ABSTRACT

This Handbook, with 45 chapters written by the world’s leading scholars in second language acquisition (SLA) and language testing, dives into the important interface between SLA and language testing: shared ground where researchers seek to measure second language performance to better understand how people learn their second languages. The Handbook also reviews how to best measure and evaluate the second language (L2) learners’ personal characteristics, backgrounds, and learning contexts to better understand their L2 learning trajectories. Taking a transdisciplinary approach to research, the book builds upon recent theorizing and measurement principles from the fields of applied linguistics, cognitive science, psychology, psycholinguistics, psychometrics, educational measurement, and social psychology. The Handbook is divided into six key sections: (1) Assessment concepts for SLA researchers, (2) Building instruments for SLA research, (3) Measuring individual differences, (4) Measuring language development, (5) Testing specific populations, and (6) Measurement principles for SLA researchers.

 

chapter 1|8 pages

Perspectives on “Knowing” a Second Language

What Are We Seeking to Measure?

part I|58 pages

Assessment Concepts for SLA Researchers

part II|78 pages

Building Instruments for SLA Research

chapter 7|9 pages

Test Design Cycle

chapter 9|12 pages

Designing Multiple-Choice Test Items

chapter 10|13 pages

Likert-Type Scale Construction

chapter 11|10 pages

Pilot Testing

Why and How We Trial

chapter 12|10 pages

Scoring Approaches

Scales/Rubrics

chapter 13|10 pages

Raters

Behavior and Training

part III|54 pages

Measuring Individual Differences

part IV|192 pages

Measuring Language Development

chapter 22|10 pages

Measuring Grammar

chapter 23|11 pages

Measuring Phonology

chapter 25|10 pages

Measuring L2 Reading

chapter 26|10 pages

Measuring L2 Listening

chapter 28|10 pages

Measuring L2 Writing

part VI|52 pages

Measurement Principles for SLA Researchers

chapter 42|12 pages

Statistical Modeling of SLA Theories

Connecting Test Performance to Construct

chapter 44|15 pages

Reliability Analyses

Estimating Error

chapter 45|12 pages

Measurement Generalizability

Considerations on Reliability and Validity