A central issue in language testing is the choice of norms, and the need to reconcile notions of "standard" English with local language norms and features. Data from studies of international intelligibility indicate that some features of "standard" language descriptions, based on native-speaker language use, are not essential…

Interviews with 10 Hong Kong teachers implementing the Teacher Assessment Scheme yielded metaphors describing their perceptions of roles in student assessment: examiner, policeman, and companion. Acting as teacher and assessor brought conflicting value systems into play. Underlying beliefs about assessment should be examined in order for the…

This article describes a study that emerged as a result of the severe acute respiratory syndrome crisis that struck Hong Kong in 2003. One outcome of the severe acute respiratory syndrome crisis was that all personnel in all educational institutions in Hong Kong were compelled to wear face masks for the period April-August 2003. Consequently, the…