Le rôle d’ALTE dans TRANSVALP et d’autres projets européens

1. ALTE and its role in TRANSVALP and other EU projects Le rôle d’ALTE dans TRANSVALP et d’autres projets européens 27 septembre 2007 Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris Partenaires/Partners

2. Association of Language Testers in Europe • ALTE Who are we? www.alte.org • 31 members and c.30 affiliate institutions; individual affiliates from a wider Europe • Members: Goethe, CIEP, Instituto Cervantes, Basque Government, WJEC • Affiliates: Ministry of Education, Latvia; Charles University, Prague • Aim: to engage in activities for the improvement of language testing and assessment in Europe through collaboration on joint projects and in the exchange of ideas, know-how and sharing of best practice

3. Core aims of ALTE • to address issues of quality and fairness related to the examinations which the members provide • to establish common standards for all stages of the language-testing process and adhere to those standards: that is, for test development, task and item writing, test administration, marking and grading, reporting of test results, test analysis and reporting of findings • to adhere to the common levels of proficiency established by the ALTE members in order to promote the transnational recognition of certification in Europe • to engage in activities for the improvement of language testing and assessment in Europe through collaboration on joint projects and in the exchange of ideas, know-how and sharing of best practice, especially through the medium of special interest groups • to provide training in language testing and assessment • to raise awareness on issues related to language assessment

4. CEFR, CoE Manual, can dos • Common European Framework of Reference for Languages • Manual for relating language examinations to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages : A preliminary pilot version • Can dos The candidate can understand information requests concerning the restaurant (opening hours, location, equipment…)and react to them in simple terms

5. ALTE Publications • Language Examining and Test Development Booklet COE En and Fr

6. Developing test specifications VRIP • valid (i.e. the test should offer an appropriate way of measuring what it claims to measure); • reliable (i.e. the results produced should be as free as possible from errors of measurement); • impact (i.e. the effect it has on individuals and on classroom practice should be positive); • practical (i.e. the demands it makes on the resources of the test developer and the test administrator should be compatible with the resources available).

7. THE TEST DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

8. Question paperconstruction

9. ALTE Multilingual glossary Studies in Language Testing 6 • The Multilingual Glossary of Language Testing Terms was first developed by ALTE members with funding from the European Commission's Lingua programme in 1998. Originally 10 languages, now in others

10. Item writer guidelines http://www.alte.org/projects/item_writer.php Module 1 Models of Language Ability Module 2 The test production process Module 3 Item Types Some issues of item writing Module 4 Issues in Marking and Scoring

11. Test Specifications • Define constructs • Provide sample test specifications • Work with TransValp partners to define specifications • Provide expert guidance on item writing • Provide some test validation and vetting input

12. Computer-based testing input • Experience in CBT arena • Delivery platform options / tool choice • Input known issues with CBT • High stakes / low stakes • Test security • Linear vs. adaptive • Operational constraints • Technical feasibility • Options for item rendering • Media specifications

13. Example CBTs Online Bulats – Cambridge ESOL

14. Example CBTs CB Skills for Life – Cambridge ESOL