Language Testing in Focus: An International Journal

This paper reflects on the assessment of language ability, and evaluates the significance of developments in language test design in South Africa over the last three decades. In this environment the development of language assessment literacy (LAL) has been a piecemeal advance, prompted by private efforts. In their administration of large-scale international tests at primary and secondary school level, public education authorities have commissioned this private expertise to evaluate the quality of existing public examinations. In higher education, the learning about assessing language ability more professionally has been focussed on the testing of academic literacy. Several institutional, one inter-institutional initiative and one organisation intended for individual professionals have contributed to a sustained engagement with the assessment of language ability. Engagement, however, does not yet constitute demonstrable or wide national gains in competence to assess language ability. There is a serious lack of research on LAL despite this having secured the attention of language testers globally for more than two decades. The work done within the organisations mentioned shows how awareness may be converted into competence. Having achieved some gains in the latter, the investigations have also revealed significant gaps in expertise. There are still equally significant challenges to be met.