TEASIG: Testing language learners’ multimodal skills: why, what and how?

Language use in today’s world is vastly multimodal, not least because of technological advancements. For example, while watching TV or YouTube, we may simultaneously be listening to speakers, see their body language, look at the video footage and visuals, read phrases highlighting key info, and then text a friend about what we saw. Essentially, effective communication in social, educational and professional contexts nowadays requires multimodal literacy. It is therefore important that learners are given opportunities to develop their multimodal literacy and that teachers can evaluate learners’ progress and abilities in this area.

In this webinar, we will share examples of two types of multimodal integrated test tasks, which we developed and investigated for use in English language classrooms. We will provide tips on how such tasks can be made and show how learner performances can be marked. Our materials will be freely available to webinar participants.

Speakers:

Tineke Brunfaut

Tineke Brunfaut (PhD) is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Lancaster University (UK), where she specializes in language testing, second language listening, reading, and integrated skills. She has published widely in these areas, supervises doctoral students, and teaches on Lancaster’s online MA in Language Testing. She also regularly conducts language assessment training for teachers, and consultancies for professional and educational bodies around the world.

Judit Kormos

Judit Kormos (PhD) is Professor in Second Language Acquisition at Lancaster University (UK). She has published widely on the effect of dyslexia on learning additional languages. She is the author of several research papers that have investigated the accessibility of language tests for candidates with disabilities. She has advised numerous language test organisations on their access arrangement policies for test takers with disabilities and is the lead educator of the Dyslexia and Foreign Language Teaching massive open online learning course offered by FutureLearn. 
 

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