LT.info Bulletin

New Publication on Case Studies

30 Jul 2010 13:54:47 GMT

From time to time I think there's a new research methodology text that might be particularly useful for researchers in the field of languge testing, and this is one of them. We increasingly conduct case study research when addressing consequential issues, particularly in the ever expanding area of washback studies. So this new book by Peter Swanborn may be useful for our field. Entitled Case Study Research: What, Why and How? (ISBN 10:1849206120) from SAGE, the product details are as follows:

How should case studies be selected? Is case study methodology fundamentally different to that of other methods? What, in fact, is a case?

Case Study Research: What, Why and How? is an authoritative and nuanced exploration of the many faces of case-based research methods. As well as the what, how and why, the author also examines the when and which - always with an eye on practical applications to the design, collection, analysis and presentation of the research.

Case study methodology can prove a confusing and fragmented topic. In bringing diverse notions of case study research together in one volume and sensitising the reader to the many varying definitions and perceptions of 'case study', this book equips researchers at all levels with the knowledge to make an informed choice of research strategy.

This book was published in the United Kingdom today, and can be pre-ordered on Amazon in the United States. It can also be ordered through the Language Testing Bookstore, under the dictionaries and research methods tab.

Language Testing on YouTube

24 Jul 2010 17:38:32 GMT

YouTube has a lot of language testing related videos, but their quality is wildly variable. I have spent some time tracking down a list of providers who are putting up material that is not too overtly promotional, has interesting and relevant content, and which I have enjoyed watching. I have been particularly impressed with the amount of material on formative classroom assessment that is directly relevant to the needs of teachers. Just yesterday, for example, a new video was posted by Teachers TV on formative assessment by Dylan Wiliam, one of the leaders in the Assessment for Learning field. And if you haven't yet seen the feature on this topic, just click on the link.

The next step was to develop a new web page that would automatically recognize new video content on YouTube and import it directly into my web page. Combine that with a webslice, and this means that whenever a new video on language testing appears on YouTube, we will be informed from the toolbar of our web browser (only IE8, I'm afraid - Firefox users used to have 'webchunks' but it has been discontinued).

I haven't linked this new YouTube page into the website yet (all the links and an update on the homepage will come in a week's time, on 1st August). However, after piloting it for a couple of weeks I'm very happy with how this page is functionining. So I thought that I'd give subscribers to this bulletin an opportunity to try it out now. If you'd like to see what's available and subscribe to the weblice, just click on this link: Testing and Assessment on YouTube. The page updates itself on the fly twice weekly.

There will be more updates on 1st August, including a new feature. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy watching the YouTube content. Of course, don't forget the video page either.

Coming Soon - Language Testing on YouTube

16 Jul 2010 16:57:03 GMT

There hasn't been very much going on in the language testing world this month (conference in Melbourne aside - although I couldn't get there!), and I suspect that it is going to be fairly quiet over the rest of the summer. However, in the few moments I've had between projects, writing, and teaching, I've been working on a method to capture language testing videos from YouTube, incorporate them into a single web page, and add an alert when new testing and assessment videos are uploaded. This has proved fairly complicated, mainly because search feeds are not recognized as feeds, but as web pages. This means that it has to be done by provider, which is less efficient. However, I will have this up and running by the beginning of August so that you can keep up with language testing on YouTube, most of which is put there by test providers, and offers a different angle on testing and assessment issues.

Updates for July 2010

1 Jul 2010 11:27:53 GMT

This month the home page of the Language Testing Resources website is getting it's long awaited upgrade. For those of you who were regular viewers of the news, this is no longer embedded within an i-frame. This was a rather primitive solution. You will now find the news firmly on on the home page, complete with a subscription service so that you won't miss the news again. You will also see that the free subscription services have now been expanded to include news, articles, jobs in testing and assessment, and podcasts. As long as you're using a browser that can recognize webslices you can take out a subscription, and you'll get an alert whenever there is new content on that page. Go to the home page for more details. If you have any views on the new look homepage, please send them via the 'contact' page.

Language Testing Bytes Issue 2 & Video

1 Jul 2010 11:22:59 GMT

Language Testing 27(3), 2010, is a special issue guest edited by Dr Xiaoming Xi on the automated scoring of writing and speaking tests. In this podcast she talks about why the automated scoring of speaking and writing tests is such a hot topic, and explains the possibilities, limitations and current research issues in the field. Dr Xi has also made a video version of the interview, which is available on the video page.

Another general assessment publication

22 Jun 2010 08:08:40 GMT

Popham, W. J. (2010). Everything School Leaders Need to Know About Assessment. Corwin Press. ISBN: 141297979X . Very much a text on general educational assessment, but unusually written for the particular audience of school leaders. This could be the one to give your head teacher for Christmas this year, just as you put in a budget for test development resources for the future! Here's the product blurb: "With plain language and practical examples, Popham covers key understandings for school leaders, including validity, formative assessment, interpreting test results, instructional sensitivity, and more."

Available under the general tab in the bookstore.

New Book on Diagnostic Measurement

22 Jun 2010 08:08:33 GMT

Rupp, A. A., Templin, J. and Henson, R. A. Diagnostic Measurement (2010). Methodology in the Social Sciences. Guilford Press. ISBN: 1606235273.

There isn't a great deal on diagnostic assessment and testing, as Charles Alderson pointed out in his book Diagnosing Foreign Language Proficiency in 2005. This new book does not focus on language, but measurement in general. For anyone who has struggled with some of the more recent literature in this area (see for example, Eunice Jang's paper "Cognitive diagnostic assessment of L2 reading ability: Validity arguments for Fusion Model application to LanguEdge assessment" in Language Testing 26(1), 31 - 74) this might be a welcome explanatory text. Anyway, here is one review which is promising on the accessibility front.

"The readability of the book is excellent. It offers a good, basic-level exposition of the underpinnings of cognitive diagnostic assessment. It is particularly important for a book like this to be accessible to a broader audience beyond experts in cognitive diagnosis. The book covers cognitive foundations, makes connections with the most salient aspects of assessment validity, and includes detailed derivations and discussion of core cognitive diagnostic models. The examples are especially effective and clear, as is the tabulation of model parameters in the discussion of six core models and their relationship to the log-linear modeling framework. I would recommend this text for use in graduate seminars and expect to quote from it and cite it in professional presentations and papers. There is no other book available with comparable breadth." Lou DiBello, University of Illinois-Chicago.

