In Chapter 1, the author begins by defining “language assessment” and “test” and discusses how people use them differently. A major aim of the chapter is to engage readers who have concerns about the use and effectiveness of language assessments by recognizing their potential for unfairness and discussing how users can avoid such negative consequences. To achieve this aim, the author introduces readers to some misuses of language assessment, including the infamous Shibboleth Test, the Australian Dictation Test, and the Louisiana Literacy Test. People used these assessments to intentionally discriminate against certain groups of individuals. The author then presents Kremmel and Harding’s nine aspects of language assessment literacy and discusses what this framework suggests about being language assessment literate and how following it can limit inappropriate uses of language assessments. At the end of the chapter, the author encourages readers to evaluate their own language assessment literacy.

In Chapter 13, the author takes readers through the process of reflecting on their language assessment literacy after going through the materials in the book, compared to when they began reading the book. The author encourages readers to identify areas of language assessment literacy that they want to continue to develop as they go further on their language assessment literacy journey. The chapter also includes two self-assessments to help readers determine how well they understood the concepts in the book and how well they can apply them to real-world language assessment contexts. One of the assessments is a multiple-choice reading assessment and the other is an oral communication performance assessment. The assessments target readers knowledge and application of the principles that they studied in the book.