrument to Evaluate Metalinguistic Skills in Middle Basic Education

Abstract

This study addressed the design and validation of an instrument aimed at assessing metalinguistic skills in students enrolled in middle basic general education, given the critical role of such skills in linguistic development, reading and writing acquisition, and academic success. The research objective was to identify specific linguistic areas amenable to improvement through a structured measurement process. A quantitative methodology with a nonexperimental, descriptive, and interpretative design was employed. For validation, the test was applied to 150 students in the 5th, 6th, and 7th years of Educación General Básica Media, selected by accessibility, allowing work with the whole group and broadening applicability of findings. Data were gathered in the natural classroom environment without manipulating variables, and statistical techniques were used for item validation and to determine internal consistency and reliability. Validity and reliability were confirmed via exploratory and confirmatory statistical analyses, which produced satisfactory Cronbach alpha coefficients across all three evaluation levels. Item analysis revealed strong discrimination indices and appropriate difficulty levels, underscoring the instrument’s capacity to distinguish among varying proficiency levels. The validated tool enabled assessment of metalinguistic skills across three core dimensions: phonological awareness, lexical segmentation, and morphosyntactic manipulation, with items adapted to the Ecuadorian curriculum. This study contributed a psychometrically robust and contextually relevant instrument that integrates multiple dimensions of metalinguistic competence and addresses a gap in existing assessments. In conclusion, the instrument provided reliable diagnostics of students’ metalinguistic competencies, offered valuable guidance for educators in designing targeted pedagogical interventions, and holds potential for application in similar education contexts.