The Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire (LEAP-Q): Ten years later

Margarita Kaushanskaya*, Henrike K. Blumenfeld, Viorica Marian

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

77 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire (LEAP-Q) is a validated questionnaire tool for collecting self-reported proficiency and experience data from bilingual and multilingual speakers ages 14 to 80. It is available in over 20 languages, and can be administered in a digital, paper-and-pencil, and oral interview format. The LEAP-Q is used by researchers across various disciplines (Psychology, Neuroscience, Linguistics, Education, Communication Sciences & Disorders, etc.) to provide a comprehensive description of their bilingual participants, to substantiate a division of bilinguals into groups (e.g., early vs. late bilinguals), and to screen participants for adequate or threshold levels of language proficiency. Best practices for using the LEAP-Q include administration of the full questionnaire, consideration of acquisition and history of language use together with self-ratings of proficiency, and supplementation of self-reported data with objective language measures whenever possible. The LEAP-Q can be downloaded at no cost at https://bilingualism.northwestern.edu/leapq/.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)945-950
Number of pages6
JournalBilingualism
Volume23
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2020

Funding

Acknowledgements. The present project was supported by NIDCD Grant R01 DC011750 to Margarita Kaushanskaya, and Grant NICHD 2R01 HD059858 to Viorica Marian. The authors wish to express gratitude to all of the researchers who have adopted, adapted, and translated the LEAP-Q, and to the participants who provided the norming data. We would also like to thank everyone who has assisted with data coding, data analyses, data management, and email correspondence related to the LEAP-Q.

Keywords

  • LEAP-Q
  • questionnaire
  • self-report
  • validation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Education
  • Language and Linguistics
  • Linguistics and Language

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