skip to main content
Language:
Search Limited to: Search Limited to: Resource type Show Results with: Show Results with: Search type Index

Language testing and English as an international language : constraints and contributions

Australian review of applied linguistics, 2008-01, Vol.31 (3), p.34.1-34.11 [Peer Reviewed Journal]

COPYRIGHT 2008 Monash University ePress ;ISSN: 0155-0640 ;EISSN: 1833-7139 ;DOI: 10.2104/aral0834 ;CODEN: ARALDL

Full text available

Citations Cited by
  • Title:
    Language testing and English as an international language : constraints and contributions
  • Author: Elder, Catherine ; Harding, Luke
  • Subjects: Case studies ; Decision-making ; English (Second language) ; International languages ; Internationalisation ; Language tests ; Second language learning ; Social aspects ; Student attitudes ; Test construction
  • Is Part Of: Australian review of applied linguistics, 2008-01, Vol.31 (3), p.34.1-34.11
  • Description: Clyne and Sharifian (C and S) make special reference to English language testers in the conclusion of their paper, describing them (along with English language teachers) as 'gatekeepers' of the English language. The authors suggest that these groups 'need to explore and implement, in fundamental ways, the implications of the current and future situations of the complexity of English as an international language.' This paper argues, firstly, that while C and S are right in pointing to language testers' reluctance to embrace English as an international language (EIL), they misrepresent the underlying reasons for language testers' resistance. The motivations of language testers in resisting a move to EIL testing are seldom as simple as 'gatekeeping' for its own sake; rather they are driven by the testers' ethical responsibility to construct fair and useful tests, which reflect as faithfully as possible the norms operating in the relevant target language use situations, and which impose necessary constraints on test design. Secondly, this paper argues that in exploring the limits of such constraints, language testers have, in fact, been responsible for a considerable amount of research which has pushed forward our understanding of EIL communication more broadly. It is also shown that in many current testing situations, intercultural communicative skills are already, to a large extent, assessed. The paper concludes that, in spite of these promising developments, attempts by language testers to address the challenge of EIL must proceed in an evidence-based and consultative manner. [Author extract, ed]
  • Publisher: Monash University ePress
  • Language: English
  • Identifier: ISSN: 0155-0640
    EISSN: 1833-7139
    DOI: 10.2104/aral0834
    CODEN: ARALDL
  • Source: Alma/SFX Local Collection
Back to results list
INSPIRE LIBRARY - TON DUC THANG UNIVERSITY (84-028) 37 755 057 Feedback
19 Nguyen Huu Tho St. Dist.7, HCM thuvien@tdtu.edu.vn

Copyright © 2017 INSPIRE LIBRARY - TON DUC THANG UNIVERSITY

Searching Remote Databases, Please Wait