Rights statement: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Language Assessment Quarterly on 31/10/2016, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/15434303.2016.1236110
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Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - When the test developer does not speak the target language
T2 - the use of language informants in the test development process
AU - Ryan, Eve
AU - Brunfaut, Tineke
N1 - This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Language Assessment Quarterly on 31/10/2016, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/15434303.2016.1236110
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - It is not unusual for tests in less-commonly taught languages (LCTLs) to be developed by an experienced item writer with no proficiency in the language being tested, in collaboration with a language informant who is a speaker of the target language but lacks language assessment expertise. How this approach to item writing works in practice, and what factors play a role in it, is largely unrecorded, as are item writing processes and practices in language assessment in general. Through a case study approach, this study sought to gain insights into test development practices in cases when essential item writer traits are spread across different people. Seven in-depth interviews with language assessment specialists and language informants involved in LCTL reading test development revealed a number of specific characteristics, and also challenges, to test developer recruitment and test development in this context. Findings indicate that this inherently collaborative approach brings with it a sophisticated system of “checks and balances” which may benefit item writing in some respects.
AB - It is not unusual for tests in less-commonly taught languages (LCTLs) to be developed by an experienced item writer with no proficiency in the language being tested, in collaboration with a language informant who is a speaker of the target language but lacks language assessment expertise. How this approach to item writing works in practice, and what factors play a role in it, is largely unrecorded, as are item writing processes and practices in language assessment in general. Through a case study approach, this study sought to gain insights into test development practices in cases when essential item writer traits are spread across different people. Seven in-depth interviews with language assessment specialists and language informants involved in LCTL reading test development revealed a number of specific characteristics, and also challenges, to test developer recruitment and test development in this context. Findings indicate that this inherently collaborative approach brings with it a sophisticated system of “checks and balances” which may benefit item writing in some respects.
KW - testing reading
KW - test developers
KW - testing less commonly taught languages
KW - language test development
KW - language testing
U2 - 10.1080/15434303.2016.1236110
DO - 10.1080/15434303.2016.1236110
M3 - Journal article
VL - 13
SP - 393
EP - 408
JO - Language Assessment Quarterly
JF - Language Assessment Quarterly
SN - 1543-4303
IS - 4
ER -