The increasing use of digital educational technologies in higher education (HE) means that the nature of communication may be shifting. Assessments of English for academic purposes (EAP) need to be reconceptualized accordingly to reflect the new and complex ways in which language is used in HE. With a view to inform EAP assessments, our study set…

While there are a variety of reasons for implementing English medium instruction (EMI) at higher-education institutions (HEIs) worldwide, this decision is often made without consideration of its potential impact on student learning. Federal HEIs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are no exception. With English language admission standards at…

Examination of the reliability and validity of paper-and-pencil pronunciation tests of English as a second language in Osaka (Japan) showed very low reliability. Correlations with more direct measures of pronunciation showed very low validity of written pronunciation tests. Sample tests are appended. (Author/CB)

Discusses the practice of paired testing of oral languages, noting the lack of published research evidence and of results from the monitoring of these tests to support their introduction into wider use. Questions whether paired testing is more effective than, and a valid alternative to, the more traditional candidate/examiner model. (SM)

Reports on the creation and trial of three new exit tests for (mostly Asian) students attending pre-course English language training. Test creation and trial involved analysis and selection of appropriate content, design of formats and test booklets, pre-testing, administration, and statistical analysis of the results. (Author/CB)

Describes the Speaking Test, which forms part of the revised First Certificate of English (FCE) examination of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate. Discusses key revisions, including use of paired-testing format, and notes the role of the oral examiners. Considers why the new design provides improvements in the assessment of…

Describes the language-testing component of the Aston University (England) preservice teacher-training course, outlining the activities used, examining how they enable the teacher to address target content, and explaining how they form part of a broader approach to teacher education. (Author/MSE)

For 42 Italian students studying English as a foreign language, there was no significant difference in subjects' success in recognizing words, regardless of whether words' final consonants were fully realized. Exercises that focus attention on sounds at the ends of words make learners practice a strategy that neither they nor first-language…

Responds to a previous article that discussed paired testing of oral languages and focused on the role of the examiners, suggesting that the paper was not necessarily correct in saying that the problems associated with paired testing are outweighed by its positive advantages. This paper argues that paired testing has many potential problems that…

Describes the nature of recent changes in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and provides a rationale for their introduction. Notes that IELTS is widely accepted as a reliable means of assessing whether candidates are ready to study or train in the medium of English. (five references) (Author/CK)

Questions the removal of a link between reading and writing tasks in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examinations on two grounds: that this removal is prejudicial to those students whose native cultures may not provide the appropriate schemata to effectively write; and that it is unrealistic in terms of the measurement of…