Training in Language Assessment
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TRAINING IN LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT
INTRODUCTION
This chapter addresses major issues involved in training language instructors to make informed decisions throughout the assessment process. Within the context of the chapter, the ‘assessment process’ refers to developing, scoring, interpreting and improving classroom-based assessments as well as selecting, administering, interpreting and sharing results of large-scale tests developed by professional testing organizations (Stoynoff and Chapelle, 2005). This chapter also explores the gap between language testing practice and the training of language instructors in language assessment, and the importance of bridging this gap for improved learning, teaching and assessment (Trim, 2005). The term ‘assessment literacy’ has been proposed to describe what language instructors need to know about assessment (Boyles, 2005; Stiggins, 1997; Stoynoff and Chapelle, 2005). This chapter closes with a discussion of this term. As pressure for language instructors and educational institutions to provide information on students’ progress has increased since the 1880s and skyrocketed in the past decade (Brindley, 1997; Spolsky, 1995), attention has focused on testing within language teaching and learning. The 2001 passage of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation in the US mandates annual assessment of the English language proficiency of all English language learners in K-12 and highlights the need to track student outcomes (Alicea, 2005). Although Europe and other countries have followed a less “legislative” approach than the USA (Stoynoff and Chapelle, 2005, p. 6), in that member nations are not mandated to adopt it, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), exerts great influence on the teaching and assessment of language (Alderson et al., 2006) not only in Europe but beyond.1 Despite the growth of standards-based education, standards for teacher certification and an increase in tests administered, there is no consensus on what is required or even needed for language instructors to reliably and validly develop, select, administer and interpret tests. Therefore, the question remains as to what can be done to support 1
Versions of the CEFR have been translated into a number of languages, including Japanese (Trim, 2005).
E. Shohamy and N. H. Hornberger (eds), Encyclopedia of Language and Education, 2nd Edition, Volume 7: Language Testing and Assessment, 225–239. #2008 Springer Science+Business Media LLC.
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MARGARET E. MALONE
and train those who “have to do the real work of language teaching” (Carroll, 1991, p. 26) when they assess their students. In addition to the practical and pedagogical concerns about assessment knowledge, the political arena also impacts student assessment. With the arrival of NCLB in the USA and the CEFR in Europe and beyond, assessment of language learners’ progress has only strengthened in political, practical and pedagogical importance. This chapter examines how the underlying philosophies of training in assessment have changed over time
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