And here is the product description:

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of diagnostic classification models (DCMs), which are useful for statistically driven diagnostic decision making. DCMs can be employed in a wide range of disciplines, including educational assessment and clinical psychology. For the first time in a single volume, the authors present the key conceptual underpinnings and methodological foundations for applying these models in practice. Specifically, they discuss a unified approach to DCMs, the mathematical structure of DCMs and their relationship to other latent variable models, and the implementation and estimation of DCMs using Mplus. The book's highly accessible language, real-world applications, numerous examples, and clearly annotated equations will encourage professionals and students to explore the utility and statistical properties of DCMs in their own projects. The companion website (projects.coe.uga.edu/dcm) features data sets, Mplus syntax code, and output.

This book is available from the Languagetesting.info bookstore, under the tab diagnostic testing.

Gaokao 2010 Questions Revealed

9 Jun 2010 07:43:30 GMT

The annual Gaokao is over, and Danwei has just published a selection of essay questions from around China. Click on the link above to see the selection. The first example is about mice and fish, that was based on a cartoon. A translation of the cartoon is available on Shanghaiist, with an explanation of what the test takers were supposed to infer. Or at least what the media think the test takers were supposed to infer! This is as much a rite of passage as it is a test. There is a great image from the Wall Street Journal's photo journal of stories in the news, of students being checked with electronic scanners for 'cheating devices'. I have now added the English editions of the Chinese news media to the language testing news search engine, so stories like this will be picked up and displayed on the home page in the future. For more information on the Gaokao see the Wikipedia entry, and this recent blog from the New Yorker.

TOEFL® COE 2011 RESEARCH PROGRAM

4 Jun 2010 15:22:50 GMT

Just two weeks to go if you wish to submit a bid for the TOEFL Research Program for 2011. Follow the link for details and submission guidelines.

New Book on Think Aloud Protocols

3 Jun 2010 15:22:59 GMT

Language Testing researchers are increasingly using think-aloud or stimulated recall protocol analysis in their research, so this book by Melissa Bowles entitled The Think-aloud Controversy in Second Language Research is a welcome addition to the literature in this area. According to the blub, the book "...aims to answer key questions about the validity and uses of think-alouds, verbal reports completed by research participants while they perform a task."

Also available under the 'research methods' tab in the Bookstore.

First Issue of Language Testing Bytes

1 Jun 2010 08:32:35 GMT

The first issue of Language Testing Bytes is now available. This is the official podcast of the journal Language Testing, and is available from the SAGE website ltj.sagepub.com, from this website, and as part of the SAGE Podcast on iTunes. Issue 1 is related to the articles on fairness in Langugage Testing (27)2. In this podcast I interview with Mike Kane on his approach to validation, and how he sees the notion of test fairness in relation to validity.

Language Testing in the Military

1 Jun 2010 08:21:37 GMT

The scenarios have been designed to illustrate the kinds of settings in which language testing is important, and in a seminar setting could be used to explore the concept of test purpose and effect. In a new scenario for June, we focus on the use of language testing and learning in the military, where it is frequently important for personnel to be able to communicate effectively in one or more second languages. I have put the following quotation from Kaulfers (1944: 137) on the web page, as it remains one of my favourites in this context:

The nature of the individual test items should be such as to provide specific, recognisable evidence of the examinee's readiness to perform in a life-situation, where lack of ability to understand and speak extemporaneously might be a serious handicap to safety and comfort, or to the effective execution of military duty.

Many innovations in language testing have been linked to military needs, and this scenario shows how these needs are still very much present today.

Language Testing Bytes

22 May 2010 11:13:31 GMT

SAGE Publishers will be launching a new podcast in June 2010 to accompany the journal Language Testing. This journal is currently edited by Cathie Elder (University of Melbourne) and myself, Glenn Fulcher (University of Leicester). Language Testing Bytes will be published three or four times per year, in which we discuss topics related to a particular issue of the journal. This may be an interview with a contributor to the journal, or another expert in the field. You will be able to download the podcast from this website, from the journal website, or subscribe to the podcast through iTunes. The first issue of Language Testing Bytes will be available from languagetesting.info in June, featuring an interview with Professor Mike Kane on the topic of validation.

Just out: Testing the Untestable in Language Education

16 May 2010 09:45:48 GMT

Edited by Amos Paran and Lies Sercu, from Multilingual Matters. ISBN-10: 1847692656.

Review

The title of this book is well chosen. Despite the apparent oxymoron, this collection of papers succeeds in addressing important issues of educational policy and theory with the precision born of empirical work combined with discussion of principles. This book will open new options for testers, for teachers and for those who make policy decisions. --Michael Byram, School of Education, University of Durham, UK

Product Description

The testing and assessment of language competence continues to be a much debated issue in foreign language teaching and research. This book is the first one to address the testing of four important dimensions of foreign language education which have been left largely unconsidered: learner autonomy, intercultural competence, literature and literary competence, and the integration of content and language learning. Each area is considered through a theoretical framework, followed by two empirical studies, raising questions of importance to all language teachers: how can one test literary competence; can intercultural competence be measured; what about the integrated assessment of content-and-language in CLIL and teaching; and, is progress in autonomous learning skill gaugeable. The book constitutes essential reading for anyone interested in the testing and assessment of seemingly largely untestable aspects of foreign language competence.

Available through the Language Testing Bookstore on the 4th page under the General Category

IELTS Research Grants 2010–2011

15 May 2010 09:31:40 GMT

IELTS, the International English Language Testing System, is now accepting applications for Research Grants.

Individuals and educational institutions with relevant experience are invited to apply for funding to conduct applied research related to English language proficiency testing, specifically IELTS. U.S. educators and researchers are encouraged to submit relevant proposals.

Funding up to $22,000 (15,000 GBP) per research project will be awarded to a select number of proposals this year.

Identified areas for research are:

• test development and validation

• investigations into the use of IELTS by institutions

• case studies on the impact of IELTS on candidates and users.

Teaching, Learning, Assessing in Second Language Contexts

13 May 2010 11:12:48 GMT

Dates: 2nd-3rd December 2010

Venue: Zanzibar Beach Resort Hotel, Zanzibar, Tanzania

This Symposium aims to share research findings and discuss current issues
and policies related to teaching, learning and assessing through the
medium of a second or foreign language across the globe.

We invite submissions of individual papers and posters on any topic of
relevance to the Symposium theme.

See details at: http://www.bris.ac.uk/spine/symposium/symposiumthemes/

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS (papers & posters): July 30th 2010

Special Issue of ELTED - Call for Papers

6 May 2010 13:52:51 GMT

English Language Teacher Education and Development (ELTED) is planning a special winter issue (2010) on testing and assessment. The guest editor, Gerard Sharpling, is particularly interested in receiving manuscripts from research students who would like to see some of their work in print.

