ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the challenge of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) for language assessment. It introduces the issue of ELF and language assessment. The chapter connects the specific challenges of ELF with broader debates around the nature of communicative competence. It also discusses how research in language testing and assessment has addressed the ELF challenge thus far, showing that tangible progress has been slow and more work needs to be done. The chapter describes what an ELF construct for assessment purposes might look like, and how this construct could be operationalised through tasks. It concludes with future challenges for integrating ELF perspectives into language assessment. ELF assessment opens up the question of who is to be tested; removing the privileged status of the non-native speaker, who may have no natural advantage over a non-native speaker in achieving successful ELF communication.
