Testing English at university. Some reflections on validation

This paper illustrates some of the most crucial stages of testing rationale adopted at the University of Messina Language Centre (CLAM). After a brief sketch of our context at both local and national level, some reflections on fundamental issues will be given. The initial strategic decision was to create a locally-based research group working on the required educational services. Teaching and assessment had to take local needs into account and adjust principles to our specific context: the idea was to create customized services for foreign language students and encourage research in a virtuous circle. Texts for teaching and assessment are thus produced within CLAM, in keeping with its educational and cultural goals. This paper explores some opinions expressed by leading scholars on the variety/ies to be taught and assessed. Special care is devoted to a scientific appreciation of the state of the art as regards the English language, considering this to be a crucial question as far as testing is concerned. Awareness of the multiple varieties a student might come across when experiencing a foreign language, is fundamental for teachers, textbook and test writers. In the second part of this paper, reflections on a priori and a posteriori validation strategies and procedures are given, with special reference to the former, bearing in mind theoretical assumptions, stakeholders’ needs and requirements, methods and, finally, practical constraints and partial – if not definitive – solutions.