Language Assessment
This course aims to familiarize students with various issues surrounding the assessment of language knowledge and skills.
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PhD Language Testing and Assessment Course
2018 Fall Semester
Session 1. The history of testing and language testing
Session 2. Philosophy of testing
Session 3. The politics of testing
Session 4. The testing process
Session 5. What to test in language testing
Session 6. Theories of testing and psychological measurement
Session 7. Reliability
Session 8. Validity
Session 9. Validation
Session 10. Testing Writing
Session 11. Testing Reading
Session 12. Assessing Vocabulary
Session 13. Testing Listening
Session 14. Testing Speaking
Session 15. Classroom Testing and Grading
Session 16. Assessment literacy
Session 17: Testing in Research
Evaluation is based on a term paper, quizzes, classroom activities, and a final exam.
Session 1: History of Language Testing
McNamara, T. (2005). 21st century shibboleth: Language tests, identity and intergroup conflict. Language Policy, 4(4), 351-370.
McNamara & Roever (2006). Social dimensions of language testing (Chapter 6).
Weir, C. (2005). Language testing: an evidence-based approach. Chapter 1
Oakland, T. (2009). How universal are test development and use. In L. Elena & Grigorenko (eds). Multicultural Psycho-educational Assessment, 1-40. Springer
Fulcher, G. (2013). Practical language testing. Routledge.
Green, A. (2014). Exploring language assessment and testing. Routledge. Pages 171-220
Kevles, D. J. (1968). Testing the Army's intelligence: Psychologists and the military in World War I. Journal of American History, 55(3), 565-581
Language testing in the Middle East
Farhady, H., & Hedayati, H. (2009). language assessment policy in Iran. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 29, 132-141. doi:10.1017/S0267190509090114
Farhady, H., Tavassoli, K. (2014). Assessing Farsi. In Kunnan (ed). The companion to language assessment. Chapter 112
Naghdipour, B. (2015). English writing instruction in Iran: Implications for second language writing curriculum and pedagogy. Journal of Second Language Writing, 32, June, 81-87
Razavipour, K., & Rezagah, K. (2018). Language assessment in the new English curriculum in Iran: managerial, institutional, and professional barriers. Language Testing in Asia, 8(1), 9.
جلیلیان و خدادادی. ضرورت رویکرد نظام‌مند به آزمون‌سازی در زبان فارسی: مقایسه‌ی برآوردهای مدرّسان و واقعیتِ آماری
Foroozandeh, E., & Forouzani, M. (2015). Developing school English materials for the new Iranian educational system. In C. Kennedy (ed). English language teaching in the Islamic Republic of Iran: Innovations, trends and challenges (pp. 59-73). British Council
Gebril, A. & Taha-Thumure, H. (2014). Assessing Arabic. In Kunnan (ed). The companion to language assessment. Chapter 111
Gebril, A. (2016). Educational assessment in Muslim countries. Handbook of human and social conditions in assessment, 420.
Session 2: Philosophy in Language Testing
Fulcher, G. (2013). Philosophy and language testing. In Kunnan (ed). The companion to language assessment, 3, 1431-1451.
Fulcher, G. (2015). Re-examining language testing: A philosophical and social inquiry. Routledge. Pages, 104- 144
Hathcoat, J. D. (2013). Validity Semantics in Educational and Psychological Assessment. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 18(9), 1-13
رضوی پور, ک. (2019). مبانی فلسفی پژوهش در سنجش زبان انگلیسی در ایران: بررسی مقالات چاپ شده در نشریات علمی پژوهشی از 2008 تاکنون. پژوهشهای زبانشناختی در زبانهای خارجی, 9(3), 831-860
Session 3. The Politics of language Testing
Fulcher, G. (2009). Test use and political philosophy. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 29, 3-20.
Shohamy, E. (2007). Language tests as language policy tools. Assessment in Education, 14(1), 117-130.
Shohamy, E. (2001). Democratic assessment as an alternative. Language Testing, 18(4), 373-391.
