The quest for fairness in language testing

Abstract

The search for fairness in language testing is distinct from other areas of educational measurement as the object of measurement, that is, language, is part of the identity of the test takers. So, a host of issues enter the scene when one starts to reflect on how to assess people's language abilities. As the quest for fairness in language testing is still in its infancy, even the need for such a research has been controversial, with some (e.g., Davies, 2010) arguing that such research is entirely in vain. This paper will provide an overview of some of the issues involved. Special attention will be given to critical language testing (CLT) as it has had a large impact on language testing research. It will be argued that although CLT has been very effective in revealing the ideological and value implications of the constructs of focus in language testing, extremism in this direction is not justified.

Keywords:

• fairness
• validity
• critical language testing
• test consequences

Notes

See Ferne and Rupp (2007), for a comprehensive overview of DIF studies in language testing.

We will use the terms model and framework interchangeably here. For a discussion of the differences involved, see VanPatten and Williams (2007).

Due to space limitations, we will not discuss washback here and will focus on critical language testing that has been at the center of discussions on the value implications and the sociopolitical aspects of test use and interpretation (for extended discussions of washback, see Alderson & Hamp-Lyons, 1996; Alderson & Wall, 1993; Bailey, 1996; Cheng, 2005; Cheng, Watanabe, & Curtis, 2004; Hawkey, 2006; Messick, 1996; Wall, 1997, 2000, 2005).