语言能力评估的社会维度

杨 旸 赵守辉

语言战略研究 ›› 2016, Vol. 1 ›› Issue (5) : 20-27.

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语言战略研究 ›› 2016, Vol. 1 ›› Issue (5) : 20-27.
语言战略研究

语言能力评估的社会维度

  • 杨 旸 赵守辉
作者信息 +

Assessing Language Profi ciency: From Perspective of Social Dimensions

  • Yang Yang and Zhao Shouhui
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文章历史 +

摘要

本文从语言规划视角出发,讨论语言能力评估的社会应用,目的在于揭示隐藏在语言技术功能背后的象征性本质,从而为读者提供理解语言能力的另一个视角。文章简要综述了语言能力测试的历史进程,展示了海外学术界对语言能力评估在研究理念上发生的两次重大转变,即由关注被试者对语言本体结构知识的掌握到对在特定场景中实际交际能力的强调;由聚焦测试效度描述语言能力的客观准确性到对应用测试结果及所产生的社会影响的关心。基于对海外语言测试领域有关语言能力测试结果社会应用研究文献的调查,本文整理讨论了施测者或政府利用语言能力评估实现各自教育或政治目的四个主要的社会维度。文章结合中国实际情况,探讨了该领域发展的国际趋势对中国相关领域研究的启示。

Abstract

Language is embedded in society. As a symbolic capital, language also serves as the main component of the human resource.The use of language assessments thus has significant consequences for individuals’ material life and personal fates. Accordingly,language assessments will inevitably become a means for resources management and social control exploited by governments. Through examining the use of language assessments from the perspective of language planning and policy study, this paper attempts to unpackthe symbolic nature of language under its technical attributes, thus providing Chinese audience with a new perspective of understanding language proficiency. In this paper, based on a succinct review of the international literature on the developing trajectory of languagetesting and evaluation, we first show the two milestone changes occurred in the theories of the language testing study, i.e. a shift offocus from measuring linguistic knowledge and language forms of test takers to their pragmatic skills in the actual communicationsettings, and a shift of concern from the objectivity and accuracy of validity of the test battery to the impact of social application of thetest results. Drawing upon the vast investigation of the international literature about social applications of language testing, the paperthen identifies and discusses the four main social dimensions of how language assessments being utilized by testing authorities orgovernments to achieve their educational or political ends. In the closing part, we further unravel the very nature underlying the socialdimensions of language assessments, and explore the implications of the international trends in this field for Chinese researchers andpractitioners.

关键词

语言评估 / 社会结果 / 心理测量 / 效度 / 反拨

Key words

language assessments / social consequences / psychometrics / validity / washback

引用本文

导出引用
杨 旸 赵守辉. 语言能力评估的社会维度[J]. 语言战略研究. 2016, 1(5): 20-27
Yang Yang and Zhao Shouhui. Assessing Language Profi ciency: From Perspective of Social Dimensions[J]. Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2016, 1(5): 20-27

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