Download or read book Testing the Spoken English of Young Norwegians written by Angela Hasselgreen and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2005-03-24 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book Examining Young Learners Research and Practice in Assessing the English of School age Learners written by Szilvia Papp and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2018 with total page 859 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The proposed book on child second language (L2) development and assessment will be a state-of-the-art account of what we currently know about how children learn L2s in formal contexts and how that knowledge impacts on the design, development, and evaluation of language assessment products for young learners. The uniqueness of child L2 development within the classroom is highlighted by considering children's L2 needs, typical patterns of development, and the role of instruction and assessment in how children learn. Common issues shared in child L2 acquisition studies, language testing and educational assessment are explored by linking research carried out within the educational, academic and testing communities. Several case studies are described from different educational contexts around the world where teaching and assessment of young language learners takes place. In particular, the book presents the Cambridge English approach to assessing young learners of English and presents a framework for the development, research and validation activities around the Cambridge English suite battery for children.

Download or read book The Routledge Handbook of Teaching English to Young Learners written by Sue Garton and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-10-10 with total page 588 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Routledge Handbook of Teaching English to Young Learners celebrates the ‘coming of age’ for the field of research in primary-level English Language Teaching. With 32 chapters written by international scholars from a wide geographical area including East Africa, Mexico, the South Pacific, Japan, France, the USA and the UK, this volume draws on areas such as second language acquisition, discourse analysis, pedagogy and technology to provide: An overview of the current state of the field, identifying key areas of TEYL. Chapters on a broad range of subjects from methodology to teaching in difficult circumstances and from Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) to gaming. Suggestions of ways forward, with the aim of shaping the future research agenda of TEYL in multiple international contexts. Background research and practical advice for students, teachers and researchers. With extensive guidance on further reading throughout, The Routledge Handbook of Teaching English to Young Learners is essential reading for those studying and researching in this area.

Download or read book The Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics written by Carol A. Chapelle and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-01-09 with total page 1700 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Offers a wide-ranging overview of the issues and research approaches in the diverse field of applied linguistics Applied linguistics is an interdisciplinary field that identifies, examines, and seeks solutions to real-life language-related issues. Such issues often occur in situations of language contact and technological innovation, where language problems can range from explaining misunderstandings in face-to-face oral conversation to designing automated speech recognition systems for business. The Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics includes entries on the fundamentals of the discipline, introducing readers to the concepts, research, and methods used by applied linguists working in the field. This succinct, reader-friendly volume offers a collection of entries on a range of language problems and the analytic approaches used to address them. This abridged reference work has been compiled from the most-accessed entries from The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics (www.encyclopediaofappliedlinguistics.com), the more extensive volume which is available in print and digital format in 1000 libraries spanning 50 countries worldwide. Alphabetically-organized and updated entries help readers gain an understanding of the essentials of the field with entries on topics such as multilingualism, language policy and planning, language assessment and testing, translation and interpreting, and many others. Accessible for readers who are new to applied linguistics, The Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics: Includes entries written by experts in a broad range of areas within applied linguistics Explains the theory and research approaches used in the field for analysis of language, language use, and contexts of language use Demonstrates the connections among theory, research, and practice in the study of language issues Provides a perfect starting point for pursuing essential topics in applied linguistics Designed to offer readers an introduction to the range of topics and approaches within the field, The Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics is ideal for new students of applied linguistics and for researchers in the field.

Download or read book Changing Language Teaching Through Language Testing written by Liying Cheng and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2005-10-06 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There has been growing interest in recent years in the influence of tests on teaching and learning - a phenomenon commonly referred to as 'washback'. Despite persistent assertions about its nature and scope, empirical studies investigating test washback are still limited in number, and few of these make use of both qualitative and quantitative methods in washback research. This volume presents a study of how the introduction of the 1996 Hong Kong Certificate of Education in English - a high stakes public examination - impacted on classroom teaching and learning in Hong Kong secondary schools. The washback effect was observed initially at the larger 'macro' level, among different stakeholder groups within the Hong Kong educational context; and also at the more local 'micro' level, in terms of teachers' attitudes, teaching content and classroom interactions. This study: provides a theoretical background to the washback concept, discusses the need for empirical investigation of washback, describes the use of a mixed methodology approach in washback research, offers insights into the role of tests as agents of innovation and change in the classroom and broader educational context. This volume will be of particular relevance to language test developers and researchers interested in the consequential validity of tests; it will also be of interest to teachers, curriculum designers, policymakers and others in education concerned with the interface between language testing and teaching practices/programs. Book jacket.

