Assessing Less Commonly Taught Languages: Challenges and Opportunities in Local Contexts

Event Abstract:
Local language testing plays a critical role in assessing language development within specific institutional contexts. Unlike large-scale tests, which prioritize generalization across contexts, local language tests are closely aligned with curricular goals and pedagogical practices in institutional contexts. This contextual sensitivity allows local language tests to develop creative solutions to address unique assessment needs in local contexts and thereby set themselves apart from large-scale tests. While much attention has been given to the distinction between large-scale and local language testing recently, most discussions are situated within English language assessment. Less commonly taught languages (LCTLs), on the other hand, present linguistic, cultural, pedagogical, and assessment nuances that cannot be directly adapted from English assessment frameworks. Using Chinese as an illustrative example, this talk explores unique opportunities in LCTL assessment and proposes ways to develop sustainable, context-sensitive approaches to test design, administration, validation, and use in local contexts.

About the Speaker:
Xun Yan is an associate professor of Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition and Teacher Education, and Educational Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a faculty member in the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. He received his PhD in Second Language Studies from Purdue University. At UIUC, Xun is the director of the undergraduate program in Linguistics + TESOL and the supervisor of the English Placement Test and the English Proficiency Interview. Xun's research interests include speaking and writing assessment, psycholinguistic approaches to language testing, and language assessment literacy. His work has been published in journals including Applied Linguistics, Assessing Writing, Foreign Language Annals, Journal of Second Language Writing, Language Assessment Quarterly, Language Learning, Language Testing, System, and TESOL Quarterly. He is a co-editor for Language Testing and the Brief Research Reports for TESOL Quarterly. Xun was the recipient of the ETS TOEFL Essentials New Scholar award in 2022, UIUC's LAS Alumni Distinguished Professorial Scholar Award in 2024, Conrad Humanities Mid-Career Scholar Award in 2022, and Lincoln Early-Career (LEAP) Scholar Award in 2018.

This event is sponsored by AMES & Trinity Language Council