This book provides a detailed account of the origin, development, administration, revision and subsequent research findings on the benchmarking initiative from 1996-2016. It presents an overall assessment of the initiatives impact on major stakeholders, predictions regarding the way forward, and implications for other countries, especially in South East Asia. In addition, the book discusses what the larger global community can learn from Hong Kongs two-decade experience of conceptualizing and implementing minimum standard language requirements for teachers.
Section I Background to Higher-Stakes Assessment.- 1 Introduction and
Background to High-Stakes Assessment.- 2 Research Literature.- 3 Issues in
High-Stakes Assessment.- 4 Background to the Hong Kong Education System.- 5
The Initial 1996 Consultancy Study.- 6 The English Language Benchmark Subject
Committee.- 7 The Pilot Benchmark Assessment (English).- 8 Determining
Benchmarks after the PBAE.- Section II The LPATE Enhancement Courses in Hong
Kong: The Case of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.- 9 The LPATE Training
Courses: An Initiative to improve Teacher Language Proficiency.- 10 The CUHK
LPATE Training COurses: Reading and Listening.- 11 The CUHK LPATE Training
Courses: Writing, Speaking and Classroom Language.- Section III The LPATE: A
High-Stakes Assessment in Operation (2001-2007).- 12 The Operation of the
LPATE (2001-2005).- 13 The Revision of the LPATE.- 14 Maintaining Standards
in the Indirectly-Assessed Components of the LPATE.- 15 Misconceptions of the
LPATE in the Media: Perspectives on Educational Change.- 16 A Quantitative
Investigation of Stakeholder Perceptions.- 17 A Qualitative Interpretation of
the Impact of the LPATE on Key Stakeholders.- Section V Conclusion.- 18
Concluding Comments on the Benchmarking (LPATE) Project: Strengths,
Weaknesses and Constraints.
David Coniam is Chair Professor of Curriculum and Assessment and Head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the Education University of Hong Kong. He is a teacher educator, working with teachers in Hong Kongs primary and secondary schools. His main research interests are in language assessment, language teaching methodology and computer-assisted language learning. Peter Falvey is a teacher educator. A former Head of Department at the University of Hong Kong, he currently holds an honorary professorial role with the Education University of Hong Kong. His main research interests are in language assessment, first and second language writing methodology, and text linguistics.
