Synopses & Reviews
Tests for the measurement of language abilities must be constructed according to a coherent validity framework based on the latest developments in theory and practice. This innovative book, by a world authority on language testing, deals with all key aspects of language test design and implementation. It provides a road map to effective testing based on the latest approaches to test validation. A book for all graduate students in Applied Linguistics or TESOL, and for professional language teachers.
About the Author
Cyril Weir is Professor in English Language Teaching at the University of Surrey, Roehampton, and Director of the Centre for Research in Testing Evaluation and Curriculum in ELT. He has taught and provided consultancy in language testing, evaluation and curriculum renewal in over fifty countries worldwide. He has published widely in the fields of testing and evaluation. His books include
Communicative Language Testing and
Understanding and Developing Language Tests. Also as Co-Author,
Reading in a Second Language and
Evaluation in ELT. He is on the editorial board of
Language Assessment Quarterly. Table of Contents
PART 1: TESTING AS VALIDITY EVIDENCE * Introduction * Language Testing Past and Present * The Nature of Test Validity * Before the Test Event * After the Test Event * PART 2: NEW FRAMEWORKS FOR DEVELOPING AND VALIDATING TESTS OF READING, LISTENING, SPEAKING AND WRITING * Test Takers Context Validity in Action * Theory Based Validity in Action * Response Formats Scoring Validity in Action * External Validity in Action * PART 3: GENERATING VALIDITY EVIDENCE * Research Methodologies for Exploring the Validity of a Test * PART 4: FURTHER RESOURCES IN LANGUAGE TESTING * Key Sources * References * Index