CEFR-linked test development in academic context: teachers´ perspective
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| Year of publication | 2014 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
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| Description | Linking of a test to the CEFR is a very challenging process which can be completed through five inter-related sets of procedures as specified in the Manual for Relating Language Examinations to the CEFR. The linkage to the CEFR itself presupposes that the test being linked to the CEFR demonstrates validity in its own right. Thus, a decision to relate all pro-achievement tests developed at our Language Centre, which provides LSP and LAP courses to all students at our University, entailed a shift from an intuitive test development to the test development following standards for good practice as described in the Manual for Language Test Development and Examining. Promoting language assessment literacy among our teachers, who are also test developers, in a series of interactive seminars was enhanced by immediate implementation of newly-gained expertise in a real test development, which was supervised by trained test developers. Following the first test development cycle, a qualitative and quantitative survey was conducted to find out how effective this strategy is and how the teachers can adopt assessment fundamentals while developing their tests. Its results show that teachers generally welcome this process which among other things helps them to apply CEFR descriptors more consistently, contributes to their professional growth, and brings them more reliable and practical assessment tools. On the other hand, they claim their concerns about potential washback and long-term sustainability as they find the test development organizationally demanding and time-consuming. |
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