Razavipour, K. (2014). The Power of Powerless Language Tests: Test Takers' perceptions. The Iranian EFL Journal, 3(1), 423.
Farhady, H., & Hedayati, H. (2009). Language assessment policy in Iran. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 29, 132-141.
Hamp-Lyons, L., & Lockwood, J. (2009). The workplace, the society and the wider world: the offshoring and outsourcing industry. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 29, 145-167.
Alderson, J. (2009). Air safety, language assessment policy, and policy implementation: the case of aviation English. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 29, 168-187.
Davies, A. (2009). Assessing world Englishes. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 29, 80-89.
Session 4. What to test in language testing
Fulcher, G. (2013). Practical language testing. Routledge. Pages: 93-127
Fulcher, G., & Davidson, F. (2007). Language testing and assessment: an advanced resource book. Unit A3 (pp. 36-52)
Brown, A. (2013). Multicompetence and second language assessment. Language Assessment Quarterly,10(2), 219-235.
Hulstijn, J. H. (2011). Language proficiency in native and nonnative speakers: An agenda for research and suggestions for second-language assessment. Language Assessment Quarterly,8(3), 229-249.
Shohamy, E. (2011). Assessing multilingual competencies: Adopting construct validassessment policies. The Modern Language Journal 95 (3), 418-429.
Session 5. Test design process
Fulcher, G., & Davidson, F. (2009). Test architecture, test retrofit. Language Testing, 26(1), 123-144.
Fulcher, G., & Davidson, F. (2007). Language testing and assessment: an advanced resource book. London, England: Routledge. 62-90
Fulcher, G. (2013). Practical language testing. Routledge. 127-190
Davidson, F. (2012). Test specifications and criterion referenced assessment. In G. Fulcher & F. Davidson (eds). Routledge handbook of language testing. Routledge
Session 6. Theories of testing and psychological measurement
Traub, R. E. (1997). Classical test theory in historical perspective. Educational Measurement, 16, 8-13.
Sawaki, Y. Classical test theory. In Kunnan (ed). The companion to language assessment.
Brown, J. D. (2014). Score Dependability and Decision Consistency. The companion to language assessment.
Marcoulides, G. A., & Marsh, I. (2014). The Use of Generalizability Theory in Language Assessment. In Kunnan (ed). The companion to language assessment.
Ellis, D. P., & Ross, S. J. (2014). Item response theory in language testing. The companion to language assessment.
McNamara, T. (1998). Measuring second language performance.
Hambleton, R. K., Swaminathan, H., & Rogers, H. J. (1991). Fundamentals of item response theory (Vol. 2). Sage.
Ockey, G. (2012). Item response theory. In Routledge handbook of language testing.
De Ayala, R. J. (2013). The theory and practice of item response theory. Guilford Publications
Session 7. Reliability
Brwon, J. D. (2014). Classical theory reliability. In Kunnan (ed). The companion to language assessment.
Weir, C. (2005). Language testing: an evidence-based approach. 177-206
Brown, J. D. (2005). Testing in language programs. 169-197
Ennis, R. H. (1999). Test reliability: A practical exemplification of ordinary language philosophy. Philosophy of Education Archive, 242-248.
Sessions 8 and 9: Validity and Validation
Bachman, L. F. (2005). Building and supporting a case for test use. Language Assessment Quarterly: An International Journal, 2(1), 1-34.
Weir, C. (2005). Language testing: an evidence-based approach, 11-37
Xi, X. (2008). Methods of test validation. In E. Shohamy (ed). Encyclopedia of language and education. Volume 7, pages 177- 196
Bachman, L. F. (2004). Statistical analyses for language assessment. 257-294
Chapelle, A. C. (2012). Conceptions of validity. In G. Fulcher, & F. Davidson (eds). Routledge handbook of language testing. 19-33
Kane, M. (2012). Articulating a validity argument. In G. Fulcher, & F. Davidson (eds). Routledge handbook of language testing.34-47
Messick, S. (1996). Validity and washback in language testing. Language Testing, 13(3), 241-256.
