ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on practical testing formats for specific learning targets in Interactional Competence (IC) that are consistent with the pedagogy and teaching materials that are available. It discusses written testing formats rather than oral testing. Written test tasks are rarely used in IC testing. The chapter also discusses the consequences in order to contextualize the testing formats for IC learning targets. The IC of competent speakers includes knowledge and abilities that are situated in, and negotiate, the sequentiality of interaction. Language teachers and teacher educators have started to incorporate the results from Conversation Analysis (CA) research into second language (L2) teaching by turning CA findings into tangible classroom learning targets. Research shows that such learning targets in IC can indeed be taught and learned successfully in L2 classrooms. As an indirect measure of L2 learner knowledge and ability, written formats impose some constraints compared to oral testing.
