Assessing English Proficiency for University Study

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xvii

   PDF

2. The Context: Students in English-Medium Universities

   • John Read

   Pages 1-24

3. Post-Entry Language Assessments in Australia

   • Catherine Elder, John Read

   Pages 25-46

4. The DELNA Programme at the University of Auckland

   • John Read

   Pages 47-69

5. Post-Entry Assessments in Other Countries

   • Catherine Elder, John Read

   Pages 70-92

6. The Case for Introducing a Post-Entry Assessment

   • John Read

   Pages 93-109

7. Defining and Assessing Academic Language Proficiency

   • John Read

   Pages 110-136

8. Defining and Assessing Academic Literacy

   • John Read

   Pages 137-161

9. A Diagnostic Perspective on Post-Entry Assessment

   • John Read

   Pages 162-175

10. The Design of Academic English Assessments

    • John Read

    Pages 176-197

11. The Validation of a Post-Entry Assessment

    • John Read

    Pages 198-220

12. Postscript

    • John Read

    Pages 221-223

13. Back Matter

    Pages 224-252

    PDF

This book focuses on strategies and procedures for assessing the academic language ability of students entering an English-medium university, so that those with significant needs can have access to opportunities to enhance their language skills.

• language assessment
• academic language proficiency
• English for Academic Purposes
• English-medium institutions
• academic language
• access
• Australia
• design
• English
• language
• literacy

“Assessing English proficiency for university study focuses on post-entry English language assessment (PELA) for students in higher education. … this book would be suitable for a range of readers including EAP teachers, test developers, policy advisors and others involved in PELAs. … Read’s book can be fully utilized by all of those involved in post-entry language assessment.” (Naoki Ikeda, Papers in Language Testing and Assessment, Vol. 6 (1), 2017)

“The central topic of this book is the assessment of English language proficiency and academic literacy needs of students to enable them to cope with the demands of study at university. … This book is highly recommended. It will be an essential go-to resource not only for those with an interest in PELAs, but also for those with a broader interest in English language assessment issues.” (NewZealand Studies in Applied Linguistics (NZSAL), Vol. 22 (1), 2016)

• University of Auckland, New Zealand

  John Read

John Read is Associate Professor in Applied Language Studies at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. His research interests are in the testing of English for academic and professional purposes and second language vocabulary assessment. He is the author of Assessing Vocabulary and has been co-editor of Language Testing and President of the International Language Testing Association.

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