Session 10: Assessing Writing
Crusan, D. Assessing writing. In Kunnan (ed). The companion to language assessment.
Green, A. (2014). Exploring language assessment and testing. Routledge. Pages 127-160
Behizadeh, N., & Engelhard Jr, G. (2011). Historical view of the influences of measurement and writing theories on the practice of writing assessment in the United States. Assessing writing, 16(3), 189-211.
Session 11. Assessing Reading
Grabe, W. & Jiang, X. (2014). Assessing reading. In Kunnan (ed). The companion to language assessment.
Green, A. (2014). Exploring language assessment and testing. Routledge. Pages 97-119
Session 12. Assessing Vocabulary
Read, J., & Chapelle, C. A. (2001). A framework for second language vocabulary assessment. Language Testing, 18(1), 1–32.
Meara, P., & Buxton, B. (1987). An alternative to multiple choice vocabulary tests. Language Testing, 4(2), 142–145.
Session 13. Assessing Listening
Wagner, E. Assessing listening. In Kunnan (ed). The companion to language assessment.
Green, A. (2014). Exploring language assessment and testing. Routledge. Pages 97-119
Session 14. Assessing Speaking
O’Sullivan, B. (2014). Assessing speaking. In Kunnan (ed). The companion to language assessment.
Green, A. (2014). Exploring language assessment and testing. Routledge. Pages 127-160
Session 15. Classroom Testing and Grading
Fulcher, G. (2013). Practical language testing. Pages: 67-92
Fulcher, G., & Davidson, F. (2007). Language testing and assessment: an advanced resource book. Unit A3 (pp. 23-35)
McMillan, J. H. (Ed.). (2012). Why we need research on classroom assessment. In J. H. McMillan (ed). SAGE handbook of research on classroom assessment (pp. 3-16). Sage.
Tierney, R,D (2012). Fairness in classroom assessment. In J. H. McMillan (ed). SAGE handbook of research on classroom assessment (pp. 125-145). Sage.
Brookhart, M. S. (2012). Grading. In J. H. McMillan (ed). SAGE handbook of research on classroom assessment (pp. 257-273). Sage.
Brown, D. (2004). Language assessment: principles and classroom practices. NY: Pearson Education. Chapter 11.
Session 16: Assessment Literacy
Xu, Y., & Brown, G. T. (2016). Teacher assessment literacy in practice: A reconceptualization. Teaching and Teacher Education, 58, 149-162
Taylor, L. (2009). Developing assessment literacy. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 29, 21-36.
Fulcher, G. (2012). Assessment literacy for the language classroom. Language Assessment Quarterly, 9(2), 113-132.
Crusan, D., Plakans, L., & Gebril, A. (2016). Writing assessment literacy: Surveying second language teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and practices. Assessing writing, 28, 43-56.
Inbar-Lourie, O. (2008). Constructing a language assessment knowledge base: A focus on language assessment courses. Language Testing, 25(3), 385-402.
Looney, A., Cumming, J., van Der Kleij, F., & Harris, K. (2018). Reconceptualising the role of teachers as assessors: teacher assessment identity. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 25(5), 442-467.
Session 17: Testing in Research
Derrick, D. J. (2016). Instrument reporting practices in second language research. TESOL Quarterly, 50(1), 132-153.
Douglas, D. (2001). Performance consistency in second language acquisition and language testing research: A conceptual gap. Second language research, 17(4), 442-456.
Plonsky, L., & Derrick, D. J. (2016). A meta‐analysis of reliability coefficients in second language research. The Modern Language Journal, 100(2), 538-553.
Vafaee, P., Suzuki, Y., & Kachisnke, I. (2017). Validating grammaticality judgment tests: Evidence from two new psycholinguistic measures. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 39(1), 59-95.
Purpura, J. E., Brown, J. D., & Schoonen, R. (2015). Improving the validity of quantitative measures in applied linguistics research 1. Language Learning, 65(S1), 37-75.