What we do

What we do 

Objectives

The BAAL Testing, Evaluation and Assessment Special Interest Group (BAAL TEA SIG) offers a platform and a voice within BAAL for existing members with an interest or specialization in language testing, evaluation and assessment, and also broadens the appeal of the organization to others in the field not currently members.

The main objective of this SIG is to bring language testing, evaluation and assessment together and into the mainstream of British applied linguistics.

In addition, it adds significantly to the future development of BAAL by offering an added perspective on the application of applied linguistics research in language assessment, language education, and language policies in educational assessment, and through the dynamic cross-fertilization of ideas.

We are keen to:

• Work with other SIGs to identify areas of significant interest to all BAAL members,
• Develop, with other BAAL members, alternative insights into the way language is used by taking perspectives unavailable to us in the past,
• Identify areas of research potential through these inter-SIG co-operative links,
• Support connections between academia, government, and testing organizations,
• Provide a forum for continued learning and networking, and
• Strongly support the work of graduate students and the capacity building of TEA specialists of the next generation.

We plan to hold a TEA SIG event in conjunction with the Language Testing Forum which is held annually in a British university (University of Lancaster in November 2010).

In addition, we are exploring the possibility of having a pre-conference event at the annual BAAL conference.

As a strong focus of this SIG is on capacity building for the next generation, we also plan to hold online events in the future, e.g. for a specific kind of training in data and reference managements.

To reach teachers with an interest in language testing, evaluation and assessment, we will work with the IATEFL SIG in assessment.