Language assessment literacy for learning-oriented language assessment

A small-scale and exploratory study explored a set of authentic speaking test video samples from the Cambridge: First (First Certificate of English) speaking test, in order to learn whether, and where, opportunities might be revealed in, or inserted into formal speaking tests, order to provide language assessment literacy opportunities for language teachers teaching in test preparation courses as well as teachers training to become speaking test raters. By paying particular attention to some basic components of effective interaction that we would want an examiner or interlocutor to exhibit if they seek to encourage interactive responses from test candidates. Looking closely at body language (in particular eye contact; intonation, pacing and pausing), management of turn-taking, and elicitation of candidate-candidate interaction we saw ways in which a shift in focus to view tests as learning opportunities is possible: we call this new focus learning-oriented language assessment (LOLA).