Interviewer Variability in Oral Proficiency Interviews: 4 (Language Testing and Evaluation) - Softcover

Brown, Annie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0820477591 ISBN 13: 9780820477596

Publisher: Peter Lang Publishing, 2005

Synopsis

This book was the winner of the 2005 Jacqueline A. Ross Dissertation Award for second or foreign language testing. The assessment of speaking skills is an important part of the language learning process, whether carried out by teachers in the classroom or through proficiency tests administered by testing agencies. However, the complex and subjective nature of speaking assessment raises a number of important questions about the validity, reliability and fairness of test procedures. This book, which is based on research into the speaking test of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), shows how the performance of learners in oral proficiency interviews cannot be taken unequivocally as an indication of their ability, as variation in interviewer behaviour can have an impact both on learner performance and on ratings outcomes.

About this title

About the Author

Annie Brown is Associate Director for Assessment and Professional Development in the Ministry of Higher Education in the United Arab Emirates. She is on the Executive Board of ILTA and the Editorial Boards of Language Assessment Quarterly and Assessing Writing.

Edition details

• Publisher: Peter Lang Publishing
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0820477591
• ISBN 13: 9780820477596
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 289
• Editor: Grotjahn Rudiger, Sigott Gunther