Language assessment during a pandemic: Creating and managing opportunities in a time of disruption
Well before the COVID-19 virus, the field of language testing and assessment was already engaged in a period of substantial innovation and change. However, the onset of the pandemic in early 2020 accelerated the pace of change, partly in response to the new circumstances and partly to ensure that learners could continue to progress, teachers could teach, and educational institutions could finalise decisions. The aim was to maintain access to educational opportunity. The theme of this year’s conference, ‘fairer, greener, stronger’, represents an excellent opportunity to reflect on the work we have done. Are we more equitable, more climate conscious and friendly? In what ways are we stronger? In this talk, I will pick up on the theme of ethical language assessment introduced during last year’s conference. Focusing particularly on questions of equivalence, equity, and access, I will explore two, quite different assessment contexts to reflect on the opportunities and challenges that have arisen in the last eighteen months and how language testing and assessment has responded. The first is a small, vocationally oriented language assessment context which offers an excellent story of evolving government policy and the impact on teachers, who have been newly engaged in high-stakes assessment. The second is the context of large-scale examinations and the desire to support learners in achieving their goals and dreams. In both cases, I will discuss excellent work that has been done across the field, the lessons that have been learned, and those which are still emerging.