Studies in Language Testing – serie
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55 produkter
55 produkter
Del 14 - Studies in Language Testing
A Qualitative Approach to the Validation of Oral Language Tests
Häftad, Engelska, 2002
821 kr
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Language testers have generally come to recognize the limitations of traditional statistical methods for validating oral language tests. They have begun to consider more innovative approaches to test validation, approaches that promise to illuminate the assessment process itself, rather than just assessment outcomes (i.e., ratings). One such approach is conversation analysis (or CA), a rigorous empirical methodology developed by sociologists, which employs inductive methods in order to discover and describe the recurrent, systematic properties of conversation, including sequential organization, turn-taking, repair, preference structure, and topic management. CA offers a systematic approach for analysing spoken interaction from a qualitative perspective, allowing one to make observations about a stretch of talk while at the same time interacting with it. This book provides language testers with a background in the conversation analytic framework and a fuller understanding of what is entailed in using conversation analysis in the context of oral language test validation.
Del 17 - Studies in Language Testing
Issues in Testing Business English
The Revision of the Cambridge Business English Certificates
Häftad, Engelska, 2006
783 kr
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Demand is steadily growing for language tests with a specialized focus which will suit the needs of key professional domains as diverse as business, law, the airline industry, and teacher education. This book explores the testing of language for sepcific purposes (LSP) from a theoretical and a practical perspective, with a particular focus on the testing of English for business purposes. A range of tests - both past and present - is reviewed, and the development of business English testing at Cambridge ESOL is discussed. The description of the revision of the Business English Certificates (BEC) forms a major part of the book and offers a unique insight into an approach to large-scale ESP test development and revision.
Del 15 - Studies in Language Testing
Continuity and Innovation
Revising the Cambridge Proficiency in English Examination 1913-2002
Häftad, Engelska, 2003
757 kr
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Continuity and Innovation: Revising the Cambridge Proficiency in English Examination 1913-2002. This volume documents in some detail the most recent revision of the Certificate in Proficiency in English (CPE) which took place from 1991 to 2002. CPE is the oldest of the Cambridge suite of English as Foreign Language (EFL) examinations and was originally introduced in 1913. Since that time it has been regularly revised and updated to bring it into line with current thinking in language teaching, Applied Linguistics and language testing theory and practice. Authors: Cyril Weir, Nick Saville, Mick Ashton, Beth Weighill, Nick Barratt, Rod Boroughs, Angela French.
Del 16 - Studies in Language Testing
A Modular Approach to Testing English Language Skills
The Development of the Certificates in English
Häftad, Engelska, 2005
669 kr
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Documents the development of the Cambridge ESOL Certificates in English Language Skills (CELS), a suite of modular examinations first offered in 2002. As a context for how CELS was conceived, developed, constructed, validated and managed, the book traces the history of exams which have influenced CELS. The Royal Society of Arts (RSA), later UCLES (University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate) Communicative Use of English as a Foreign Language examinations (CUEFL) was one such influence, as were the Certificates in Communication Skills in English (CCSE), these exams being a development of the CUEFL. The University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations (UODLE) examinations, taken over by UCLES in 1995, were a further influence on CELS. UODLE itself had worked in partnership with the Association of Recognised Language Schools (ARELS) Examinations Trust, the Oxford EFL reading and writing exams for many years offered in tandem with the ARELS Oral English exams.
Del 32 - Studies in Language Testing
Components of L2 Reading
Linguistic and Processing Factors in the Reading Test Performances of Japanese EFL Learners
Häftad, Engelska, 2010
821 kr
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The book investigates the explanatory variables for the passage-reading comprehension performance of Japanese EFL learners and their sentence-reading speed. Following rigorous preliminary studies evaluating the significance of the candidate variables and refining research instruments, a large scale main study was conducted. Regression analyses indicated that syntactic knowledge was the best predictor of passage-reading ability, while vocabulary breadth also contributed to its prediction. Subgroup analyses supported the significance of syntactic knowledge for both higher- and lower-ability readers. Sentence-reading speed was best predicted by the speed of lexical semantic access. The significance of this speed was also consistent across the group division. A subsequent exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling of the data indicated that the performances of the participants were best explained in terms of two latent factors: one based on careful text processing power and the other on efficiency of lexical semantic access.
