Multilingualism and Assessment: Achieving transparency, assuring quality, sustaining diversity – Proceedings of the ALTE Berlin Conference May 2005

by Edited by Lynda Taylor , Cyril J. Weir

• ISBN13: 9780521711920
• ISBN10: 0521711924
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-12-15
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

This volume explores the impact of multilingualism on language testing and assessment, bringing together a selection of edited papers based on presentations at the 2nd ALTE Conference, Berlin, in May 2005. The 20 papers consider ways of describing and comparing language qualifications to establish common levels of proficiency, balancing the need to set shared standards and ensure quality, and at the same time sustain linguistic diversity. Substantive issues in assessing language ability today are addressed, grouped according to three broad themes.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. vii
Series Editors' note	p. viii
Introduction	p. 1
Achieving Transparency
Relating language examinations to the Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)	p. 9
The CEFR levels and descriptor scales	p. 21
Juggling numbers and opinions: An attempt to set CEFR standards in Norway for a test of reading in English	p. 67
L'harmonisation du DELF et du DALF sur les niveaux du Cadre europeen commun de reference pour les langues	p. 79
Proficiency scaling in DESI listening and reading EFL tests	p. 94
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and the revision of the Higher Level Catalan Language Test	p. 117
Test comparability and construct compatibility across languages	p. 130
Assuring Quality
A socio-cognitive approach to writing test validation	p. 147
Assuring the quality of TestDaF examinations: a psychometric modelling approach	p. 157
Problems affecting the use of raw scores: a comparison of raw scores and FACETS' Fair Average scores	p. 179
Testing teaching knowledge: developing a quality instrument to support professional development	p. 191
The CERCLU project for certifying language competence in Italian university language centres	p. 203
An impact study of a high-stakes test (IELTS): lessons for test validation and linguistic diversity	p. 215
Towards a model of test evaluation: using the Test Fairness and the Test Context Frameworks	p. 229
Sustaining Diversity
Language assessment and citizenship: European policy perspective	p. 255
Language testing for migration and citizenship: contexts and issues	p. 265
Language varieties and their implications for testing and assessment	p. 276
Non-native speakers as language assessors: recent research and implications for assessment practice	p. 296
Citizenship materials for ESOL learners in the UK	p. 310
Best practice in writing assessment	p. 321
Notes on the volume contributors	p. 336
Presentations at the ALTE Conference Berlin, 2005	p. 341
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