Areas of interest include:

- an outline/appraisal of courses involving training in language testing;

- personal accounts of how language testers working within testing organisations have developed/enhanced their skills/knowledge;

- reports/evaluations of how training procedures for rater/assessor training (standardisation, inter-rate/intra-rater reliability, etc) have been implemented;

- approaches to quantative/statistical procedure training, in particular, on teacher education courses;

- development of classroom-based assessment skills (especially formative assessment);

- developing humanistic/learner-centred approaches to language testing/assessment;

- the training of raters in the marking/grading of writing and speaking;

- evaluation of the usefulness of teacher development in terms of language testing and assessment.

- training in the use of technology within the language testing sphere.

See the journal's website for further information and how to submit: http://www.elted.net/

Alternatively, you can contact Gerard Sharpling directly at: Gerard.Sharpling@warwick.ac.uk.

New Publication on testing speaking in China

4 May 2010 09:53:35 GMT

Testing Spoken English Achievement for Non-English Majors in China, by Li Huadong. 180 pages. ISBN-10 1425151418.

Product Description:

This book tries to solve a practical problem, that is, the general lack of the spoken English achievement test (SEAT) in the college English teaching for non-English majors in mainland China. To achieve this purpose, it first reviews theories and techniques relevant to speaking and language testing, then conducts empirical research into four SEAT formats, and finally puts forward a presentation and discussion (P&D) SEAT format. It can make the "impractical" SEAT practical, thus promoting testing, and in turn, teaching and learning of spoken English for non-English majors in Chinese universities in order to meet the social and learners' individual needs for the English speaking skill.

Video Breakthrough for Firefox Users

3 May 2010 09:53:18 GMT

Up until now it has not been possible for Firefox users to select a video to play on the video page. This is because of problems with the flash plugin that has to be downloaded into broswers like Firefox and Safari. I have struggled to solve this problem, as some 23% of the website users are Firefox folk. I have now managed to produce blank thumbnails in the flash menu system so that a video can be selected by number. This is a breakthrough, as previously all Firefox users could do was hit the play button and see the videos in sequence. Not much fun! Note, however, that users of all browsers apart from Internet Explorer still cannot see the thumbnail images or other graphic posters on videos. This isn't my fault! It's the plugins that they use, rather than having an active-X flash player built in, like Internet Explorer 8. If you wish to see more about technical issues around browsers and what you can/can't see or do on this site because of the browser you use, please visit the technical page.

Language Testing Scenarios

1 May 2010 11:02:46 GMT

The new language testing scenarios are being added to the What is Language Testing? page, starting this month. Definitions and key texts are useful to understand a topic. Perhaps even more powerful are scenarios where language testing is an important ingredient in decision making. I am planning six scenarios, each of which provide information on the language testing issues at stake, and presents questions for discussion and exploration. These have been designed to be used in a seminar setting and may be particularly useful to explore the various purposes for which we test. The first two scenarios are launched today, on language testing in the aviation industry, and language testing for call centres. Other scenarios will be added in coming months, on language testing in the military, for medical and legal purposes, and finally for education.

Feedback to help me improve these is most welcome, so if you do use them and can think of content that I've missed, innovative ways of using the material, or improve focus questions, I'd like to hear from you. You can get in touch by clicking on the 'contact' tab at the top of the page.

Lots of New Articles

1 May 2010 10:33:12 GMT

Over the last month I've been catching up with lots of the recent literature on validation, and in the process I inevitably went back to look at what had been written in the past. I discovered, to my amazement, that many classic papers have now been scanned and are available online. So I've added links to work by authors like Embretson and Loevinger, among others. But I'll let you search for the other new links at your leisure. Happy reading!

New Video: Carol Chapelle on Technology in in Language Testing

1 May 2010 10:16:22 GMT

The Language Testing Resources website is 15 years old this month, and so there's a lot of new material to push it foward into what I hope will be the next 15! Firstly, we have a new video by Professor Carol Chapelle on the use of technology in language testing. Her many books, articles and research papers in the field deserve careful study, and the new video provides an excellent introduction to the topic. If you haven't read Assessment Through Computer Technology, it comes highly recommended. This new video is ideal for use in a language testing course to generate discussion and further study. I would, of course, like to thank Carol for sparing time to share her expertise with us.

Almost 15 Years Old

27 Apr 2010 17:17:28 GMT

The Language Testing Resources Website was first launched in May 1995. There are going to be a range of updates to the site this weekend to celebrate its birthday.

News Quiz Item added to the Fun Page

27 Apr 2010 17:12:53 GMT

On 23rd April 2010 testing managed to find its way onto the News Quiz, a popular Radio 4 satirical news show broadcast on a Friday evening. It dealt with the issue of teachers boycotting tests as a means of opposing government policy on accountability. It could have been more searing, but is quite funny nevertheless.

Published: Language Assessment: Principles and Classroom Practices 2nd Edition

22 Apr 2010 18:07:11 GMT

From the Back Cover

Language Assessment provides teachers with a clear presentation of the essentials for assessing second language learning fairly and effectively. This updated second edition includes new research and information on standardized tests, a new chapter on form-focused assessment, and a concise glossary of terms.

With a focus on the most common pedagogical challenge – classroom-based assessment – Language Assessment delivers useful tools for evaluating and designing practical, effective assessment techniques.

Features:

Updated references and new information reflecting recent advances and current challenges in the field.
Classification of assessment techniques ranging from controlled to open-ended item types on a specified continuum of micro- and macroskills of language.
Systematic treatment of assessment for all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) as well as grammar and vocabulary.
Discussion of large-scale standardized tests, the ethics of testing, letter grading, and overall evaluation of student performance.
Comprehensive presentation of alternatives in assessment, such as portfolios, journals, conferences, observations, interviews, and self- or peer-assessment.

New Features

Chapter objectives that preview content and goals
A new chapter on form-focused assessment
An appendix of commercially available tests
A concise glossary of assessment terms

This text can be ordered through the bookstore, under the general category.

LTRC 2010 and 2011

17 Apr 2010 19:53:10 GMT

LTRC 2010 in Cambridge was a fantastic event, and all participants are very grateful to Cambridge ESOL for hosting the conference, and particularly Lynda Taylor and her team for the wonderful organization. Participants are now trying to make their way home through the clouds of volcanic ash! At least we all head home refreshed. And no sooner is this year's event concluded, than it is time to look to 2011. The organizers, the University of Michigan, already have a web page up and running, which you can take a look at by following this link. It is far too early for a call for papers, but we will alert you when it happens.

