LLED 526 (sect 061) - Cat.

#: 91795 Second Language Assessment: Conceptual and Empirical Approaches

From January 7 to April 14 2008 Tuesdays 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM Professor: Dr. Monique Bournot-Trites Phone: 604-822-4873 E-mail: monique.bournot-trites@ubc.ca Office hours: Tuesdays from 3:00 to 4:00

Room: PonE 117 Office: PonE room 217 Fax: 604-822-3154

SECOND LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT: CONCEPTUAL AND EMPIRICAL APPROACHES

Rationale Globalisation means increased international exchanges, communication, and movement of population and is resulting in the need to learn and use second languages. At the same time, the testing and evaluation of second languages is becoming increasingly important in second language research, in the schools and universities, and in public and private institutions. It is with this in mind that I am proposing to teach a graduate level course, "Second Language Assessment" that should appeal to graduate students in this department and across the Faculty of Education. This course is not an introduction to psychometrics. Its focus is on the definition of language proficiency within a communicative and interactive teaching methodology, on the relation between learning goals and evaluation, and finally on various ways to evaluate different facets of language proficiency, including portfolios, oral interviews and use of computers. From this course, students will develop awareness to language proficiency. They will be able to read critically published research in language testing or use language testing and information about published tests in order to make informed decisions. They will also be better able to conduct informal language evaluation in the classroom. Description This course will discuss the main conceptual and empirical approaches in second language assessment. It will explore these approaches (various tests and assessment methods) to second language assessment as they relate to various constructs of language proficiency, language learning/acquisition theories, and context of use of second language. Basic elements of language tests such as level of authenticity, level of interaction, and practicality, impact, as well as construct validity and reliability will be presented and discussed through examples of first and second language tests. Issues to be discussed include, test taker's characteristics and rater's bias, relation between language acquisition and language testing research, decontextualisation of language in tests, the importance of correspondences between language use and language test performance and technology in testing. After this course, students will be ready to explore more in depth philosophical or technical aspects of second language assessment (i.e., psychometrics and creation of tests)

Course Objectives 1. Students will discuss basic elements of language tests as well as various constructs of language proficiency and corresponding methods of assessment. 2. Students will learn how to evaluate second language tests according to their integrative or discrete presentation, level of authenticity, level of interaction, and practicality as well as construct validity and reliability from a conceptual point of view (AKA test usefulness according to Bachman (1996). 3. Students will learn what are the conceptual bases of language test development. 4. Students will learn what are the stages and activities in language test development. 5. Students will discuss uses of language tests for different purposes and contexts. 6. Students will explore alternative methods of second language assessment used in research and in the classroom such as oral interviews, portfolios, and use of computers. 7. Students will discuss issues related to second language assessment such as fairness, rater's bias, test taker's characteristics, examiner's theory of language, holistic versus analytical evaluation, computer-based testing and influence of technology, deciphering between regular second language development and learning disability. Evaluation (see criteria below) 1. Group presentation on a topic related to the central themes of the course 2. Description and evaluation of a language or second language test with discussion about test usefulness (re: Bachman's definition, 1996) 3. Final term paper on a topic related to the course 4. Participation and preparation of readings and questions for class

25% 25 % 30% 20%

Course topics: Six major topics will be discussed, with the amount of time spent on each modified according to the interests of the class participants: 1. Role of second language assessment, main issues; 2. What do we assess in second language: Construct of language proficiency; 3. Critical evaluation of standardised language tests and other language assessment methods: Level of authenticity, level of interaction, practicality and impact How to use reviews of tests by experts in the Mental Measurement Yearbook How to choose a language test in accordance to the language learning goals or the context for which the test is selected. 4. Overview of language test development: stages and activities in language test development 5. Alternative methods of assessment: portfolios, oral interviews, evaluation based on criteria, Canadian Language Benchmarks, use of computers, holistic versus analytic marking 6. Issues in second language assessment: fairness, rater's bias, test taker's characteristics, examiner's theory of language, holistic versus analytical evaluation, computer-based testing

and influence of technology, deciphering between regular second language development and learning disability.

Readings
 Required readings: Bachman, L.F., & Palmer, A. (1996). Language testing in practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Brown, J.D. (2005). Testing in Language Programs: A comprehensive guide to English language assessment. New York: McGraw Hill. ISBN: 0-07-294836-1 (New Edition).  Recommended: Brown, J.D. (2002). Criterion-referenced language testing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. Bachman, L. F. (1990). Fundamental considerations in language testing. Oxford: Oxford University Press Some chapters of this book are included in the readings. The chapters will be at my door for you to copy them or scanned and sent to you.  Copies of course notes or articles from journals such as TESOL Quarterly, Language Learning, Canadian Modern Language Education, Applied Linguistics, Language and Society, and Language Testing.