120154 UE Topic Related Course (Didactics of English) (2010S)

This course aims to develop an understanding of fundamental concepts in language testing and assessment as a basis for the practical development of language tests and assessments. It will examine methods of gathering information on how well learners can communicate and how their learning is progressing in order to enable decisions about teaching and learning.
These decisions will include placing students in appropriate groups or classes according to their needs, deciding what next to teach, establishing achievement against course goals, and reporting to interested stakeholders about learning outcomes. The fundamental link between assessment, learning and teaching will be emphasized, as well as the policy context in which such assessment occurs. Guiding frameworks for assessment such as the Common European Framework of Reference will be examined. Steps in the development and validation of assessment procedures will be introduced, including the analysis of the social and policy context of test use, analysis of the target use domain, the relevance and reliability of assessments, and methods of establishing and improving the quality of assessments. The assessment of the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be considered in detail.