Assessing the Language of Young Learners: (British Council Monographs on Modern Language Testing)

This volume offers new insights into the assessment of the language of Young Learners (YLs). YLs are defined here as being from 5 to 17 years, and are treated as three distinct subgroups: younger children (5/6 to 8/9 years), older children (8/9 to 12/13 years) and teenagers (12/13 to 17 years). The first half addresses fundamental issues, beginning with the characteristics of YLs and how these are manifested in first language development. The authors consider the potential ability of each age group to perform in a second or foreign language, proposing a rough age-related correspondence with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels. Finally, principles of assessment, specifically formative assessment and testing, are presented in the light of linguistic, cognitive and social development. The second half focuses on testing a range of 'skills'. Theoretical models of performance are introduced, followed by a practical analysis of approaches to the testing of each skill for the three age groups, illustrated with examples. The authors conclude by summing up developmental characteristics of each age group, and their implications for language testing. The book is intended for a wide readership within the field of teaching and assessing the language of young learners. Researchers are offered scope for further investigation of what emerges from the discussion, while practitioners will hopefully find support in their day-to-day work with YLs.

Table of Contents:
IntroductionChapter 1: Children and Teenagers: Developmental IssuesChapter 2: The L2 of Young LearnersChapter 3: The Common European Framework of ReferenceChapter 4: Assessing the L2 of Young LearnersChapter 5: Testing ReadingChapter 6: Testing WritingChapter 7: Testing SpeakingChapter 8: Testing Listening Chapter 9: Testing Vocabulary and Grammar Chapter 10: Conclusion Appendix A: An Overview of Nippold's Findings on L1 Development at Ages 5, 10, 15 and 25 Years Appendix B.1: AYLLIT Scale of Descriptors Appendix B.2: The Aptis for Teens Scales for Assessing the Writing of Teenagers Appendix B.3: The Aptis for Teens Scales for Assessing the Speaking of Teenagers Appendix C.1: Click and Drag Item - Norwegian National Testing of English (NNTE) (Reading, 5th Grade) Appendix C.2: Click and Drag Item - Norwegian National Testing of English (NNTE) (Reading, 5th Grade) Appendix C.3: Aptis for Teens B1 Reading Appendix C.4: Aptis for Teens B2 Reading Appendix C.5: Teens Writing Tasks Sample Item Appendix C.6: Aptis General (Adults) B2 Speaking (Long-turn) Appendix C.7: Aptis for Teens B2 Speaking (Long-turn)

About the Author :
Angela Hasselgreen is Professor of Language Didactics at the University of Bergen.Gwendydd Caudwell is Aptis Product Development Manager for the British Council based in Dubai.

Review :
A short and well organized book, in which each chapter constitutes the foundation for the following, which in turn expands topics in a cohesive manner. Hasselgreen and Caudwell contribute their experience and knowledge to highlight main ideas in the field of language assessment for children and adolescents. Their clear explanations are enriched by abundant examples and task-based tests, in line with the Monographs Series’ purposes of providing the readership with theoretical information and practical implications. The LinguistList Overall, I believe that this is a very comprehensive and nice introduction to assessment for young learners. It was written in such a clear and accessible manner. This book will be a great addition to the existing literature on this topic. Yuko Goto Butler, Associate Professor, Penn Graduate School of Education This book, combining rich examples with compelling theoretical underpinnings, with its lucidly-signposted style and user-friendly layout, will contribute to the improvement of the target teachers' assessment literacy. Besides language teachers, we also highly recommend the book to test developers who have the goal of designing effective test tasks for YYLs, and the MA students in the field of language testing or applied linguistics in a broader sense. For them, this book is a very highly effective resource and provides plenteous food for thought. Language Assessment Quarterly