Accent and Listening Assessment
A Validation Study of the Use of Speakers with L2 Accents on an Academic English Listening Test
©2011
Thesis
294 Pages
Series:
Language Testing and Evaluation, Volume 21
Summary
Given the linguistically diverse nature of academic institutions in English-speaking contexts, a strong rationale exists for the incorporation of L2 accents of English in academic listening assessment on the grounds of authenticity and construct representation. However large-scale tests have tended to feature only native-speaker varieties in listening test input owing to concerns about the intelligibility of L2 accents, construct validity and acceptability. This book presents a mixed-methods study designed to address these concerns. Versions of the University Test of English as a Second Language (UTESL) featuring Australian English, Japanese and Mandarin Chinese accented speakers were used to explore the potential for a shared-L1 or familiarity advantage, and to investigate test-takers’ attitudes towards L2 accents on a listening test. Implications are drawn for test development and for future research.
Details
- Pages
- 294
- Publication Year
- 2011
- ISBN (Hardcover)
- 9783631609392
- Language
- English
- Keywords
- Intelligibility Pronunciation lingua franca Verbal reports
- Published
- Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Wien, 2011. 294 pp., num. tables and graphs