This Festschrift brings together 28 invited papers surveying the state of the art in language testing. The papers, by key figures in the field of language testing, cover issues ranging from test construct definition to the design and applications of language tests, including their importance as a means of exploring larger issues in language teaching, language learning and language policy. The volume locates work in language assessment in a context of social, political and ethical issues at a time when testing is increasingly expected to be publicly accountable. It is thus particularly appropriate as a tribute to Alan Davies, whose work in this field since the 1960s has been marked by its conceptual strength and social responsiveness, seeking constantly to clarify and challenge current practice and new trends.

Series Editor's note

x

Preface

xi

Section One The contribution of Alan Davies

1

(10)

Alan Davies and British applied linguistics

2

(3)

Christopher Brumfit

Ten years of the Language Testing Research Centre

5

(6)

Tim McNamara

Section Two Construct definition in language testing

11

(33)

Communicative language testing: The art of the possible

12

(10)

Henry Widdowson

Fossilisation or evolution: The case of grammar testing

22

(11)

Pauline Rea-Dickins

The assessment of metalinguistic knowledge

33

(11)

Caroline Clapham

Section Three Language testing for specific purposes and populations

44

(37)

Three problems in testing language for specific purposes: Authenticity, specificity and inseparability

45

(8)

Dan Douglas

Assessing language skills for specific purposes: Describing and analysing the `behaviour domain'

53

(8)

Elaine Tarone

The assessment of language impairment across language backgrounds

61

(12)

Rosemary Baker

A process for translating achievement tests

73

(8)

Charles Stansfield

Joan Auchter

Section Four Judgement in language testing

81

(27)

Revisiting raters and ratings in oral language assessment

82

(15)

Daniel Reed

Andrew Cohen

Establishing meaningful language test scores for selection and placement

97

(11)

Patrick Griffin

Section Five The uses and usefulness of language tests

108

(29)

Designing and developing useful language tests

109

(8)

Lyle Bachman

The formative and summative uses of language test data: Present concerns and future directions

117

(9)

Cyril Weir

Language assessment and professional development

126

(11)

Geoff Brindley

Section Six Language test impact

137

(25)

The need for impact studies of L2 performance testing and rating: Identifying areas of potential consequences at all levels of the testing cycle

138

(12)

Carolyn Turner

Impact and washback research in language testing

150

(12)

J. Charles Alderson

Jayanti Banerjee

Section Seven Language testing in its policy context

162

(49)

Prescribed language standards and foreign language classroom practice: Relationships and consequences

163

(14)

Rosamond Mitchell

Rendering ESL accountable: Educational and bureaucratic technologies in the Australian context

177

(14)

Helen Moore

The policy context of English testing for immigrants

191

(9)

John Read

Testimony from testees: The case against current language policies in sub-Saharan Africa

200

(11)

Eddie Williams

Section Eight The ethics of language testing

211

(29)

Cheating language tests can be dangerous

212

(10)

Bernard Spolsky

Ethics, fairness(es), and developments in language testing

222

(6)

Liz Hamp-Lyons

The ethical potential of alternative language assessment

228

(12)

Brian K. Lynch

Section Nine Language testing and SLA

240

(35)

Quantitative evaluation of vocabulary: How it can be done and what it is good for

241

(10)

Batia Laufer

Some thoughts on testing grammar: An SLA perspective

251

(13)

Rod Ellis

Measuring development and ultimate attainment in non-native grammars

264

(11)

Antonella Sorace

Daniel Robertson

Section Ten Beyond language testing

275

(29)

Fossilisation: Moving the concept into empirical longitudinal study

276

(16)

Larry Selinker

ZhaoHong Han

The unbearable lightness of being a native speaker

292

(12)

John C. Maher

Section Eleven The publications of Alan Davies

304

(11)

Notes on the contributors

315

(11)

Author Index

326

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Experimenting with Uncertainty: Essays in Honour of Alan Davies

9780521775762

0521775760

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