Cambridge Info and Weather for LTRC

12 Apr 2010 12:06:49 GMT

I've added further information on Cambridge and the surrounding area to the Home Page, along with a regularly updated 3-day weather forecast.

Published: Language Assessment in Practice

12 Apr 2010 12:05:02 GMT

The second edition of Bachman and Palmer's Language Assessment in Practice is now available. Copies can be purchased through the bookstore. Product description: Presents an innovative, unified, and easily applied approach to designing and developing language assessments. Language Assessment in Practice is a follow-up to the bestselling Language Testing in Practice. It allows readers to become competent in the design, development, and use of language assessments. The authors discuss concepts and procedures clearly, illustrated with examples.

Published: From Migrant to Citizen: Testing Language, Testing Culture

3 Apr 2010 14:43:02 GMT

Product Description

In this examination of the Australian debate on citizenship tests in its historical and international context, linguists, lawyers and historians, political theorists and philosophers draw out themes of identity and cultural belonging underlying the political rhetoric of testing new citizens knowledge of the language and culture of a nation.

Divided into three parts From Migrant to Citizen

- explores the historical background which Australian citizenship testing shares with other nations of the British colonies.

- provides cross-national perspectives on citizenship by examining the proliferation of new tests for citizenship in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and in Australia.

- discusses philosophical implications and popular attitudes towards the new testing regimes by discussing debates about identity, values and nation and the implications for Australia and for the wider international community.

This title is now available from Amazon.co.uk, but can be pre-ordered in the US on Amazon.com, or through the languagetesting.info bookstore in the category of special purposes and EAP testing.

Published: Practical Language Testing

2 Apr 2010 14:42:41 GMT

Product Description

Practical Language Testing equips you with the skills, knowledge and principles necessary to understand and construct language tests.

This intensely practical book gives guidelines on the design of assessments within the classroom, and provides the necessary tools to analyse and improve assessments, as well as deal with alignment to externally imposed standards. Testing is situated both within the classroom and within the larger social context, and readers are provided the knowledge necessary to make realistic and fair decisions about the use and implementation of tests. The book explains the normative role of large scale testing and provides alternatives that the reader can adapt to their own context. This fulfils the dual purpose of providing the reader with the knowledge they need to prepare learners for tests, and the practical skills for using assessment for learning.

Practical Language Testing is the ideal introduction for students of applied linguistics, TESOL and modern foreign language teaching as well as practicing teachers required to design or implement language testing programmes.

Conference Travel Update

1 Apr 2010 17:04:39 GMT

The threatened UK rail strike that may have caused problems for LTRC participants travelling to attend pre-conference workshops has just been called off, and all trains will now be running as normal. Great news for everyone. However, there is a message in this episode for language testers and researchers.

Rail Network went to the High Court in London to take out an injunction against the Rail Union to stop them going on strike as planned. The grounds for application were that there were significant errors in the data collection that "invalidate" the ballot, and so the court was asked to force the Union to run a new ballot of members before they could take strike action. The problems with the data and data collection are (and I quote):

11 signal boxes have been balloted by the RMT that do not exist - most have been closed for yearsFor example, RMT balloted members at Chalford signal box, near Gloucester, closed in 1965/6. It also balloted members at East Usk signal box, Newport, that burnt down in April 2009
67 locations have been balloted where the numbers of RMT members exceeds the total number of employees that work there. For example, we have three employees at South Tottenham, the RMT asked 11 members to vote. We have 24 employees at Crewe and the RMT invited 33 members to vote
26 workplaces (such as Rugby signal box) amounting to almost 100 employees, have been completely missed thereby giving RMT members at these locations no opportunity to vote
12 locations were balloted where there are no operations staff at all and thus were ineligible to vote

What a great reminder to plan data collection in advance, and to handle and report it accurately! And here's a useful reference to keep to hand: Davidson, F. (1996) Principles of Statistical Data Handling. London: Sage.

I hope you have a very enjoyable and trouble free journey to Cambridge.

LTRC Final Programme Available

1 Apr 2010 16:04:27 GMT

The LTRC programme is now available on the conference website for download.

Online First Added

1 Apr 2010 16:02:41 GMT

You can now check on papers that are due to appear in future editions of Language Testing using the online first page. This has also been added to the Article Alert Service, so that subscribers will be notified when new papers are uploaded to this, as well as other journals.

Updated Articles

1 Apr 2010 09:14:35 GMT

I have significantly added to the articles links this month, having discovered pdfs of may key assessment texts on the internet. Browse the articles to see what is available, but I will draw your attention to the addition of two important papers from the educational assessment literature:

Embretson, S. (1983). Construct Validity: Construct Representation Versus Nomothetic Span. Psychological Bulletin, 93, 1, 179 - 197.

Loevinger, J. (1957). Objective tests as instruments of psychological theory. Psychological Reports 3, 635 - 694. Southern Universities Press, Monograph Supplement 9.

Happy reading!

New Feature: Assessment for Learning

1 Apr 2010 08:57:01 GMT

Classroom assessment is said to be formative rather than summative. That is, it takes place during the process of learning, rather than at the end of a period of learning. And its purpose is to inform and improve learning, rather than simply to assess whether the learners have mastered the learning objectives. The role of formative assessment is therefore to generate information to help improve learning and teaching. This feature offers a brief introduction to assessment for learning in general, and relates the principles of the assessment for learning movement to language testing and assessment. Links to key resources are provided.

Re-assessing assessment in EAP: Call for Papers

1 Apr 2010 08:56:54 GMT

BALEAP Professional Issues Meeting

RE-ASSESSING ASSESSMENT IN EAP : CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Centre for English Language Education,
Jubilee Campus, The University of Nottingham
Saturday 13 November 2010

Proposal deadline : 21 June 2010

New Edition: Educational Assessment of Students

28 Mar 2010 12:16:02 GMT

Originally scheduled for publication in February, the 6th edition of Educational Assessment of Students by Brookhart and Nitko is now in the bookshops. Product Description: A highly-respected book in its field, The Educational Assessment of Students 6/e is the most thorough discussion of traditional and alternative assessments of any text–explaining, giving practical real-world examples, discussing pros and cons, and showing how to construct virtually all of the choices teachers can make in classroom assessment. Theories and research findings abound; the author examines why, when, and how teachers should use assessment in the classroom. Topics include: the bases for assessment in the classroom, crafting and using classroom assessments, and interpreting and using standardized tests. With its extensive and valuable appendix set, this book is a must-have desk reference for teachers and others involved in the field of education. I have now added this to the Bookstore in the category of classroom assessment.

