Challenges in Language Testing Around the World : Insights for Language Test Users

This book combines insights from language assessment literacy and critical language testing through critical analyses and research about challenges in language assessment around the world. It investigates problematic practices in language testing which are relevant to language test users such as language program directors, testing centers, and language teachers, as well as teachers-in-training in Graduate Diploma and Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics programs. These issues involve aspects of language testing such as test development, test administration, scoring, and interpretation/use of test results.

Chapters in this volume discuss insights about language testing policy, testing world languages, developing program-level language tests and tests of specific language skills, and language assessment literacy. In addition, this book identifies two needs in language testing for further examination: the need for collaboration between language test developers, language test users, and language users, and the need to base language tests on real-world language use.

Betty Lanteigne is a former Fulbright Dissertation Fellow and English Teaching Fellow, and also an Associate Professor at LCC International University in Lithuania. For 14 years she has trained English teachers from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, focusing on language assessment literacy and sociolinguistics, particularly pragmatics. Her research and teacher training interests combine sociolinguistic description and language assessment.

Christine Coombe has a Ph.D. in Foreign/Second Language Education from The Ohio State University. She is currently an Assistant Professor of General Studies at Dubai Men’s College. She is the former Testing and Measurements Supervisor at UAE University and Assessment Coordinator of Zayed University. Christine has published numerous books and articles on language testing/assessment, research methods, leadership, teacher effectiveness and task-based teaching and learning.

James Dean Brown is Professor of Second Language Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. He has spoken and taught in many places (from Australia to Venezuela). He has published numerous articles and books on language testing, curriculum design, research methods, and connected speech.