Elena Shohamy - The Power of Tests (Pt 2) [unfinished]

 This part introduces "studies and cases" of the uses of tests. PP45-9 discuss the intentions and effects of tests. The latter is familiar territory, first delineated by  Messick, 1981. There's a concise discussion of washback, effects and consequences. Of more interest to me is a short section regarding intentions. "There are very few studies that have systematically examined the rationale, intentions and expectations for introducing tests." There may be "very few", but references there are none. A distinction is drawn between overt and covert intentions, the former being, obviously, a decision maker's published rationale for a test. The latter will be unpublished. The real rationale for introducing any given test will be discussed behind closed doors.

I shall call it Test User's Intention in order to give it a name. It's a significant issue for my research because it may be considered that the test use, that is, the UK government, gives the overt rationale for testing, say, applicants for spousal visas as integration. "this is about building a more integrated, cohesive, one-nation country", (Nixon, 2016), whereas, it might be suggested, the covert rationale is to limit migrant numbers. [I've seen that suggestion made in a paper. Where?]

 The search <"language test" policy "test user" intention> in Google Scholar gave 90 results, most of which (eg Hall, 2009) offered only transitory hope of relevance.

[NB: I'll have to come back to this: a research-paradigm assignment is calling, and Inter Library Loans are demanding the return of Shohamy, 2001.]

REFERENCES

Hall, G. (2009). International English language testing: a critical response. ELT Journal, 64(3).

Hamid, M. O. (2015). Policies of global English tests: test-takers’ perspectives on the IELTS retake policy. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 1-16.
Messick, S. (1981). Evidence and Ethics in the Evaluation of Tests. ETS Research Report Series, 1981(1), i-41.
Nixon, G. (2016, February 12). Transcript of Interview with David Cameron: BBC Today Programme, 18/01/2016. Interviewer Sarah Montague. Retrieved from http://pigstyave.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/transcript-of-interview-with-david.html
Shohamy, E. (2001). The power of tests: A critical view of the uses of language tests. Harlow, UK: Pearson Longman.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LTPTP XXV: We Shall Overcome

Image
We shall indeed.  It's a lovely wee tune to learn.  I've almost memorized it this morning, the idea being, when I encounter a piano, I want something to sit down and play on the bugger.  I've a feeling that my keyboard's keys are lighter than a proper piano's, and there'll be a bit of effort transferring the skills I've gotten so far.  Probably, at some point this year, I'll be in workplace with a piano.  I'll print off some simple music and scales, and work at it, but it's likely to be in a public place so I want something to avoid making a twat of myself initially. It feels right that this should be the first tune I learn by heart.
Read more

Leech or flatworm? Ants and Swiss Chard

Image
For the 2nd time in a week or so, (1st time regarding dwarf beans ), I'm following Alys Fowler's advice, this time with regard to Swiss chard .  Long story short, after midsummer plants which often bolt if planted in spring will resist the impulse to do so, probably because of shortening days; (I say shortening, but in Glasgow, in July, we're still getting 18 hours of daylight).   I got a packet of Bright Lights , at a good price, (another reason to wait until July before sowing, lots of bargains, I've noticed). But where to sow them? Most of the 2nd bed is under a tarpaulin, but it wasn't quite big enough to cover the whole bed, so the last 5ft or so went under a sheet of plastic, (in the background of the photo in this post, here .) Transparent plastic was a foolish idea, weeds were growing underneath it, so I covered most of it with sheets of metal from the old shed. I decided to leave the tarp, but use the area beneath the plastic for the chard. Who-ah there
Read more

VINEGAR!

That wine I started a while back has turned to vinegar. Well, that answered questions I was asking myself back then, viz., 'Do we get vinegar flies around here?' And, 'Are all these little flies vinegar flies?' The fuckers. I thought I was being a clever recycler, not buying proper air-locks and using the old plastic-and-lacky-band method. Ah well, another step up another learning curve. Anybody need three gallons of white wine vinegar and two gallons of the impossibly exotic strawberry wine vinegar? It's been a 'business day', dealing with officials and filling out forms. Don't get me started! Alex came over tonight. He gave me the Aphonic CD (he's been in touch with them and they sent him several copies). I thoroughly approve of this new trend of bands getting their work known over the internet, by-passing (initially at least) the poisonous attentions of the music industry. Come to think of it, some of the people in that business are rat
Read more