Diagnosing Foreign Language Proficiency
eBook - PDF

Diagnosing Foreign Language Proficiency

The Interface between Learning and Assessment

  1. 286 pages
  2. English
  3. PDF
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

Diagnosing Foreign Language Proficiency

The Interface between Learning and Assessment

About this book

This book addresses the need for tests that can diagnose the strengths and weaknesses in learners' developing foreign language proficiency. It presents the rationale for, and research surrounding, the development of DIALANG, a suite of internet-delivered diagnostic foreign language tests funded by the European Commission. The word 'diagnosis' is common in discussions in language education and applied linguistics, but very few truly diagnostic tests exist. However, the diagnosis of foreign language proficiency is central to helping learners make progress. This volume explores the nature of diagnostic testing, emphasizing the need for a better understanding of the nature of appropriate diagnosis. The book starts with a debate about how diagnostic testing might most appropriately be developed. Charles Alderson argues that the field has neglected to construct diagnostic tests, partly because other forms of testing have dominated the field. Alderson examines how proficiency has been diagnosed in the key areas of language: reading, listening, writing, grammar and vocabulary. The value of self-assessment is discussed and exemplified as a key component in developing learners', and teachers', awareness of the complexity of language learning. The book ends with a consideration of and recommendations for future developments in the diagnosis of foreign language proficiency.

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Yes, you can access Diagnosing Foreign Language Proficiency by J. Charles Alderson in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Languages & Linguistics & Teaching Language Arts. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Contents
  3. Acknowledgements
  4. Introduction
  5. 1 Diagnosing foreign language proficiency: a teaching/testing interface
  6. 2 Diagnosis in other fields
  7. 3 Introduction to DIALANG
  8. 4 The history of DIALANG
  9. 5 Piloting in DIALANG
  10. 6 Setting standards
  11. 7 The Vocabulary Size Placement Test
  12. 8 The role of self-assessment in DIALANG
  13. 9 Reading
  14. 10 Listening
  15. 11 Writing
  16. 12 Grammar
  17. 13 Vocabulary
  18. 14 The value of feedback and advice
  19. 15 Experimental Items
  20. 16 Experiments in the use of self-assessment
  21. 17 The future of diagnostic testing
  22. References
  23. Index