Del 31 - Studies in Language Testing
Language Testing Matters
Investigating the Wider Social and Educational Impact of Assessment - Proceedings of the ALTE Cambridge Conference April 2008
Häftad, Engelska, 2010
821 kr
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Language Testing Matters explores the social and educational impact of language testing and assessment at regional, national and international level. It brings together a collection of 20 edited papers based on proceedings of the 2008 ALTE Conference in Cambridge. The selected papers focus on three core strands addressed during the conference: new perspectives on testing for specific purposes; insights on testing policy and practice in the context of language teaching and learning in different parts of the world; reflections on the impact of testing among differing stakeholder groups. With its broad coverage of key issues, combining theoretical insights and practical advice, this volume is a valuable reference work for academics, employers and policy-makers in Europe and beyond. It is also a useful resource for postgraduate students of language testing, for practitioners, and anyone else seeking a better understanding of the social and educational impact of language assessment.
Del 33 - Studies in Language Testing
Aligning Tests with the CEFR
Reflections on Using the Council of Europe's Draft Manual
Häftad, Engelska, 2010
836 kr
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The Council of Europe released a preliminary version of the Manual for Relating Language Examinations to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in 2003. A variety of institutions and individuals conducted case studies to pilot this draft version, prior to its revision in 2008/9. This volume features selected case studies presented at a colloquium in Cambridge in December 2007, where practitioners and academics shared their experiences of applying the Manual procedures. Projects included the linking of a single test to the CEFR, the linking of suites of examinations at different levels and large-scale national studies undertaken by examination boards and specialist research institutes. As well as describing their approaches and reporting their findings, contributors reflect and comment on their experience of using the draft Manual. An introductory chapter explains the development of the CEFR and the draft Manual, discussing their relevance for the future.
Del 3 - Studies in Language Testing
Performance Testing, Cognition and Assessment
Selected Papers from the 15th Language Research Testing Colloquium, Cambridge and Arnhem
Häftad, Engelska, 1995
805 kr
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This volume contains a selection of research papers that were presented at the 15th Annual Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC) on the themes of performance testing, and on aspects of communication in relation to cognition and assessment. This edited collection includes contributions reporting research into the testing of speaking and writing, especially in relation to raters, tasks and assessment criteria, contributions exploring the application of various statistical methods in langauge test validation and contributions addressing the issues relating to langauge testing in specific contexts with particular candidate groups. This volume will be of relevance to language testing specialists concerned with the design, development, delivery and validation of performance tests, as well as to academic researchers and graduate students interested in the complex relationship between cognition and assessment.
Del 2 - Studies in Language Testing
Test Taker Characteristics and Test Performance
A Structural Modeling Approach
Häftad, Engelska, 1996
805 kr
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This book investigates the influence of test taker characteristics on performance in tests of English as a foreign language by exploring the relationships between these two groups of variables. Data from a test taker questionnaire and performance on the First Certificate in English (FCE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) were used for the study. The research was conducted in a construct validation context and aimed to increase our understanding of the individual differences among test takers that influence their test performance. The application of a structural modeling approach to investigate the influence of test taker characteristics on test performance makes this study a valuable contribution to language testing research. As such, it will be of considerable relevance to academic researchers and graduate students in the field of language testing and assessment, as well as to others interested in second language acquisition and learning.
Del 1 - Studies in Language Testing
An Investigation into the Comparability of Two Tests of English as a Foreign Language
Häftad, Engelska, 1995
805 kr
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This book documents a major study comparing the Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE) with the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to investigate similarities in test content, candidature and use. While both tests were designed to measure many of the same abilities, they represent radically different approaches to language test development, reflecting deeper differences between educational measurement traditions in the US and UK. The thorough investigation of the fundamental characteristics and operational utility of two of the most widely used English tests for foreign students makes this study a valuable contribution to language testing research. As such, it will be of considerable interest to language testing specialists and examination boards, as well as to academic researchers and graduate students in the field of language assessment more generally.
Del 18 - Studies in Language Testing
European Language Testing in a Global Context
Proceedings of the ALTE Barcelona Conference July 2001
Häftad, Engelska, 2004
821 kr
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The ALTE conference, Euopean Language Testing in a Global Context, was held in Barcelona in 2001 in support of the European Year of Languages. The conference papers presented in ths volume represent a small subset of the many excellent presentations made at that event. They have been selected to provide a flavour of the issues that the conference addressed.
Del 19 - Studies in Language Testing
IELTS Collected Papers
Research in Speaking and Writing Assessment
Häftad, Engelska, 2007
798 kr
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This volume brings together a set of ten IELTS-related research studies - four on Speaking and six on Writing - conducted between 1995 and 2001. The ten studies were funded under the auspices of the British Council/IELTS Australia Joint-funded Research Program which promotes research activity among IELTS test stakeholders around the world. Findings from the studies provided valuable evidence on the validity, reliability, impact and practicality of the IELTS test; they were also instrumental in highlighting aspects needing attention, and so directly informed the revised design and implementation of the IELTS Speaking and Writing Modules introduced in 2001 and 2005. The volume reviews and comments on the specific contribution of each study to the ongoing process of IELTS speaking and writing test development; it also evaluates the range of research methodologies used in the projects and discusses their usefulness for researchers working in the broader field of performance assessment.
