Recent Developments in Language Testing and Assessment

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, discussions and research in the field of language testing and assessment have been motivated by a number of different developments. One such development is the growing role of assessment to support learning and the significant increase of computer-based and multimedia-based learning and assessment environments. Another is the shift away from knowledge transfer towards learning strategies aimed at more generic skills, such as 21st century skills and global competence. In addition, questions concerning what kind of knowledge and skills teachers and other stakeholders need in order to carry out sound assessment practices have led to growing interest in the area of assessment literacy (Tsagari, 2020; Vogt and Tsagari, 2014; Vogt, Tsagari and Spanoudis, 2020)

Growing evidence indicates that language testing and assessment (LTA) is a situated activity, located in particular contexts, characterized by assessment practices and policies compatible with the social and pedagogical values and beliefs that the local community upholds. Recently, studies have begun looking at LTA in particular contexts, drawing attention to the intricacies in examining stakeholders’ practices, perceptions, and knowledge about learning and assessment (Bøhn, 2016; Scarino, 2013).

The goal of this Special Issue is to examine LTA practices from a constructivist or interpretivist epistemological perspective, taking into consideration the importance of context in order to better understand the nature of these practices. The focus of the papers can be theoretical considerations or empirical findings that expand our understanding of what type of LTA stakeholder groups (e.g., teachers, students, testing professionals, and researchers operating in different professional and geographical contexts) need to fulfill their assessment roles. The results should highlight the importance of context in profiling LTA needs, as well as the types of assessment training offered across stakeholder groups.

More specifically, the Special Issue aims to increase our understanding of LTA issues for diverse groups of participants, such as primary and secondary school students, teachers, school leaders, and policy-makers, and for diverse needs (e.g., immigration, special learning needs) with a view to examining those issues from a number of different disciplinary and language perspectives, involving a variety of methodological and theoretical approaches. The papers may also present research efforts related to pre- and in-service teacher training for small- and large-scale projects.

We warmly welcome researchers, research students, and practitioners to submit proposals on topics including, but not limited to:

• Alternative assessment paradigms and methods.
• Test washback/impact on teaching and learning.
• Language assessment literacy.
• Collaborations across stakeholder groups.
• The intersection between learning and assessment.
• Multilingual assessment and assessment in multilingual contexts.
• Developments in theory and practice of formative assessment. 
• Assessments and tests with language learners with special needs.
• Assessing language skills (e.g., reading, writing) and language elements (e.g., grammar)
• The relationship between assessment, feedback, and learning.
• E-assessment.
• Assessment needs and practices in the context of COVID-19.
• Assessing the language of young learners.
• Use of game-based and mobile-assisted assessment.

This Special Issue is expected to provide a forum for discussing the above issues and address graduate students, language teachers and teacher trainers, researchers, test writers, exam designers and policy-makers, administrators, and school program planners who are responsible for language assessment. 

Papers are accepted for theoretically oriented work, or for completed empirical studies and assessment development projects. In the case of empirical studies, the abstracts should generally include the objectives of the study, study design and methods, results, conclusions, and implications. In the case of conceptual research, the abstract should discuss an approach or a critical issue, or compare and contrast alternative approaches or issues, and provide significant new insights.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 400–500 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send this to the Guest Editors (dina.tsagari@oslomet.no or Henrik.Bohn@usn.no) or to the Languages Editorial Office (languages@mdpi.com).  Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer-review.

The tentative completion schedule is as follows:

• Abstract submission deadline: 20 January 2021
• Notification of abstract acceptance: 20 February 2021
• Full manuscript deadline: 20 September 2021

References

Bøhn, H. (2016). What is to be assessed? Teachers’ understanding of construct in an oral English examination in Norway. (Unpublished PhD thesis), University of Oslo, Oslo. URL: https://www.duo.uio.no/handle/10852/53229.

Scarino, A. (2013). Language Assessment Literacy as Self-Awareness: Understanding the Role of Interpretation in Assessment and Teacher Learning. Language Testing, 30(3), 309-327.

Tsagari, D. (2020). Language Assessment Literacy: Concepts, Challenges and Prospects. In S. Hidri. (Ed.), Perspectives on Language Assessment Literacy: Challenges for Improved Student Learning. Language Assessment Literacy: concepts, challenges and prospects (pp. 13-33). New York: Routledge.

Vogt, K., & Tsagari, D. (2014). Assessment Literacy of Foreign Language Teachers: Findings of a European Study. Language Assessment Quarterly, 11(4), 374-402.

Vogt, K., Tsagari, D., & Csepes, I. (2020). Linking Learners’ Perspective on Language Assessment Practices to Teachers’ Assessment Literacy Enhancement (TALE): Insights from Four European Countries. Language Assessment Quarterly, 17(4), 410-433.

Prof. Dina Tsagari
Dr. Henrik Bøhn
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Languages is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.