My main research interests are language testing, and reading and listening in a foreign language. In recent research, I have focused on:
- using eyetracking to investigate reading processes (see Brunfaut, 2016; Brunfaut and McCray, 2015; McCray and Brunfaut, 2016)
- the role of phraseological knowledge in reading (see Kremmel, Brunfaut and Alderson, 2015)
- diagnosing second and foreign language proficiency (see Alderson, Brunfaut and Harding, 2015 [received the ILTA Best Article Award]; Harding, Alderson and Brunfaut, 2015)
- the role of task and listener characteristics in second language listening assessment (see Brunfaut and Revesz, 2015; Revesz and Brunfaut, 2013; Brunfaut, 2016)
In addition, I regularly conduct language test development and consultancy work for professional and educational bodies around the world. In 2015, I was awarded the TOEFL Outstanding Young Scholar Award for my professional activities and contributions to the field of language assessment.
I am especially interested in supervising PhD students in the areas of language testing (in particular, testing reading, testing listening, and testing for academic purposes), and second language reading and listening research. Topics covered by my current and graduated PhD students include: testing listening (e.g., listening-to-write and listening-to-speak tasks, academic listening needs), testing reading (e.g., reading item difficulty and processing, reading test specifications, reading-to-write tasks, reading test washback), language assessment literacy training (e.g., of item writers, teacher trainers), test development (e.g., item writer guidelines, item writing), testing Language-in-Use, test validation (e.g. of university admissions tests).
I teach on the MA in Language Testing (online) and the MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL (campus-based):
- Language Test Construction and Evaluation
- Classroom Language Assessment
- Background to Applied Linguistics
- Issues in Language Testing
- Research Issues in Applied Linguistics
- Statistical Analyses for Language Testing
On the undergraduate programmes, I contribute to:
- Introduction to Linguistics
During summer, I teach on the Language Testing at Lancaster summer school.
Research Group:
I coordinate the Language Testing Research Group, together with my colleagues Luke Harding and John Pill.
Most recent presentations:
Brunfaut, T. (2017). More than meets the eye: the use of eye-tracking in test validation research. Invited talk. Institute of Education, University College London (UK).
Harding, L., Brunfaut, T., & Unger, J. (2017). Enhancing security, preventing mobility? An analysis of the UK Secure English Language Testing policy. European Association for Language Testing and Assessment conference (EALTA), Sèvres (France).
Brunfaut, T., & Harding, L. (2017). Methodological and theoretical innovations in language testing. Multilingualism: language teaching and testing symposium, Ghent (Belgium).
Alkhelaiwi, S., & Brunfaut, T. (2016). Informing EAP listening assessment: Students' processing and strategy needs during lecture listening. Language Testing Forum (LTF), Reading (UK).
Unger, J., Harding, L., & Brunfaut, T. (2016). The discursive construction of “security”: An analysis of the UK Secure English Language Testing policy. Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Palermo (Italy).
Brunfaut, T. (2015). Exploiting methodological innovations in second language research: a practical application of test validation research. Invited plenary. New Directions in English Language Teaching, Learning and Assessment conference, Seoul (South Korea).
Brunfaut, T., & McCray, G. (2015). Cognitive processing during reading-test completion: Insights from eye tracking. Task-Based Language Teaching conference (TBLT), Leuven (Belgium).
Brunfaut, T., & Harding, L. (2015). Teachers setting the assessment (literacy) agenda. European Association for Language Testing and Assessment conference (EALTA), Copenhagen (Denmark).
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For more information, please visit my Academia or Research Gate page.