Cambridge Info for LTRC Participants

27 Mar 2010 17:31:11 GMT

I've just added a new section to the Homepage which provides links to information about Cambridge and gives a constantly updated 3-day weather forecast for the area. This will stay on the website through the conference, and will be removed on 18th April.

Travel Update for Easter Period Conferences

26 Mar 2010 13:39:05 GMT

National Express, the UK's main inter-city coach service, has announced that it's putting on additional services during and around the rail strike. If you are worried about getting from your airport to a conference venue just after Easter, you can consider coach as an alternative to rail. Information and booking for National Express can be done online here.

UK Conference Travel News for April

26 Mar 2010 09:25:00 GMT

If you are travelling to IATEFL in Harrogate, or planning to arrive at LTRC early, and are travelling within the UK by train, note that the rail union has called a national strike for 6th - 9th April. This may put trains out of position for a good few days after the final date of the planned strike. Hopefully, the dispute will be solved in time. If not, you can got to the National Rail Enquiries website to find out what disruptions you might face. In the meantime, it may be useful to follow the transport news on the BBC website in case you need to make alternative arrangements.

JLTA Conference 2010: Call for Papers

21 Mar 2010 16:10:26 GMT

The Japan Language Testing Association (JLTA) invites presentation proposals for its annual
conference.

Date: September 11, 2010 (Saturday) 9:00 to 17:00
Place: Toyohashi University of Technology
Theme: Diagnostic testing in language teaching

Attendance Fee: Student & JLTA Member: \1,000
　　　　　　　　Non-JLTA-member: \3,000

The deadline for submission of presentation proposals: July 3, 2010.
Conference homepage: https://e-learning.ac/jlta.ac/

Scalar Conference: Call for Papers

21 Mar 2010 15:45:52 GMT

The 13th Annual Conference of the Southern California Association for Language Assessment Research (SCALAR) will be held on Saturday, 1 May 2010 at the University of California, Los Angeles. The theme of this year’s conference is, “Formative Assessment”.

New Video Clip (Number 5)

18 Mar 2010 06:57:34 GMT

I was recently reminded of the excellent video clip from Yes, Prime Minister on how to create a survey with leading questions. As interviews and questionnaires are frequently used in language testing to collect data, and I have been teaching this topic recently, I thought I would add it to the humour page. I hope you enjoy this as much as I and my students do!

Articles Update

13 Mar 2010 11:15:02 GMT

I will be adding quite a number of new articles to the website at the beginning of April. However, for I thought I would send this out in advance to feed subscribers. I have just discovered that AILA Review 7 from 1990, entitled Standardization in Language Testing, is now available online in pdf in its entirety. The contents are listed below. You can download the volume by clicking on this link. This, and more new content, will be posted on the articles page on 1st April.

Guest-editor's Preface John H. A. L. DE JONG	3-5
Language Testing in Research and Education: The Need for Standards Peter J. M. GROOT	6-23
The Cambridge-TOEFL Comparability Study : An example of the Cross-National Comparison of Language Tests Fred DAVIDSON & Lyle BACHMAN	24-45
The Australian Second Language Proficiency Ratings (ASLPR) David E. INGRAM	46-61
Cross-National Standards: A Dutch-Swedish Collaborative Effort in National Standardized Testing John H.A.L. DE JONG & Mats OSCARSON	62-78
The Hebrew Speaking Test: An Example of International Cooperation in Test Development and Validation Elana SHOHAMY & Charles W. STANSFIELD	79-90
EUROCERT: An International Standard for Certification of Language Proficiency Alex OLDE KALTER & Paul VOSSEN	91-105
Response to Alex Olde Kalter and Paul Vossen John READ	106-107

MwALT 2010

9 Mar 2010 10:45:29 GMT

Performing assessment through Performance assessment

The 12th Annual Conference will be held
Saturday, September 25th, 2010 at
Wright State University
Dayton, Ohio

Plenary Speaker: April Ginther

Call for Papers

LTRC Early Bird Registration Ending

2 Mar 2010 07:49:23 GMT

If you are planning to attend the Language Testing Research Colloquium in Cambridge this April, it is best to register this week. Early bird registration ends on Sunday 8th March, after which the price goes up. Abstracts of the talks by Michael Kane (Messick lecture) and Elana Shohamy (lifetime achievement award lecture) are both available on the LTRC website.

Competition Winner

1 Mar 2010 03:58:54 GMT

During the winter months you may recollect that we ran a competition to define 'language testing'. This has now been judged by myself and Professor Alan Davies of the University of Edinburgh, and the winner is Priscilla Allen of the University of Washington. Many congratulations to her on winning a competition with lots of very good entries indeed. And thank you to all those who put so much effort into their definitions - especially the entrants from Turkey and Cyprus! We enjoyed reading your work, and wish we could have given a prize to everyone. I have now created a new web page that gives a number of brief definitions of 'language testing', and provides downloads of two of the founding documents of the field.

New Article Alert Service

1 Mar 2010 04:02:55 GMT

Using the new web slice technology that comes with IE8, this new service will alert users to the publication of new articles on language testing in a range of journals from the testing, educational, and applied linguistics fields. The journals included in this service are only those that put an electronic date stamp on individual articles. Some journals do not do this, and so their articles would 'sit' at the top of the page without moving until the journal removed that content. You can see that this happens on the aggregation page. You have to scroll down some way before you reach an article with a publication date. The Article Alert service will therefore tell you when new publications become available, but you should still check the aggregation page and the journals page periodically, so you don't miss anything.

Conference: Assessment for Learners

18 Feb 2010 10:41:55 GMT

FIFTH BIENNIAL NORTHUMBRIA/EARLI SIG ASSESSMENT CONFERENCE

Assessment for Learners

1-3 September 2010
Slaley Hall Hotel, Northumberland, UK

AILA 2011

17 Feb 2010 08:55:34 GMT

AILA: 16th World Congress of Applied Linguistics
Harmony in diversity: language, culture, society
Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing
23-28 August 2011

Download the Call for Papers

Published: Classroom Assessment (6th edition)

14 Feb 2010 10:34:36 GMT

Product description: Written with energy and wit, this reader-friendly text discusses practical ways in which teachers can use well-written tests to improve their effectiveness in the classroom. Exploring a wide range of classroom assessments as well as how these assessments can benefit student learning, the thoroughly revised sixth edition of Classroom Assessment retains its humorous tone and unique practice exercises while adding new research, new material, and new features. This edition covers both contemporary classroom assessment issues, including No Child Left Behind, instructor accountability, and formative assessments, while also covering traditional assessment topics such as assessment validity and assessment reliability. Three new chapters include fresh and expanded material on formative assessments, the evaluation of instruction, and properly grading assessments. In addition, a new section at the end of the book provides students with critical thinking exercises that involve real-world assessment issues and that cover central topics from each chapter. Another new feature teaches readers how to best communicate with parents about assessments and assessment results.

