| Language Testing Contributor(s): McNamara, Tim (Author), Roever, Carsten (Author), Young, Richard F. (Editor) |
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ISBN: 1405155434 ISBN-13: 9781405155434 Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell OUR PRICE: $53.41 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: November 2006 Annotation: This volume in the "Language Learning Monograph" series discusses social aspects of language testing, which the authors see as encompassing assessment of socially situated language use as well as the social consequences and societal impact of language tests. At the micro level, the authors explore socially oriented language test constructs and the difficulties they pose for language testing theory and practice. They consider these issues in relation to language assessment in oral proficiency interviews, and to the assessment of second language pragmatics. At the macro level, the authors consider societal concerns with fairness and equity in testing, examining first traditional ways of ensuring test fairness, including bias analysis, differential item functioning, and sensitivity review. They subsequently take a close look at the use and misuse of language tests in implementing educational policy and their gatekeeping function in maintaining boundaries and constructing identities. They argue that both the consequences of test use and the broader societal functions of tests need to be taken into account if we are fully to understand the social dimension of language assessment. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Language Arts & Disciplines | Linguistics - Sociolinguistics |
| Dewey: 418.007 |
| LCCN: 2006021660 |
| Series: Language Learning Monograph |
| Physical Information: 0.63" H x 6.36" W x 8.98" (0.91 lbs) 320 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Winner of the SAGE/ILTA Award for Best Book on Language Testing 2009 This volume focuses on the social aspects of language testing, including assessment of socially situated language use and societal consequences of language tests. The authors argue that traditional approaches to ensuring social fairness in tests go some way to addressing social concerns, but a broader perspective is necessary to examine the functions of tests on a societal scale.
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