Presentation

Assessing Assessment: A Principled Revision of an In-House Pronunciation Diagnostic Test

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Abstract

In the last decade, interest in L2 pronunciation research and pedagogy has steadily gained momentum; yet, less attention has been paid to the area of assessing pronunciation either separately or as part of the larger construct of speaking ability. Isaacs’ (2014) chapter on assessing pronunciation bemoans this fact while also noting how assessment should and could reflect recent advances in theory and research, such as the paradigm shift from accentedness to intelligibility (Levis, 2005) and findings related to intelligibility (e.g., Munro & Derwing, 2006). In this paper, the researchers evaluate and revise an existing pronunciation diagnostic test based on a review of pronunciation assessment literature. Some modifications of the current test included the addition of a section testing aural perception, changing the free speech section from a self-introduction to an interview, and revising the targeted segmental features based on principled selection criteria. While the focus of this paper is on a test of English pronunciation within the context of international teaching assistant training, the authors believe the insights gained will be valuable and relevant for test development in other contexts as well as for other languages.

How to Cite:

Watts, P. & Huensch, A., (2014) “Assessing Assessment: A Principled Revision of an In-House Pronunciation Diagnostic Test”, Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Proceedings 6(1).