Available through the Bookstore in the Classroom Assessment Category.

Published: Developing Report Cards

14 Feb 2010 10:08:07 GMT

Now available ahead of the publication date. Review: Guskey and Bailey clearly articulate the need for reform on one of today’s most pressing issues in education: grading and reporting. Throughout the book, they offer realistic solutions to improve how educators communicate a student’s academic progress to all stakeholders. Their work provides the practitioner with the research, step-by-step guidelines, and reporting templates so a faculty is ready to begin the dialogue to develop a standards-based report card. The research has helped us answer the two main questions: 'What goes into a grade?' and 'How do we report it out?' This work, without a doubt, is a model for schools that want to improve their system of grading and reporting.

Available through the Bookstore in the Classroom Assessment category.

Reliability Paper Published

5 Feb 2010 11:23:53 GMT

Although it has a 2009 publication date, Parallel Universes and Parallel Measures has only just been made available. The publication, commissioned by OFQUAL and written by authors from the UK's National Foundation for Educational Research, explains and describes the different forms of reliability and the commonly used reliability indices.

This and other new freely available publications are listed on the articles web page.

ILTA Funding for Workshops and Meetings

4 Feb 2010 16:06:45 GMT

Call for Proposals 2010

ILTA aims to promote high standards of professionalism in language
testing and assessment practice. One way of carrying out this mission is
to encourage workshops and meetings where language testing experts
educate and train teachers, test developers, and others, including
policy makers, principals, and even test takers in key skills and
knowledge in language testing/assessment.

ILTA offers individual grants of up to US$ 3,000 for carrying out an
approved workshop/meeting designed to help diffuse knowledge among a
wider group in different parts of the world. The aim of a
workshop/meeting should be to promote understanding, familiarity, and
knowledge of language testing issues and practice among various groups
of test users. It is expected that the award will be used as 'seed'
money to organise such a workshop/meeting and, ideally, to establish a
permanent local organisation that that will conduct further practical
activities in language testing in the future, especially in places in
need of language testing expertise.

More than one award of US$ 3,000 may be made available in any one year,
subject to sufficient funds being available. The procedures require that
an award must be used by the end of the calendar year following
application (i.e. proposals approved in 2010 must be carried out by the
end of 2011).

CRITERIA FOR SUBMISSION: Those eligible to apply are individual language
testers, teachers and others representing various types of institutions
such as universities, research institutes, schools and testing
organisations. Applicants must be ILTA members or, in the case of joint
applications, at least one applicant must be an ILTA member. (In cases
of extreme financial hardship the membership costs for ILTA may be
included as part of the proposal, but a justification is needed in such
a case.)

APPLICATION PROCESS: Those interested can apply by sending a 3- to
5-page proposal which should include the following:
1. brief background regarding the state of language testing in the
specific context (country, region, school system)
2. rationale for the meeting including specific reasons and needs for
holding the meeting
3. description of target participant groups and their prior
training/knowledge in language teaching and in language
testing/assessment
4. plan for the meeting including specific themes to be covered
5. tentative list of speakers/workshop leaders plus information about
their expertise 
6. background of the organiser(s) in the area of language testing (the
CV of at least one main organiser should be included to support this
point)
7. duration and location of the workshop/meeting
8. intended audience for the workshop/meeting
9. amount of money needed and a specific description of how it will be
used (including budget breakdown)
10. intended results of the workshop/meeting, specifically the short-
and long-range impact the event is expected to have
11. a specific explanation of how the workshop/meeting will contribute
to the mission and to the establishment of a permanent, local
organisation
12. full contact details of the organiser(s).

The application must include a written statement of a commitment to
provide ILTA within 3 months of the workshop/meeting, with an evaluative
report of the event. This will be posted on the ILTA website and may be
distributed to ILTA members.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications should be sent by e-mail to the ILTA
President Carolyn Turner, carolyn.turner@mcgill.ca, by 1 April 2010.

SELECTION PROCESS: Each application for grant funding will be evaluated
by a special committee of ILTA Executive Board members, which is chaired
by the ILTA President and includes one or more of the current ILTA
Members at Large. The committee may also call upon other relevant
experts to input to the selection process. In light of this, the
committee will determine the likely evaluation/wait time needed before a
decision can be made and will notify the applicant(s) accordingly.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION: Selection will be based upon the fit between the
application and the criteria which are outlined above. Priority will be
given to contexts where language testing is not well-established so that
the workshop/meeting can contribute significantly to increasing
awareness, knowledge and effective practice in language
testing/assessment.

New Edited Volume

3 Feb 2010 13:54:21 GMT

Edited by Lynda Taylor and Cyril Weir, Language Testing Matters: Investigating the Wider Social and Educational Impact of Assessment (Proceedings of the ALTE Cambridge Conference April 2008) is now available in paperback.

Product description: 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.

This title is available through the languagetesting.info Bookstore.

LTRC 2010 Provisional Programme

3 Feb 2010 13:48:46 GMT

A provisional programme for this year's Language Testing Research Colloquium is now available to download. This is the first time parallel sessions have been timetabled, reflecting the growth in the number of proposals being submitted.

Competition Closed

3 Feb 2010 11:37:23 GMT

The winter language testing competition is now closed, and the entries will go to the two judges. Thank you to everyone who took part, and we hope to have a definition of 'language testing' that we can use on this site. The winning entry will be announced next month, and the winner will get a copy of Practical Language Testing.

Testing and Politics

3 Feb 2010 11:39:24 GMT

There is a new language testing feature available this month on the use of tests to achieve political harmonization. This is a practice as old as organized society. The earliest existing test for this purpose (actually linked to a textbook - Bede's On the Reckoning of Time) dates from 809 CE. The feature has a copy of the test for you to download, a discussion of the context of its use, and some thoughts about the modern use of tests for overtly political purposes. You can also download a pdf of Test use and political philosophy (2009).

One Week Left to Enter the Competition

27 Jan 2010 15:35:23 GMT

If you haven't entered the competition there is just one week left. Visit the competition web page and submit your definition of 'language testing' before noon (GMT) on 3rd February. The winning entry (should there be one!) will be announced in March.