Download or read book Assessing the Language of Young Learners written by Angela Hasselgreen and published by Equinox Publishing (UK). This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume offers new insights into the assessment of the language of Young Learners (YLs). YLs are defined here as being from 5 to 17 years, and are treated as three distinct subgroups: younger children (5/6 to 8/9 years), older children (8/9 to 12/13 years) and teenagers (12/13 to 17 years). The first half addresses fundamental issues, beginning with the characteristics of YLs and how these are manifested in first language development. The authors consider the potential ability of each age group to perform in a second or foreign language, proposing a rough age-related correspondence with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels. Finally, principles of assessment, specifically formative assessment and testing, are presented in the light of linguistic, cognitive and social development. The second half focuses on testing a range of 'skills'. Theoretical models of performance are introduced, followed by a practical analysis of approaches to the testing of each skill for the three age groups, illustrated with examples. The authors conclude by summing up developmental characteristics of each age group, and their implications for language testing. The book is intended for a wide readership within the field of teaching and assessing the language of young learners. Researchers are offered scope for further investigation of what emerges from the discussion, while practitioners will hopefully find support in their day-to-day work with YLs.

Download or read book A Modular Approach to Testing English Language Skills written by Roger Hawkey and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 545 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book Task Based Language Teaching and Assessment written by N. P. Sudharshana and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-02-05 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides interdisciplinary perspectives on task-based language teaching (TBLT) and task-based language assessment (TBLA) in English as a second language (ESL) context. It discusses theoretical and experimental insights of TBLT and TBLA from cognitive, cognitive linguistic, and psycholinguistic viewpoints. The chapters, written by leading language teaching specialists in the field, introduce the reader to a comprehensive range of issues related to TBLT and TBLA such as curriculum design, materials development, and classroom teaching & testing. With interdisciplinary appeal, the book is a valuable resource for researchers in task-based language teaching and assessment. It is equally useful for teachers to whom it offers practical suggestions for designing tasks for teaching and testing.

Download or read book IELTS Washback in Context written by Anthony Green and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2007-11-29 with total page 15 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume investigates the washback of the IELTS Writing test on English for Academic Purposes provision.

Download or read book Exploring Language Frameworks written by Evelina D. Galaczi and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2013-01-10 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the impact of language frameworks on learning, teaching and assessment, viewed from the perspective of policies, procedures and challenges. It brings together a selection of edited papers, based on presentations given at the 4th International Conference of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) held in Kraków, Poland, in July 2011. The selected papers focus on the conference's core themes as follows: the effect of frameworks on teaching, learning and assessment; the value of frameworks for teachers, learners and language policymakers; the contribution of frameworks towards describing particular languages.

Download or read book Validating Second Language Reading Examinations written by Rachel Yi-fen Wu and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-09-25 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Validating Second Language Reading Examinations describes the development of an empirical framework for test validation and comparison of reading tests at different proficiency levels through a critical evaluation of alignment with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). It focuses on contextual parameters, cognitive processing operations and test results and identifies parameters for the description of different levels of reading proficiency examinations. The volume explores procedures for linking tests to the CEFR and proposes both qualitative and quantitative methods that complement the procedures recommended in the Council of Europe's Relating Language Examinations to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR): A Manual, piloted in 2003 and revised 2009. Key features of the book include: - a detailed review of the literature on CEFR alignment, vertical scaling, test specifications and test comparability - a comprehensive and coherent approach to the validation of reading tests - an accessible and systematic description of procedures for collecting validity evidence based on a sound theoretical framework - a case study comparing different testing systems targeting the same CEFR level"--

Download or read book Examining Speaking written by Lynda Taylor and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2011-08-25 with total page 409 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An up-to-date review of the relevant literature on assessing speaking.

