Earlier this year, Oxford University Press launched the Oxford Test of English for Schools – an online, English proficiency test recommended for 12-16-year-olds. It’s flexible, fast and available at Approved Test Centres worldwide. Plus, it’s the only proficiency test certified by the University of Oxford.
Teacher Ana Isabel Vázquez from Spain is excited for a version of the Oxford Test of English that has been designed especially for younger students – as she says, it’s “a test adapted to give them the best start on their English journey.”
“The younger we are able to test children’s English, the farther they will be able to take their language learning.”
Creating items (test questions) for English language assessments is a tricky business, particularly for teens. You need to ensure that the item produces an accurate and valid measurement of the skill you are trying to test while providing the best possible experience for a test taker. In this blog, we’ll look at two important considerations when writing items: context and content. If this whets your appetite, be sure to join me in my Oxford English Assessment Professional Development session where we’ll be exploring in more detail how to write good test items. 
Research shows that the typical teacher can spend up to a third of their professional life involved in assessment-related activities (Stiggins and Conklin, 1992), yet a lack of focus on assessment literacy in initial teacher training has left many teachers feeling less than confident in this area. In this blog, we’ll be dipping our toes into some of the key concepts of language testing. If you find this interesting, be sure to sign up for my Oxford English Assessment Professional Development assessment literacy session. 
There’s an elephant in the room!