Testing Conference - 29th January

20 Jan 2010 09:03:24 GMT

Just in case anyone is in Paris on Friday next week, there is a one-day language testing conference at the University of Pierre and Marie Curie - Paris 6. Venue: Amphi Jacques Monod, 4 place Jussieu - F-75252, Paris cedex 05. Places must be reserved in advance from the organizers, so contact the University directly. I can't give emails in this feed when there isn't a conference website, but if you wish to see if there are places available and need an email address, please contact me.

Programme:

Glenn Fulcher. The CEFR: Uses and usefulness.

Christian Puren. An example of 'action oriented' certification prior to the CEFRL: The DCL-Diploma of Competence in Language.

Christine Demaison, Faouzia Benderdouche. The CEFRL: A tool to use to build the beginning and ending of a language policy.

Catherine Carol and Mirielle Prodeuau. The case for a dialogue between didactitions and acquisitionists: thoughts from the European project Slate.

Sabine Lopez: Is it possible to relate CEFRL levels to the different stages of acquisition of French as a Foreign Language?

Innovations in Testing (ATP 2010)

20 Jan 2010 08:13:24 GMT

I have just come across an organization of which I was previously unaware, the Association of Test Publishers. I will be adding this to the links page shortly. In the meantime, you may wish to take a look at their annual conference. As we would expect, the focus is rather different from what we are used to at conferences like LTRC. But I thought it would be of enough interest to bring to your attention.

ALTE 4th International Conference

19 Jan 2010 12:17:30 GMT

The ALTE 4th International Conference will take place from 7-9 July 2011 in Kraków, Poland. The theme of the conference will be The Impact of Language Frameworks on Assessment, Learning and Teaching viewed from the perspectives of policies, procedures and challenges. The first Call for Papers will be announced in April 2010.

Some technical Issues

19 Jan 2010 09:13:49 GMT

Recently I've had one or two users of languagetesting.info contact me to say that they are having problems with some pages. The most frequent is an inability to see the video thumbnails on the video page, which means that they can only hit 'play' and watch them from the beginning, rather than select the video they want. I was puzzled about this, until I discovered that they all have one thing in common: they all use Firefox. I don't have the time to check all pages on this web site in multiple browsers, but I have now taken the trouble to go through the site with Firefox. There are multiple problems, which I have now outlined in a new 'technical issues' page. If you are a Firefox user, please check this out. I've also included information on a couple of other topics that I frequently get questions about.

Jobs Web Slice Subscription Available

15 Jan 2010 10:17:07 GMT

Today I've added a web slice subscription to the testing and assessment jobs page. You can place a tab on your browser's tool bar that will automatically alert you when new jobs are posted on this page. This is a new feature that (sadly) only works with Internet Explorer 8 at the present time. My apologies to the 20% of visitors to this site who use Firefox! Click here to learn more about web slices and how to use them.

KELTA Conference 2010

11 Jan 2010 17:06:04 GMT

KELTA 2010 Call for Presentations KELTA (Korea English Language Testing Association) is going to hold its 6th international conference on Saturday, August 28, 2009, at Seoul National University. The details of the conference are as follows: Name: KELTA 2010 International Conference Date: Saturday, August 28, 2009 Venue: Education Information Hall, Seoul National University Theme: Professionalism in the Policy Making of English Language Tests Keynote and Plenary Speakers: TBA Deadline for topic/abstract submission: April 1st , 2010. Contact Persons: Conference Chair: Dr. Kyung-Ae Jin (Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation) at kajin@kice.re.kr Secretary General: Dr. Tae-young Jeong (Korea Military Academy) at tyjeong@kma.ac.kr or jty1234@yahoo.com

Change in Feed Name

10 Jan 2010 16:47:06 GMT

If you have already subscribed to this feed, the name (but not the source file) has been changed today. There are two reasons for this. The existing name is rather long for the toolbar, and a shorter one was preferable. However, two new feed services are planned for the near future, and the names need to show their content clearly. If you currently subscribe to this feed I suggest that you right click and 'delete', then re-subscribe. You can always mark all items as 'read'. I'm sorry for any inconvenience caused. News of the new feeds will be posted here as they become available.

Language Testing at IATEFL 2010

10 Jan 2010 09:37:16 GMT

IATEFL 2010 is in Harrogate, 7th - 11th April. There is a strong testing and assessment strand in the programme, which is now available for download from the IATEFL web site.

Establishing and Maintaining Standards

9 Jan 2010 16:42:02 GMT

Dubai, UAE, February 11 & 12, 2010 Assessment of language competence has always been an important part of the language teaching environments as it can have a tremendous effect on the lives of many language students, immigrants, employees and teachers. This clearly makes the task of setting meaningful and attainable standards one of the biggest challenges in assessment. On the one hand, establishing and maintaining standards in assessment can be extremely beneficial and can enhance the quality in language teaching.

Language Testing Research Colloquium 2010

9 Jan 2010 15:25:31 GMT

Registration for LTRC is now open. Early registration will end on 7 March. The final day for registration is Wednesday 31 March. Click on the link to go to the Registration Page, where you will also find details of conference fees and UK visa information.

Stephen Toulmin dies at 87

7 Jan 2010 15:59:15 GMT

Stephen Toulmin’s model of argument structure, expounded in his seminal work The Uses of Argument (1958/2003), has been widely used in philosophy, rhetoric, and educational measurement (eg., Kane, 2006). The model has also been used in developing the notion of validity as argument in many language testing books and articles, including Bachman (2005), Chapelle et al. (2006), and Fulcher and Davidson (2007).

Language Testing Bookstore Opened

1 Jan 2010 09:40:00 GMT

During 2009 I created the various pages on this web site that provide information on articles published in language testing. The next obvious step was to try to do the same for books. Amazon provided the answer, with the launch of their new aStore software. The new bookstore on this web site is an Amazon affiliate. I select the titles from my current lists of available books to stock the book store, so that users do not have to spend valuable time searching for relevant titles around the internet. Although this is on the languagetesting.info web site, orders are made directly with Amazon; and Amazon is responsible for all deliveries as if the user were shopping on Amazon.com. The main advantage is that this is a "specialist list" that would be difficult to generate even from multiple Amazon searches; and it also makes purchase of these books a little easier online.

Last chance to enter the Winter Competition

1 Jan 2010 09:09:44 GMT

If you haven't already entered the competition, you now have until 9 am on 3rd February to do so. Clilck on the link to take you directly to the competition page. The aim is to write a definition of 'language testing' suitable for a dictionary entry, and for use on this web site, to tell a complete newcomer what "language testing" is. Its length should be similar to that of any dictionary entry: short, pithy, and informative. Like all competitions, there is a prize for the winning entry.

