Includes bibliographical references (pages 413-440) and indexes.

Abbreviations -- Series editors' note -- Acknowledgements -- Notes on contributors -- Introduction / Lynda Taylor -- Test taker characteristics / Mark Elliott -- Cognitive validity / John Field -- Context validity / Mark Elliott and Judith Wilson -- Scoring validity / Ardeshir Geranpayeh -- Consequential validity / Roger Hawkey -- Criterion-related validity / Gad S Lim and Hanan Khalifa -- Conclusions and recommendations / Lynda Taylor and Ardeshir Geranpayeh -- Appendices -- Appendix A : sample Listening tasks at five levels -- Appendix B : candidate information sheets (CIS) -- Appendix C : standard procedures for the production of Listening test materials -- Appendix D : administrative setting and management of Listening tests -- Appendix E : Cambridge ESOL staff induction worksheet on the CEFR -- References -- Author index -- Subject index.

This volume examines the nature of second language listening proficiency and how it can be assessed. The book highlights the need for test developers to provide a clear explication of the ability constructs which underpin the tests they offer in the public domain. This is increasingly necessary if claims about the validity of test score interpretation and use are to be supported both logically and with empirical evidence. It operationalises a comprehensive test validation framework which adopts a socio-cognitive perspective. The framework embraces six core components, examining and then analysing Cambridge ESOL listening tasks from the following perspectives: Test Taker; Cognitive Validity; Context Validity; Scoring Validity; Criterion-related Validity; and Consequential Validity. -- Publisher website.