Book contents
- Ontologies of English
- The Cambridge Applied Linguistics Series
- Ontologies of English
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Series Editors’ Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Transcription Conventions
- Part I Introduction
- Part II English in/for L2 Learning and Teaching
- Part III English in Schools
- Part IV Assessing English
- 9 English Varieties and Targets for L2 Assessment
- 10 The Role of the L1 in Testing L2 English
- 11 Mind the Gap
- Part V English in Lingua Franca Contexts
- Part VI English and Social Practice
- Part VII Commentary and Conclusions
- Index
- References
10 - The Role of the L1 in Testing L2 English
from Part IV - Assessing English
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 December 2019
Book contents
- Ontologies of English
- The Cambridge Applied Linguistics Series
- Ontologies of English
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Series Editors’ Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Transcription Conventions
- Part I Introduction
- Part II English in/for L2 Learning and Teaching
- Part III English in Schools
- Part IV Assessing English
- 9 English Varieties and Targets for L2 Assessment
- 10 The Role of the L1 in Testing L2 English
- 11 Mind the Gap
- Part V English in Lingua Franca Contexts
- Part VI English and Social Practice
- Part VII Commentary and Conclusions
- Index
- References
Summary
A number of chapters in this volume have highlighted the role of testing and assessment in contributing to maintaining monolith conceptualisations of English, and conversely the hybrid nature of the language and lack of clear boundaries, especially in L2 versions. Accordingly, this chapter discusses the role of the L1 in assessing L2 English proficiency, focusing particularly on tests of L2 English speaking ability. It first considers Weir’s (2005) socio-cognitive framework for developing and validating speaking tests (further elaborated in Taylor, 2011), in order to locate the issue of L1 influence comprehensively within an overall test validation framework. It then describes how the different test purposes for which tests are designed can determine the role of the L1, according to the specific construct of the test. To exemplify differing roles that can be played by the L1 in speaking tests, this chapter then presents two studies on L2 spoken English tests that sought to address the issue of test-takers’ L1 in contrastive ways.
Keywords
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Ontologies of EnglishConceptualising the Language for Learning, Teaching, and Assessment, pp. 187 - 208Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2020
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