Validating the theory-informed Tests of Aptitude for Language Learning (TALL) as predictors of L2 proficiency: Initial evidence from multiple regression analyses

Abstract Tests of Aptitude for Language Learning (TALL) is a newly developed battery for L1 Chinese speakers that operationalizes language aptitude based on the early stages of Skehan’s (2016) Stages Approach through parallel aural and written suites. Each suite comprises subtests measuring associative memory, phonetic coding ability, language analytic ability, phonological short-term memory, and executive function of working memory. Using openly available data, this study examined TALL’s predictive validity through multiple regression analyses. Results from 165 L1-Chinese L2-English learners showed that the composite scores on the aural and written suites accounted for 12.5% and 13.1% of the variance in L2 proficiency, respectively. Models based on individual subtest scores accounted for 17.0% of the variance in L2 proficiency in the aural suite and 19.7% in the written suite. Dominance analyses identified language analytic and phonetic coding abilities as the strongest predictors, whereas other components contributed minimally. These findings provide initial evidence that TALL scores predict L2 proficiency. The study also offers a replicable procedure to facilitate further validation of this new battery. (Received 4 November 2025; revised 7 June 2026; accepted 6 August 2026) Keywords: aptitude battery; language aptitude; predictive validity