My main research interests are language testing, and second language reading, listening, and integrated/multimodal skills. In recent research, I have focused on a) cognitive & affective factors and processes in language testing, b) methodology in language testing research, and c) language test development. I also regularly conduct language test development and consultancy work for professional and educational bodies around the world.
I am especially interested in supervising PhD students in the area of language testing, second language reading and listening, and integrated/multimodal skills. Topic areas covered by my current and graduated PhD students include: testing listening/reading/speaking/language-in-use, testing integrated skills, language assessment literacy training, item writing, rating, and test validation.
My main research interests are language testing, and second language reading, listening, and integrated/multimodal skills. In recent research, I have focused on:
A. Cognitive and affective factors and processes in testing:
- reading (e.g. Brunfaut, 2022; Brunfaut, Kormos, Michel & Ratajczak, 2021; Kremmel, Brunfaut & Alderson, 2017)
- listening (e.g. Holzknecht & Brunfaut, 2022; Brunfaut & Revesz, 2015; Revesz & Brunfaut, 2013; Brunfaut, 2016)
- writing (e.g. Michel, Kormos, Brunfaut & Ratajczak, 2019; Brunfaut, Harding & Batty, 2018)
- integrated skills (e.g. Lestari & Brunfaut, 2023; Kormos, Brunfaut & Michel, 2020; Rukthong & Brunfaut, 2020)
B. Methodology in language testing research
C. Language test development
- language assessment literacy (e.g. Villa Larenas & Brunfaut, 2024; Villa Larenas & Brunfaut, 2023; Rossi & Brunfaut, 2021; Harding & Brunfaut, 2020)
- diagnosing second and foreign language proficiency (e.g. Brunfaut & Harding, 2024; Alderson, Brunfaut & Harding, 2015; Harding, Alderson & Brunfaut, 2015)
- scoring and scales (e.g. Sickinger, Brunfaut & Pill, 2024; Lestari & Brunfaut, 2023)
I am a recipient of the ILTA Best Article Award, the e-Assessment Award for Best Research, and the TOEFL Outstanding Young Scholar Award.
I regularly conduct language test development and consultancy work for professional and educational bodies around the world.
I teach on the MA in Language Testing (online), the MA TESOL with Language Testing (online) and the MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL (campus-based):
- Language Test Construction and Evaluation
- Exploring Language Constructs
- Issues in Language Testing
- Research Methods for Language Testing
- Statistical Analyses for Language Testing
I also teach on our online short courses and Postgraduate Certificate in Language Testing.
Research Group:
I coordinate the Language Testing Research Group, together with my colleagues Luke Harding and John Pill.
Some recent presentations:
Brunfaut, T., & Kormos, J. (2024). Innovating constructs and assessments: The development and investigation of multimodal viewing-to-write tasks. Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Innsbruck (Austria).
Brunfaut, T., & Kormos, J. (2024). Reflecting the impact of technological change on language constructs: Test-takers' processing of multimodal viewing-to-write tasks. European Association for Language Testing and Assessment (EALTA), Belfast (UK).
Brunfaut, T. (2023). Back to basics to be fit for the digital age: Reflecting on advancements, opportunities and challenges in technology-enhanced assessment. Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE), Madrid (Spain).
Brunfaut, T., Harding, L., & Batty, A.O. (2023). From paper-based to computer-based integrated reading-to-write: Evidence for delivery mode effects at the CEFR B1 level. European Second Language Association (EuroSLA), Birmingham (UK).
Brunfaut, T. (2021). Through the eyes of the reader: The use of eye-tracking to advance insights into reading in another language. Symposium keynote. International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA), Groningen (The Netherlands; online).
