We are now welcoming abstracts for the 7th International Online Conference of the Asian Association for Language Assessment (AALA), Seoul, South Korea, November 3-5, 2021 and invite contributions from academics, researchers, teachers, students, and assessment agencies.
Please be advised that, due to the persistent pandemic (COVID-19), AALA 2021 will take place as an online conference. All speakers and participants present their papers through our virtual (video) conferencing system.
Conference Dates: November 3-5, 2021
Pre-Conference Workshops: November 3, 2021
Conference: November 4-5, 2021
Location: Webhosting, Seoul, South Korea
Host: Korea English Language Testing Association (KELTA)
Associate host: Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE)
Co-Chairs: Jessica Wu & Jin Yan
Advisory Board: Oryang Kwon and Wonkey Lee
Local Chair: Inn-Chull Choi
Theme: Learning-Oriented Language Assessment: Insight, Practice & Research
We welcome all areas of language assessment research, including, but not limited to:
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Theoretical foundations and Practical aspects of learning-oriented language assessment (LOLA) (such as theoretical framework, approaches and methods of LOLA, critical issues of LOLA, error analysis-based diagnostic language assessment, etc.)
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Principles in language testing and assessment in classroom settings (such as new approaches, theories, hypotheses, or perspectives in language testing and assessment in the context of classroom, etc.);
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Language assessment policies focusing on education (such as assessment for/as education, policy-making processes, impact of language education and assessment policies, washback effect of high-stakes language tests and school-based language tests etc.); and
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Classroom-based Assessment practices to enhance language education (such as practices and implications of LOLA in classroom setting, school-based language assessment (K-12), computer-based language assessment, computerized adaptive language assessment, applications of new technologies to language assessment for/as education, etc.)
Presentation formats
We invite abstracts for the presentation formats listed below.
Paper presentations
Paper presentations are 20 minutes, followed by 10 minutes for questions and comments from the audience. Research papers may be either empirical or conceptual. Presentations of empirical studies should provide a rationale for the study, an appropriately detailed description of the methodology, research results, conclusions, and implications. Presentations of conceptual research should discuss an approach or a critical issue, or compare and contrast alternative approaches or issues, and provide significant or innovative perspectives. Abstracts should be no more than 400 words. Those not accepted for paper presentations may be considered for poster presentations.
Poster presentations
Posters will be displayed during a timetabled session at the Conference. Presenters will be asked to stand with their posters during the scheduled sessions to present their work and answer questions. Poster presentations provide an opportunity for independent researchers, students, faculty members or professional assessment agencies to show their recently completed or work-in-progress assessment projects or research. Poster abstracts should be no more than 400 words.
Symposia
Symposia involve the presentation of three or four research papers on a single, coherent theme related to insightful principles and practices in learning-oriented language assessment that can stimulate wider discussion by the presenters and audience. Each symposium should include a moderator and/or an independent discussant. The total time for one symposium is 100 minutes including at least 15 minutes for discussion of the issues raised. Symposium proposals should not exceed 800 words, with each individual abstract no more than 150 words.
Abstract Submission Guidelines
For paper and poster presentations, please provide the following details:
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If you are a single-authored/individual student, write “The sole author of this abstract is a graduate student currently enrolled in a Master’s/doctoral program in [your major] at [your university].” at the top of the page. (Refer to the Information on AALA Student Awards below for more details.)
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Sub-theme
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Preferred presentation format (Paper or poster presentations)
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Title: max. 20 words
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Abstract: max. 400 words, clearly highlighting the relevance and quality of your research
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Presenter details: including name(s), affiliation(s), country(ies), and email address(es)
For symposia, please provide a summary of the topic and overarching goal, the titles and abstracts of individual papers, information of the moderator and/or discussant, and a plan of time allocation to fit the time limit. Symposium proposals should be submitted to aala.korea.2021@gmail.com by the deadline.
Note: An individual may be a first author on only one proposal. However, that individual may be a co-author/presenter on another proposal.
Information on AALA Student Awards
The AALA Best Student Paper Award and AALA Best Student Poster Award are merit-based awards that support the attendance of two graduate students at an AALA annual conference. All single-authored/individual student submissions will be automatically considered for the awards. To qualify for the student awards, contributors must be graduate students currently enrolled in a university Master’s or doctoral program in applied linguistics or a related field. The authors need to indicate their graduate student status in their abstracts by writing “The sole author of this abstract is a graduate student currently enrolled in a Master’s/doctoral program in [your major] at [your university].” at the top of the abstract page. A letter of matriculation/active student status must be shown upon request.
Winners MUST present their works at the AALA annual conference to receive the awards. Winners for the Best Student Paper Award and Best Student Poster Award will each receive a certificate, have their conference and pre-conference workshop registration fees waived, and be invited to the banquet.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals for presentations will be evaluated by a team of reviewers. For individual papers and posters, the reviewers’ decision is final. Symposium proposals will be further reviewed by the organising committee. A maximum of three symposia (ideally one for each sub-theme of the conference) will be accepted.
The evaluation criteria include:
· Significance of the research topic/Contribution to the field
· Relevance to conference theme
· Rigor of study (e.g., rationale for the research, contextualization within the literature, design of research question(s), choice and use of methodology, interpretation and conclusion etc.)
Important Dates
Proposal submission website open: March 31, 2021
Deadline for submission: June 15, 2021
Notification of selection: July 31, 2021
Submit your abstracts at https://aalakorea2021.wixsite.com/home/call-for-abstracts by the deadline.
Contact
Email enquiries: aala.korea.2021@gmail.com