Del 22 - Studies in Language Testing
The Impact of High-Stakes Examinations on Classroom Teaching
A Case Study Using Insights from Testing and Innovation Theory
Häftad, Engelska, 2005
710 kr
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It is widely believed that one of the most effective ways of creating change in an education system is by introducing or by re-designing high-stakes examinations. This method is not foolproof, however, as there are many factors which can affect the impact of such an innovation. This study analyses the effects of an examination which was meant to serve as a 'lever for change'. It illustrates how the intended outcome was altered by factors in the exam itself, as well as characteristics of the educational setting, the teachers and the learners. Included are reviews of the literature of examination impact and innovation in education, and guidelines for the consideration of educators who continue to believe in the potential of examinations to effect curriculum change.
Del 23 - Studies in Language Testing
Assessing Academic English
Testing English Proficiency 1950-1989 - The IELTS Solution
Häftad, Engelska, 2008
798 kr
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The volume offers an explanatory account of the progress of academic language proficiency testing in the UK (and later Australia), from the British Council's English Proficiency Test Battery (EPTB), through the revolutionary English Language Testing Service (ELTS) to the present solution of IELTS. The three stages of academic language testing in the UK over the last 50 years move from grammar through real life to features of language use. At the same time, comparison of predictive validities suggests that all three measures account for very similar shares of the variance (about 10%) and that therefore the choice of an academic language proficiency test is determined only in part by predictive validity: other factors such as test delivery, test renewal in response to fashion, research and impact on stakeholders, and assessment of all four language skills are also important.
Del 20 - Studies in Language Testing
Testing the Spoken English of Young Norwegians
A Study of Testing Validity and the Role of Smallwords in Contributing to Pupils' Fluency
Häftad, Engelska, 2005
821 kr
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This book reports on a two-part study: the validation of a test of spoken English for Norwegian secondary school pupils and the corpus-based investigation of the role played by 'smallwords', such as 'well', 'sort of', and 'you know', in bringing about fluency. The first study builds on the Messickian six central aspects of construct validity to produce a practical framework for test validation. It identifies potential sources of invalidity in the test being examined particularly relating to 'fluency'. The second study sets about to explore the concept of fluency, and to expose the extent to which it is acknowledged in the literature to be associated with smallwords, albeit under other names. The findings from the corpus study are drawn on to propose new elements to include in descriptors of fluency, and the implications of the study for classroom practices are discussed.
Del 21 - Studies in Language Testing
Changing Language Teaching through Language Testing
A Washback Study
Häftad, Engelska, 2005
820 kr
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Despite persistent assertions of washback (the influence of testing on teaching and learning) limited research studies have been undertaken on the subject. Even fewer studies have made use of quantitative and qualitative methods to examine washback. This book, at the intersection of language testing and teaching practices/programs, investigates the impact of the introduction of the 1996 Hong Kong Certificate of Education in English, a high-stakes public examination, on classroom teaching and learning in Hong Kong secondary schools. The washback effect was observed initially at the macro level, including different parties within the Hong Kong educational context, and subsequently at the micro level, in terms of the classroom, including aspects of teachers' attitudes, teaching content and classroom interactions. Further, the book offers insights into the concept that a test can be used as a change agent to encourage innovation in the classroom.
Del 4 - Studies in Language Testing
The Development of IELTS
Häftad, Engelska, 1996
798 kr
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This book studies the effect of background knowledge on reading comprehension and investigates the claim from the field of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) that tertiary level students for whom English is a second language should be given reading proficiency tests in their own academic subject areas. The volume includes a comprehensive overview of recent research into reading, in both a first and second language, an account of the development of the reading subtests for IELTS, a full description of the pilot and main phases of the empirical study, a discussion of the relative importance of language proficiency and background knowledge in reading comprehension, consideration of the study's implications for future test construction and research into reading.
