Introducing Second Language Assessment

In Chapter 1, the author begins by defining “language assessment” and “test” and discusses how people use them differently. A major aim of the chapter is to engage readers who have concerns about the use and effectiveness of language assessments by recognizing their potential for unfairness and discussing how users can avoid such negative consequences. To achieve this aim, the author introduces readers to some misuses of language assessment, including the infamous Shibboleth Test, the Australian Dictation Test, and the Louisiana Literacy Test. People used these assessments to intentionally discriminate against certain groups of individuals. The author then presents Kremmel and Harding’s nine aspects of language assessment literacy and discusses what this framework suggests about being language assessment literate and how following it can limit inappropriate uses of language assessments. At the end of the chapter, the author encourages readers to evaluate their own language assessment literacy.