Washback Research in Language Assessment Fundamentals and Contexts

"A timely book and contemporary statement on the next steps concerning washback research. In this edited volume, David Allen makes a valuable case for the need to pursue the evolving research on washback in language assessment settings. Research of the last 30 years in a variety of contexts has set the stage for a better understanding of assessment consequences and answered initial questions, but we now must strive to gain knowledge in ways to generate positive washback; that is, to employ low stakes and high stakes assessments that enhance teaching and learning, and to integrate positive washback into the design, development, and implementation stages of these assessments. By providing washback fundamentals and current exemplary research contexts, this volume (which includes issues such as fast-paced technological developments) takes a refreshing view on capitalizing on past research, identifying gaps, and proposing a way forward to ensure our language assessments generate positive washback towards the end goal of promoting language learning. A significant contribution to the field of language assessment."

- Carolyn E. Turner, McGill University, Quebec, Canada