Theoretical models, assessment frameworks and test construction

Chalhoub‐Deville, Micheline

doi:10.1177/026553229701400102

Cited by 45 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…In the recent past and in North America alone, our profession has produced models of proficiency at the rate of at least one or two per decade, including Oller' s (1976) unitary competence proficiency model; Cummins' s (1979) CALP/BICS model; Canale and Swain' s (1980) communicative competence model; the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, first published in 1982 and then revised in 1986 and1999;and Bachman' s (1990) communicative language ability model (see Chalhoub-Deville, 1997, for brief descriptions). All of these models have sparked lively critical discussion.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and the Oral Proficiency Interview: A Brief History and Analysis of Their Survival

Liskin–Gasparro

2003

Foreign Language Annals

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and the Oral Proficiency Interview: A Brief History and Analysis of Their Survival

Liskin–Gasparro

2003

Foreign Language Annals

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“…The purpose of descriptors of common reference levels is to provide a metalanguage of criterion statements which people can use to roughly situate themselves and/or their learners, in response to a demand for this. It is widely recognised that the development of such a taxonomy entails a tension between theoretical models developed by applied linguists (which are incomplete) on the one hand and operational models developed by practitioners (which may be impoverished) on the other hand (see North, 1993b: 7;McNamara, 1995: 159-165;Chalhoub-Deville, 1997;and Brindley, forthcoming: 21).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scaling descriptors for language proficiency scales

North¹,

Schneider

1998

Language Testing

131

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This paper reports results from a Swiss National Science Research Council project which aimed to develop a scale of language proficiency in the form of a 'descriptor bank'. Up until now, most scales of language proficiency have been produced by appeal to intuition and to those scales which already exist rather than to theories of linguistic description or of measurement. The intention in this project was to use an item-banking methodology to develop a flexible scale of stand-alone criterion statements with known difficulty values.The project took place in two rounds: the first for English (1994), the second for French, German and English (1995). In each year pools of descriptors were produced by analysing available proficiency scales. Through workshops with representative teachers, the descriptors were then refined into stand-alone criterion statements considered to be clear, useful and relevant to the sectors concerned. Selected descriptors presented on questionnaires were then used by participating teachers to assess the proficiency of learners in their classes. This data was used to scale the descriptors using the Rasch rating scale model. The difficulty estimates for the descriptors produced in relation to English in 1994 proved remarkably stable in relation to French, German and English in 1995.

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“…The congruence between theoretical models and operational frameworks has been discussed and criticised. Moreover the need for a more empirically based approach to the development of assessment frameworks has been highlighted (Chalhoub-Deville 1997). These arguments and the subsequent debate are beyond the scope of this article.…”

Section: The Contextmentioning

confidence: 96%

Using Quality Management Systems to improve test development and standards and to promote good practice: A case study of testing Italian as a foreign language

Bolli

2014

Language Learning in Higher Education

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This article discusses the problem of quality in the production of language tests in the context of Italian language examinations. The concept of quality is closely related to the application of stated standards and related procedures. These standards, developed over the last thirty years, are mainly related to the concepts of the accountability and responsibility of organisations and testing bodies. In this context and for these purposes, a quality management system (QMS) could be a useful tool for the setting out of procedures and the consistent application of standards to the different phases in the production of language examinations, thereby supporting and providing evidence of the valid interpretation and use of test results (Messick 1989). Taking into account the development of standards in educational assessment (Saville 2014), the article starts with a brief exploration of the terms standard, quality, and quality management system, then goes on to discuss the potential relationship between standards, QMS and the argument-based approach to validation (Kane 2006(Kane , 2010(Kane , 2012Bachman and Palmer 2010). The second part of the article describes, in concrete terms, the experience of the Centro per la Valutazione e le Certificazioni Linguistiche (CVCL) at the Università per Stranieri di Perugia, in applying the QMS produced by the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE), considering how this application aimed to implement a set of procedures in order to achieve the stated standards through a continuous process of improvement of the overall testing system. The contextOne of the major problems that test producers, both individuals and testing organisations, are faced with is the difficulty of combining complex theoretical concepts, such as validity and reliability linked to linguistic theories and psychometric properties, with day-to-day practice, implementing them using a set of consistently applied procedures, and providing evidence of the steps followed during the process of designing, producing and delivering tests. The overall process is intended to guarantee quality of language tests assuring valid results. Over the last 40 years theoretical models and operational frameworks have been proposed to be used as guidelines in language test production (e.g. between theoretical models and operational frameworks has been discussed and criticised. Moreover the need for a more empirically based approach to the development of assessment frameworks has been highlighted (Chalhoub-Deville 1997). These arguments and the subsequent debate are beyond the scope of this article. For present purposes, it is sufficient to bear in mind that, despite the fundamental work that has been carried out by scholars and researchers over the years, test providers still lack adequate guidance in their current practice, and are still left unsure whether what they are doing corresponds to norms agreed within both the scientific community and a community of practice.This need for further guidance is becoming increasingly e...

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Theoretical models, assessment frameworks and test construction

Cited by 45 publications

References 36 publications

The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and the Oral Proficiency Interview: A Brief History and Analysis of Their Survival

The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and the Oral Proficiency Interview: A Brief History and Analysis of Their Survival

Scaling descriptors for language proficiency scales

Using Quality Management Systems to improve test development and standards and to promote good practice: A case study of testing Italian as a foreign language

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