Accent and Listening Assessment; A Validation Study of the Use of Speakers with L2 Accents on an Academic English Listening Test

Given the linguistically diverse nature of academic institutions in English-speaking contexts, a strong rationale exists for the incorporation of L2 accents of English in academic listening assessment on the grounds of authenticity and construct representation. However large-scale tests have tended to feature only native-speaker varieties in listening test input owing to concerns about the intelligibility of L2 accents, construct validity and acceptability. This book presents a mixed-methods study designed to address these concerns. Versions of the University Test of English as a Second Language (UTESL) featuring Australian English, Japanese and Mandarin Chinese accented speakers were used to explore the potential for a shared-L1 or familiarity advantage, and to investigate test-takers' attitudes towards L2 accents on a listening test. Implications are drawn for test development and for future research.

• | Author: Luke Harding
• | Publisher: Peter Lang D
• | Publication Date: Apr 29, 2011
• | Number of Pages: 294 pages
• | Binding: Hardback or Cased Book
• | ISBN-10: 3631609396
• | ISBN-13: 9783631609392