Sem: Language Testing

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

LING-750 introduces central concepts of and tools to be used in second/foreign language testing. The course explores issues of ethics, the theoretical foundations of language assessment including reliability, validity arguments, impact and washback, as well as the technical and practical aspects of developing language tests for different uses and purposes. The course is held concurrently with LING 350. Students will apply concepts via hands-on course projects, which will involve reviewing an existing language test, discussing a current issue in language testing, developing and critiquing items and completing a final project in test design. For LING 750, students can instead focus a final project on a specific issue in language testing or conduct independent research on test data or results. Active participation in discussing the readings and relating them to language acquisition, policy and sociolinguistics is critical to the course. Students will also relate current events to the concepts discussed. Structured in a lecture/discussion format. Learning Goals - To become familiar with current language testing theory and practice. - To understand the multi-faceted, iterative, and overlapping process of assessment; - To develop skills in writing, revising, and analyzing results of classroom tests; - To review and critique existing assessment instruments; - To understand how to select tests for particular purposes and situations; - To evaluate research in which language testing plays a part. - To develop a test framework or explore a testing issue or research project in detail