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History of Language Testing

The document summarizes the history of language testing from 1977 to the 1990s. It describes how approaches evolved from testing isolated language points with a focus on reliability in the 1970s, to considering communicative competence and sociolinguistic factors in the 1980s, to expanding connections between language and educational testing and increasing use of computer technology in the 1990s. It also includes a table showing periods in the evolution of language testing.

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Esther Choo
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266 views

History of Language Testing

The document summarizes the history of language testing from 1977 to the 1990s. It describes how approaches evolved from testing isolated language points with a focus on reliability in the 1970s, to considering communicative competence and sociolinguistic factors in the 1980s, to expanding connections between language and educational testing and increasing use of computer technology in the 1990s. It also includes a table showing periods in the evolution of language testing.

Uploaded by

Esther Choo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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History of Language Testing (Bachman, 1999)

1977
Test design was based on
testing isolated "discrete point"
of language + psychometric
reliability.
1979
Language ability is espoused by
the proponents of communicative
competence- the discoursal and
sociolinguistic aspects of language
use and the context in which it
takes place.

1980's
Under the influence of SLA
research, language testers take
into account many factors such
as aptitude, affect, field
dependence, academic
discipline, discourse domains &
strategies involved in the process
of test-taking itself.


1990's
Expanded connections between
language testing and mainstream
educational measurement.
Increasing use of computer
technology makes computer
administered and adaptive
language tests possible on a large
scale.




Testing trend by Hinofotis (1981)


Pre-scientific
period
Psychometric
/Structuralist
period
Integrative
sociolinguistic
period

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