‘ELT for a Global World’

Foreign language
evaluation and
assessment in and beyond
FSA
the classroom
2015
Lecture 2: Models in language testing

Brózik-Piniel Katalin
Department of English Applied Linguistics

Supported by the Higher Education Restructuring Fund allocated to ELTE by the Hungarian Government

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 Review questions
• Who are stakeholders?
• The TOEFL is a … test.
• Give an example of using discrete point testing.
• What characterizes criterion referenced tests?

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 Outline

• Key concepts
• Models in large scale language assessment
• The Common European Framework of
Reference (CEFR)

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 Key concepts
• Models: overarching theoretical descriptions
• Frameworks: skills and abilities (i.e. selection of
constructs) relevant to a context (from a model)
depending on test purpose!
• Construct: components of a model
(Fulcher, 2010)

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 Large scale language assessment
• Test development process (Fulcher, 2010;
Fulcher & Davidson, 2007):
– Theoretical models
– Assessment frameworks
– Test specifications

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Models provide the theoretical rationale for inferences drawn
from test scores (i.e. what do test scores mean?) (Fulcher &
Davidson, 2007):

Score→framework (including contextual factors) →model (of

communicative competence)

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 Choosing a model for proficiency
tests
• What does it mean to know a language?
• List ideas.

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 A sample model of communicative
competence
Celce-Murcia, Dörnyei, and Thurrell (1995)
• Actional competence
• Sociocultural competence
• Linguistic competence
• Discourse competence
• Strategic competence
• Interaction of competences

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 In the classroom
• Think about the purpose of classroom language
assessment listed last class.
• Ask further questions: e.g. what were the aims
of the lesson/unit; what does it mean to know a
word/to be able to use a particular grammar
structure?

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The Common European Framework
of Reference (CEFR)

• What do you know about it?

– Have you come across the indication of e.g., A2, C1?
In what context? What are they indications of?

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The Common European Framework
of Reference (2)
• Common European Framework of Reference for
Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment
(Council of Europe, 2001)
• Council of Europe – international team of
language teachers and testing experts
• Language competence – uniform description for
testers, teachers and learners (self-assessment).
• Relate courses and examinations to each other
 transparency and coherence

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The Common European Framework
of Reference (3)
– Communicative language competences:
 linguistic
 sociolinguistic
 pragmatic

– Domains of language use: public, educational, personal

– Communicative language activities: reception, production,
interaction, mediation
– Strategies

(Council of Europe, 2001)

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The Common European Framework
of Reference (4)

Reference levels
• A:basic, B:independent, C:proficient
• “plus levels”: criterion level + features of the
next level

(Council of Europe, 2001)

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 Practice with the CEFR
• A Hungarian website:
http://www.keronline.hu/

• A website in English:
http://www.helsinki.fi/project/ceftrain/index.php
.35.html

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 Use of the CEFR
• In what way can the CEFR be useful in large
scale language assessment?
• In what way can the CEFR be useful in the
language classroom?

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 References
Celce-Murcia, M., Dörnyei, Z., & Thurrell, S. (1998). On
directness in communicative language teaching. TESOL
Quarterly, 32, 116-119.
Council of Europe (2001): Common European Framework
of Reference for Languages: learning, teaching,
assessment. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Fulcher, G. (2010). Practical language testing. London:
Hodder.
Fulcher, G., & Davidson, F. (2007). Language testing and
assessment: An advanced resource book. London,
England: Routledge.
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