Language Testing Research Group Innsbruck

We are a team of researchers at the University of Innsbruck whose interests encompass all aspects of language testing and assessment, with a particular focus on their relation to learning and teaching, - helping researchers, teachers, test providers, educational institutions, and government organizations worldwide. We form part of the Department of Subject-Specific Education in the Faculty of Teacher Education at the University of Innsbruck and engage in both independent and collaborative research, validation and development projects in education, workplace, industry, government and migration contexts. We provide training, consultancy, and development in the field of language learning and assessment, combining a broad range of perspectives, experience, and expertise in various aspects of assessment, including all stages of task, scale and test development, as well as validation and alignment research. Our aims: - Conduct cutting-edge research to validate and improve language assessment practices at both high-stakes and classroom level - Support in aligning language curricula, teaching practices, standards, and language assessment - Promote assessment literacy across languages and disciplines - Support primary, secondary, and tertiary level practitioners in delivering best practice tests - Explore open science practices and innovative approaches in language assessment practice and research Our activities: - Validation research on high-stakes language tests - Research into classroom-based language assessment and washback - Foundational and interdisciplinary research related to applied linguistics - Custom test development - Pre-service and in-service teacher training nationally and internationally - Rater training, standard setting, benchmarking, and scale development workshops - Consultancies for national and international institutions and organizations on assessment-related matters