TIRF Trustees’ Activities at 6th International ALTE Conference

The 6th International Conference of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) will take place in Bologna, Italy from May 3-5, 2017. The conference will provide a unique multilingual forum, sharing insights and practical knowledge gained from teaching and testing a huge range of languages in different contexts around the world.

According to the conference website, the event will consider teaching, learning, and assessment (1) in a globalized economy; (2) in a multilingual world; and (3) in the digital era.

Delegates participating in the event include researchers, teachers, testing specialists, and policy-makers. These attendees will discuss (1) new challenges and opportunities in language education; (2) how language assessment can better support language learning and teaching; (3) how advances in technology are affecting language education and language assessment; and (4) how governments and institutions can respond to the fast-changing demands for language skills.

According to TIRF Trustee and ALTE Secretary-General Dr. Nick Savile, Director of Research and Validation for Cambridge English Language Assessment, “ALTE’s international conferences are all about making connections – and this year’s theme explicitly highlights the connections between learning, teaching and assessment at every level, from national policy to classroom practice. This event also seeks to make connections between people from different backgrounds and experiences. We will bring together experts and practitioners working in a wide range of languages and professional contexts from all parts of the globe, giving us the chance to share insights and techniques that might otherwise remain compartmentalised.”

TIRF Trustees Dr. Kathi Bailey and Dr. Joe Lo Bianco will also be the 6^th International ALTE Conference. Dr. Bailey will be giving a talk on “Language Testing Washback and Impact in our Globalized Word.” Dr. Lo Bianco will be giving a presentation on “Language Policy and Social Cohesion: What Links between Social Environment and Regimes of Learning and Assessment?”