Читать книгу The Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics - Carol A. Chapelle - Страница 71

Since 1989, educational programs in the USA have witnessed the emergence and implementation of standards‐based education initiatives that identify the content for instruction, target learning outcomes, and specify expected learner achievement in terms of standards‐related criteria as part of system‐wide efforts. This phenomenon has made an impact on language classrooms worldwide (Stoynoff & Chapelle, 2005) through major initiatives including the Common European Framework of Reference (Council of Europe, 2001) and the continuing expansion of English Language Standards such as those in Australia, the USA, and, most recently, China. In addition, in the USA, there are specific English as a New Language Standards for elementary and secondary teachers who seek certification in that area (National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, 2010).

Despite the challenges, student standards provide the anchor and coherence across levels of implementation in educational assessment systems and have become integrated into every aspect of educational life. As Shephard, Penuel, and Davidson (2017) suggest, large‐scale accountability tests should not be the primary driver of educational reform; rather, change should begin with local decisions about curriculum and instructional practices, informed by classroom‐centered assessment that is grounded in a model of learning that is consistent with evidence from research about language learning and development, motivation, identity formation, and equity‐focused instruction.