Del 5 - Studies in Language Testing
Verbal Protocol Analysis in Language Testing Research
A Handbook
Häftad, Engelska, 1998
821 kr
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Verbal protocol analysis (VPA) is a methodology that is being used extensively by researchers. Recently, individuals working in the area of testing, and in language testing in particular, have begun to appreciate the roles VPA might play in the development and evaluation of assessment instruments. VPA is a complex methodology however, and individuals choosing to use the technique require some degree of training in order to maximize the benefits in adopting this approach, and in order to avoid some of the more common misunderstandings and pitfalls associated with the use of verbal data. Usiing Verbal Protocols in Language Test Validation aims to provide potential practitioners with the background to the technique and a good understanding of what is entailed in using VPA in the specific context of language testing and assessment. Tutorial exercises are presented which enable the reader to try out each of the different steps involved in VPA.
Del 10 - Studies in Language Testing
Issues in Computer-Adaptive Testing of Reading Proficiency
Häftad, Engelska, 2000
821 kr
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Language testers are increasingly directing their attention to the development of computer-adaptive testing (CAT) instruments for assessing learners' second language ability. Issues in Computer-Adaptive Testing of Reading Proficiency examines CAT instruments used to assess the receptive skills, with a strong focus on reading ability, as well as a critical discussion of CAT practices from the point of view of performance assessment. This volume is the first to adopt a multi-disciplinary approach and is written by leading scholars in their respective fields. The chapters are grouped into three major sections: second language reading constructs, second language CAT applications and considerations, and item response theory (IRT) measurement issues. To help the reader grasp the main points of these sections, discussion chapters are included after each one which summarize and examine the issues raised by the authors.
Del 12 - Studies in Language Testing
An Empirical Investigation of the Componentiality of L2 Reading in English for Academic Purposes
Häftad, Engelska, 2000
732 kr
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The focus on careful reading in theoretical literature has meant that we have somewhat ignored reading behaviours such as skimming, scanning and search reading in the teaching and testing of reading. These theories do not explain how readers process texts quickly and selectively. The development of the Advanced English Reading Test (AERT) for university students in the People's Republic of China under the auspices of the National College English Test Committee was the vehicle for investigating the nature of and the relationships between skimming, scanning, search reading and careful reading. This volume reports on the methodological procedures that led to the development of this important test and discusses the results of the empirical investigations that were carried out to establish its validity. As such it offers a blueprint of reading assessment for those wishing to research in the area.
Del 9 - Studies in Language Testing
Fairness and Validation in Language Assessment
Selected Papers from the 19th Language Testing Research Colloquium, Orlando, Florida
Häftad, Engelska, 2000
821 kr
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Fairness of language tests and testing practices has always been a concern among test developers and test users. In the past decade educational and language assessment researchers have begun to focus directly on fairness and related matters such as test standards, test bias and equity and ethics for testing professionals. The 19th annual Language Testing Research Colloquium held in 1997 in Orlando, Florida, brought this overall concern into sharp focus by having 'Fairness in Language Testing' as its theme. The conference presentations and discussions attempted to understand the concept of fairness, define the scope of the concept and connect it with the concept of validation of test score interpretation. The papers in this volume offer a first introduction to fairness and validation in the field of language assessment.
Del 8 - Studies in Language Testing
Learner Strategy Use and Performance on Language Tests
Häftad, Engelska, 1999
821 kr
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Learner Strategy Use and Performance on Language Tests investigates the relationships between learner strategy use and performance on second language tests. To this effect, it examines the construct validity of two questionnaires, designed within a model of human information processing, that purport to measure testakers' self-reported cognitive and metacognitive strategy use. It then examines the construct validity of the FCE Anchor test, developed by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, to measure second language proficiency. It is a useful resource for those interested in understanding the effects of strategy use on performance, for those interested in training students to use strategies in language classrooms and for those interested in using structural equation modelling as an analytic tool for examining the effects of socio-psychological background variables on performance.
Del 7 - Studies in Language Testing
Dictionary of Language Testing
Häftad, Engelska, 1999
836 kr
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This Dictionary of Language Testing was written over a number of years by a group of researchers at the Language Testing Research Centre at the University of Melbourne. It contains some 600 entries, each listed under a headword with extensive cross-referencing. It is intended for those who may or may not have had experience in the field of language assessment but who do have a need for information. It is intended as a first stage in meeting that need, and intends to provide an orientation and, where appropriate, indicate where next to look.
