LTRG programme 2024–2025
LTRG is open to staff members, visiting researchers, and PhD and MA students with an interest in language testing and assessment. Staff and students working away from campus can often attend the seminars online. Please contact Tineke Brunfaut (t.brunfaut ‘at’ lancaster.ac.uk), Luke Harding (l.harding ‘at’ lancaster.ac.uk) or John Pill (j.pill ‘at’ lancaster.ac.uk) for details.
LTRG usually meets on Thursdays, from 12:30 to 14:00. Meetings in 2024-25 will be a mix of in-person, online and hybrid events.
Term 2
Coordinators: John Pill and Mi-Jin Chung
| Date | Time | Where | Presenter | Topic |
| 16 January | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South D72 + online option | All | Writing retreat |
| 23 January | no session | |||
| 30 January | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South D72 + online option | John Pill, Mi-Jin Chung | Article discussion |
| 6 February | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South D72 + online option | MA in Language Testing team | Invited workshop: What might constitute a contemporary postgraduate qualification in language testing? Ideas and reflections |
| 13 February | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South D72 + online option | MA in Language Testing graduates | Presentations on recent dissertation projects |
| 20 February | Reading Week – no session | |||
| 27 February | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South D72 + online option | Pucheng Wang (Zhejiang International Studies University) | Exploring the effects of input sequencing on performance in integrated speaking tasks |
| 6 March | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South D72 + online option | Neil Bullock (International Civil Aviation English Association) | Addressing stakeholder concerns for the oversight of online language testing in aviation – a research-based perspective |
| 13 March | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South D72 + online option | Kietnawin Sridhanyarat & Mutjarin Ittiphong (Silpakorn University, Thailand) | A localised CEFR-aligned English proficiency test at a Thai university |
| 20 March | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South D72 + online option | Gulnahar Begum (Queen’s University Belfast) | Exploring the impact of a high-stakes test on English language education in Bangladesh (work in progress) |
Term 1
Coordinators: Tineke Brunfaut and Haoshan (Sally) Ren
| Date | Time | Where | Presenter | Topic |
| 12 September | 12:00-13:30 | In person County South B89 + online option | Kellie Frost (University of Melbourne, Australia) | Critical language testing and immigration policy: Language assessment for employment and skilled migration |
| 10 October | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South D72 + online option | Geisa Davila Perez, Mi-Jin Chung, Natasha Davidson, Liam Gormley, Philip Horne, Jiayue Yin | PhD project presentations |
| 17 October | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South B89 + online option | Raffaella Bottini, Vittorio Tantucci | Do examiners and test-takers imitate each other? Dialogic resonance in second language testing |
| 24 October | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South C89 + online option | All | Writing retreat |
| 7 November | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South C89 | Olena Rossi, John Pill | Restricted session (practical): Investigating language skills required by undergraduate students in an era of technology |
| 14 November | 18:00-20:00 | In person Faraday/Margaret Fell Lecture Theatre | Patrick Rebuschat | Departmental 50th anniversary lecture: The science of multilingualism. Book your seat here. |
| 21 November | No session – Language Testing Forum 2024 | |||
| 28 November | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South D72 + online option | Olena Rossi, Tineke Brunfaut, Haoshan Ren | Automated item generation |
| 5 December | 12:30-14:00 | online | Michelle Czajkowski (Radboud University, The Netherlands) | The Revision Tools Test: Diagnosing the use of digital writing tools for academic writing |
| Wedn 11 December | 12:30-14:00 | In person County South B89 + online option | All | LTRG social event |