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Validation of a large-scale task-based test: Functional progression in dialogic speaking performance

Research Output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding Chapter Peer-review

Open access

Abstract

A list of language functions is usually included in task-based speaking test specifications as a useful tool to describe target output language of test-takers, to define TLU domains, and to specify task demands. Such lists are, however, often constructed intuitively and they also tend to focus solely on the types of function to be elicited and ignore the ways in which each function is realised across different levels of proficiency (Green, 2012). The study reported in this chapter is a part of a larger-scale test revision project for Trinity’s Integrated Skills in English (ISE) spoken examinations. Analysing audio-recordings of 32 performances on the ISE spoken examination both quantitatively and qualitatively, the aims of this study are (a) to empirically validate lists of language functions in the test specifications of the operational, large-scale, task-based examinations, (b) to explore the usefulness and potential of function analysis as a test task validation method, and (c) to contribute to a better understanding of varied test-taker language that is used to generate language functions.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding Chapter Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 217-247 (374 pages)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/01/2021

Publication status

Published - 01/01/2021

Publisher

Springer Nature, Germany, United States, Switzerland, China, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Singapore

ISBN (Print)

9789811642258

ISBN (Electronic)

9789811642265

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/625331
  • Scopus: 85159443677
  • ORCID: /0000-0003-1927-6923/work/177832171
  • Scopus: 85159387259

Host publication title

Task-based language teaching and assessment: Contemporary reflections from across the world

Host publication editors

  • N. P. Sudharshana
  • Lina Mukhopadhyay

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