Del 6 - Studies in Language Testing
Multilingual Glossary of Language Testing Terms
Häftad, Engelska, 1999
821 kr
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Inevitably, it is in the most commonly used languages that the vocabulary of language testing and assessment is most highly developed, and for which most of the literature has been produced. A multilingual glossary has a significant role to play in encouraging the development of language testing in less widely taught languages. The idea of producing a multilingual glossary of assessment and language testing terms has grown out of the needs experienced by members of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) while engaged in work on language testing projects. It is anticipated that this glossary will be of use, not only to members of ALTE, but to many others working in the context of European languages, who are involved in language testing and assessment. The glossary contains entries in ten languages: Catalan, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Irish, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
Del 13 - Studies in Language Testing
The Equivalence of Direct and Semi-Direct Speaking Tests
Häftad, Engelska, 2001
654 kr
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The Equivalence of Direct and Semi-Direct Speaking Tests documents a comparability study of direct (face-to-face) and semi-direct (language laboratory) versions of the speaking component of the access test: an English language test designed in the 1990s as part of the selection process for immigration to Australia. In the study the issue of test equivalence is explored using a range of quantitative and qualitative evidence including test scores, test taker language output and feedback from various 'players' in the test process including members of the development team, test candidates, interviewers and raters. The findings have important implications for the use of direct and semi-direct speaking tests in various high-stakes contexts such as immigration and university entrance. As such this will be of interest to policy-makers and administrators as well as language teachers and language testing researchers.
Del 24 - Studies in Language Testing
Impact Theory and Practice
Häftad, Engelska, 2006
300 kr
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This book clarifies the concept of impact and related terms, such as washback, evaluation, monitoring and validation, and focuses on the impact of language tests and language programmes on a range of stakeholders, including test-takers, teachers, textbook writers, testers and institutions. First-hand experience is cited from two new impact studies. One analyses the impact of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the second looks at the Progetto Lingue 2000 (Year 2000 Languages Project), a state-school foreign-language education improvement programme undertaken by the Ministry of Education in Italy. The main findings of these studies are presented, as well as theoretical and practical lessons to be learnt from them. The context is the role of impact studies in the test development and validation systems of Cambridge ESOL, the sponsor of both impact studies.
Del 25 - Studies in Language Testing
IELTS Washback in Context
Preparation for Academic Writing in Higher Education
Häftad, Engelska, 2007
798 kr
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The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) plays a key role in international student access to universities around the world. Although IELTS includes a direct test of writing, it has been suggested that test preparation may hinder international students from acquiring academic literacy skills required for university study. This study investigates the washback of the IELTS Writing test on English for Academic Purposes (EAP) provision.
Del 26 - Studies in Language Testing
Examining Writing
Research and Practice in Assessing Second Language Writing
Häftad, Engelska, 2007
836 kr
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This publication highlights the need for test developers to provide clear explanations of the ability constructs which underpin tests offered in the public domain. An explanation is increasingly required, if the validity of test score interpretation and use are to be supported both logically, and with empirical evidence. The book demonstates the application of a comprehensive test validation framework which adopts a socio-cognitive perspective. The framework embraces six core components which reflect the practical nature and quality of an actual testing event. It examines Cambridge ESOL writing tasks from the following perspectives: Test Taker, Cognitive Validity, Context Validity, Scoring Validity, Criterion-related Validity and Consequential Validity. The authors show how an understanding and analysis of the framework and its components in relation to specific writing tests can assist test developers to operationalise their tests more effectively, especially in relation to criterial distinctions across test levels.
Del 27 - Studies in Language Testing
Multilingualism and Assessment
Achieving Transparency, Assuring Quality, Sustaining Diversity - Proceedings of the ALTE Berlin Conference May 2005
Häftad, Engelska, 2008
821 kr
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This Studies in Language Testing volume explores the impact of multilingualism on language assessment. It considers ways of describing and comparing language qualifications to establish common levels of proficiency, balancing the need to set common standards and at the same time sustain linguistic diversity. Three broad themes are explored. Quality and diversity are addressed via avenues such as the quality of examinations and codes of practice, as well as the research on impact in various state certification projects. In relation to ethics and diversity, several papers focus on the complex relationships between linguistic identity and diversity on one hand, and immigration and citizenship policy on the other, as assessment increasingly interfaces with language proficiency requirements for citizenship and for active participation of newcomers in social, occupational and democratic processes. Transparency and diversity are examined through the relationship of examinations to the Common European Framework from a number of different perspectives.
Häftad, Engelska, 2011
836 kr
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This edited volume develops a theoretical framework for validating tests of second language ability. The chapter authors show how an understanding and analysis of the framework and its components can assist test developers to operationalise their tests more effectively, especially in relation to the key criteria that differentiate one proficiency level from another. The book provides an up-to-date review of the relevant literature on assessing speaking, an accessible and systematic description of the different proficiency levels in second language speaking and a comprehensive and coherent basis for validating tests of speaking. It will be of considerable interest to examination boards who wish to validate their own speaking tests in a systematic and coherent manner, as well as to academic researchers and graduate students in the field of language assessment more generally.