Download or read book Fluency in L2 Learning and Use written by Pekka Lintunen and published by Multilingual Matters. This book was released on 2019-12-06 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book brings together theoretical and empirical approaches to second language (L2) fluency and provides a state-of-the-art overview of current research on the topic. The strength of the volume lies in its interdisciplinarity: the chapters approach fluency from non-traditional starting points and go beyond disciplinary boundaries in their contributions. The volume includes chapters investigating fluency from an L2 perspective and integrates perspectives from related fields, such as psycholinguistics, sign language studies and L2 assessment. The book extends the common foci and approaches of fluency studies and offers new perspectives that enable readers to evaluate critically existing paradigms and models. This encourages the development of more comprehensive frameworks and directs future L2 fluency research into new areas of L2 learning and use.

Download or read book Assessing Language Teachers Professional Skills and Knowledge written by Rosemary Wilson and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2015-01-31 with total page 417 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The growth in English language teaching worldwide and the related increase in teacher training programmes of all kinds highlight the need for greater accountability in the assessment of teachers. The need for formal summative assessment has taken on greater importance in training programmes and requires procedures which do not always sit easily with the development process, while transparency of assessment procedures is also increasingly demanded by the candidates themselves. This edited volume discusses key issues in assessing language teachers' professional skills and knowledge and provides case study illustrations of how teacher knowledge and teaching skills are assessed at pre-service and in-service levels within the framework of the Cambridge English Teaching Qualifications. The volume provides: - discussion of ways in which the changing nature of English language teaching has impacted on teacher education and assessment - examples of specific assessment procedures for both teaching knowledge and practical classroom skills - accounts of the ways in which the Cambridge English Teaching Qualifications have been integrated into and adapted for local contexts. This is the first volume of its kind wholly dedicated to language teacher assessment and as such will be of interest to language teachers and teacher educators as well as to researchers and postgraduate students"--

Download or read book Measured Constructs written by Cyril J. Weir and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2013-05-23 with total page 673 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume establishes how English language constructs were measured in Cambridge English examinations over the period 1913 to 2012. An addition to the Studies in Language Testing series, this volume provides an overview of English language testing over the last century, with coverage of key theoretical and practical aspects of the assessment of reading, listening, writing and speaking skills. It includes examples of the Cambridge English exams, old and new, and is the first volume to describe in a systematic way the different theoretical influences which have shaped the development of the constructs underlying Cambridge English exams in the last 100 years.

Download or read book Examining Listening written by Ardeshir Geranpayeh and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2013-03-27 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume examines the nature of second language listening proficiency and how it can be assessed. The book highlights the need for test developers to provide a clear explication of the ability constructs which underpin the tests they offer in the public domain. This is increasingly necessary if claims about the validity of test score interpretation and use are to be supported both logically and with empirical evidence. It operationalises a comprehensive test validation framework which adopts a socio-cognitive perspective. The framework embraces six core components, examining and then analysing Cambridge ESOL listening tasks from the following perspectives: Test Taker; Cognitive Validity; Context Validity; Scoring Validity; Criterion-related Validity; and Consequential Validity.

Download or read book Examining Writing written by Stuart D. Shaw and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2007-07-05 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Test developers need to provide a clear explication of the language ability constructs that underpin the tests they offer in the public domain; such an explication is essential for supporting claims about the validity - or usefulness - of test scores. This volume describes the theory and practice of Cambridge ESOL's approach to assessing second language writing ability. A comprehensive test validation framework is used to examine the tasks in Cambridge ESOL writing tests from a number of different validity perspectives that reflect the socio-cognitive nature of any assessment event. The 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 relevant literature on assessing writing, an accessible and systematic description of the different proficiency levels in second language writing, a comprehensive and coherent basis for validating tests of writing. This volume is a rich source of information on all aspects of examining writing ability. As such, it will be of considerable interest to examination boards who wish to validate their own writing tests in a systematic and coherent manner, as well as to academic researchers and students in the field of language assessment more generally. Book jacket.