Feature in EDTECH NEWS

26 Dec 2009 11:12:49 GMT

The Language Testing Resources page has been featured in the December issue of EDTECH NEWS, an electronic publication of the Univeridad Chileno - Britanica de Cultura. The number of visitors to this site from Chile have increased dramatically as a result, with over 400 pages being downloaded this month.

Obituary: Caroline Clapham

23 Dec 2009 09:18:00 GMT

Picture from the Video Testing Reading

The language testing community has recently been informed of Caroline's death on 14th December, after a long illness. Caroline was one of the very first people I met when I began to study language testing, and she remained a friend as well as colleague throughout the years. In 1999 she made one of the original videos for this language testing site, which you can still watch on the video page. However, I am now making an mp4 podcast of this video (136 mb) available for download so that we can remember Caroline as she was. This can be played on your computer, or on an iPOD.

To download this video, right click on this link and then select 'save target as'.

Caroline's major work The Development of IELTS: A Study of the Effect of Background on Reading Comprehension is seminal to the field, and is absolutely essential reading for all students of language testing. Fred Davidson wrote the review, which was published in in Language Testing in 1998, and shows how exceptional Caroline's contribution has been. I do not normally make texts like this available on my web site, but in this case will make an exception.

To download the review, right click on this link and then select 'save target as'.

Caroline will be greatly missed.

New Book on Validity

11 Dec 2009 14:44:07 GMT

The Concept of Validity: Revisions, New Directions and Applications.

Edited by R. W. Lissitz, this volume will be released on 15th December, 2009. The range and variety of the chapters should make it excellent reading. There is a chapter on validity in language testing by Micheline Chalhoub-Deville, and the chapter by Bruno Zumbo is available on the internet (see the 'Articles: Interim Update' message).

Product Description

Validity is widely held to be the most important criterion for an assessment. Nevertheless, assessment professionals have disagreed about the meaning of validity almost from the introduction of the term as applied to testing about 100 years ago. Over the years, the best and brightest people in assessment have contributed their thinking to this problem and the fact that they have not agreed is testimony to the complexity and importance of validity. Even today, ways to define validity are being debated in the published literature in the assessment profession. How can such a fundamental concept be so controversial? This book brings focus to diverse perspectives about validity. Its chapter authors were chosen because of their expertise and because they differ from each other in the ways they think about the validity construct. Its introduction and ten chapters bridge both the theoretical and the practical. Contributors include most prominent names in the field of validity and their perspectives are at once cogent and controversial. From these diverse and well-informed discussions, the reader will gain a deep understanding of the core issues in validity along with directions toward possible resolutions. The debate that exists among these authors is a rich one that will stimulate the reader's own understanding and opinion. Several chapters are oriented more practically. Ways to study validity are presented by professionals who blend current assessment practice with new suggestions for what sort of evidence to develop and how to generate the needed information. In addition they provide examples of some of the options on how to present the validity argument in the most effective ways. The initial chapter by the editor is an effort to orient the reader as well as providing an overview of the book. Bob Lissitz has provided a brief perspective on each of the subsequent chapters as well as presenting a series of questions regarding validation that the reader will want to try to answer for themselves, as he or she reads through this book. This book's topic is fundamental to assessment, its authors are distinguished, and its scope is broad. It deserves to become established as a fundamental reference on validity for years to come.

Link Warning

3 Dec 2009 09:29:16 GMT

Late Wednesday Brett Reynolds sent a message to LTEST-L to warn that the DIALANG test site had potentially been hacked into. I have checked this, and it is an html/framer virus that re-directs your access via an IP tracker; other hidden advertising content is also lodged in the temporary internet file folder. DIALANG itself (the software and test) is not compromised. However, until this is cleared up users should not click on the DIALANG link on the tools page.

New Feature: Review of the Year 2009

1 Dec 2009 00:12:46 GMT

There is a new feature on the langauge testing resources site this month. I've always interested in the 'review of the year' programmes that we get on radio and television towards the end of the year; and so this month I thought that I would try a 'language testing review' for the first time. The review has links to the major language testing stories that have got into the newspapers, radio and television during 2009, along with a short commentary.

Articles Added

1 Dec 2009 00:05:29 GMT

As it's the end of the year I've scoured the free access journals and other sources for updated content. There are a significant number of additional links, including to papers produced in the ETS R&D Connections series, which provide introductions to ETS research in accessible language.

RSS Feeds

1 Dec 2009 00:02:29 GMT

This is the first month that the langauge testing resources site has had an RSS Feed. I hope this is a useful addition to the other tools on the site.

Defining 'Language Testing'

1 Dec 2009 00:11:24 GMT

If you are asked by the person sitting next to you on a plane what 'language testing' is, what do you say without talking for the rest of the flight? If you were asked to produce a definition of 'language testing' that could be used in a dictionary, what would you write? That's what this competition is about.

Entries will be judged on the quality, brevity and precision of the prose, the adequacy and scope of the definition, and appropriacy as a dictionary-style definition. Enter the competition between now and February 3rd, 2010.

Winner of the Prize Draw

1 Dec 2009 00:04:30 GMT

You will remember that earlier this year I was conducting the Practical Language Testing Survey, and each person who responded had the opportunity to enter a prize draw to win a copy of the book. There were approximately 300 entries, and in order to randomly select a winner I used a random number generator. The number selected was response 129, which was Agnieszka Kotula, a language teacher from Poland, and currently a student of applied linguistics. Congratulations to Agnieszka, and a copy of the book will be on its way to you as soon as possible. And thank you once again to all those who took the time to complete the survey, and help with the research. I wish I could afford to send a copy to everyone - but there is another chance to win one by entering the winter competition!

New Book from Dan Douglas

1 Dec 2009 00:01:00 GMT

Dan Douglas' new book, Understanding Language Testing, will be published by Hodder Education on Christmas Day. Pre-ordering is possible on Amazon. The last time I checked the price (30th November), it was £14.99.

Product Description

Understanding Language Testing presents an introduction to language tests and the process of test development that starts at the very beginning. Assuming no knowledge of the field, the book promotes a practical understanding of language testing using examples from a variety of languages.
While grounded on solid theoretical principles, the book focuses on fostering a true understanding of the various uses of language tests and the process of test development, scoring test performance, analyzing and interpreting test results, and above all, using tests as ethically and fairly as possible so that test takers are given every opportunity to do their best, to learn as much as possible, and feel positive about their language learning.
Each chapter includes a summary, suggestions for further reading, and exercises. As such this is the ideal book for both beginning students of linguistics and language education, or anyone in a related discipline looking for a first introduction to language testing.