The Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) is a multi-level, multi-purpose Chinese proficiency test developed by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (previously the Office of Chinese Language Council International and, henceforth, referred to by its colloquial name "Hanban"). It assesses reading, writing, and listening skills of…

The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) is a widely used test of receptive vocabulary, but no researchers to date have examined the performance of low-educated, low-literate L2 adults, or compared these individuals' performances to their more highly educated peers. In this study, we used many-facet Rasch analysis and mixed-effects linear…

Critical language assessment (CLA) has been addressed in numerous studies. However, the majority of the studies have overlooked the need for a practical framework to measure the CLA dimension of teachers' language assessment literacy (LAL). This gap prompted us to develop and validate a critical language assessment literacy (CLAL) scale to further…

Reviews developments in language testing research and practice over the last 20 years, and suggests future directions in the areas of professionalizing the field and validation research. Argues that concerns for ethical conduct must be grounded in valid test use, so that professionalization and validation research are inseparable. (Author/VWL)

Investigates the long-term effects of two national language tests in Israel, one in Arabic as a second language and one in English as a foreign language. The study employed questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis from teachers, students and language inspectors. Findings reveal that washback varies over time, owing to factors such as the…

Investigates issues surrounding the use of tasks in oral tests with particular reference to group discussion. The article focuses on language testing, second-language acquisition, and discourse analysis to shed light on the selection of tasks for use in oral tests. (65 references) (Author/CK)