This paper reports the results of a study designed to explore the relationships between speaking test task variables and linguistic features of spoken responses on a speaking assessment for Grade 7 multilingual English learners (age 12-13) in U.S. public schools. Speaking task responses from 30 high-proficiency test takers were transcribed and…

Two pivotal constructs, intelligibility (listeners' actual understanding) and comprehensibility (listeners' perceived difficulty of understanding), have dominated second language (L2) pronunciation research, marking a shift away from an emphasis on nativeness. The 2020 Companion Volume to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages…

Disparities in research publications persist between low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries, with Arab researchers from LMICs in the Middle East facing significant barriers including the potential impact of linguistic biases. These disparities are reflected in the lower acceptance rates and underrepresentation in…

In the context of increasing legislative emphasis on universal screening for reading problems, the accurate and equitable assessment of English learners (ELs) remains a pressing concern. This study examines how kindergarten and first-grade students' performance on early literacy measures in English is affected by their English proficiency. In this…