Promoting excellence in sign language instruction

The development of assessments to evaluate language learners’ proficiency is the consequence of the teaching and learning of any given signed or spoken second/foreign language. Language tests are a form of assessment. Language tests can follow different procedures, such as different test formats. These include self-assessment tests, checklists, observations or highly standardized language tests. We understand the concept of assessment also as a pedagogic tool; for example assessment can mean providing feedback on an in-class assignment for language learners or feedback on an assignment language learners had to complete at home. In summary, we conceptualize assessment in a broader sense to support the learners’ language learning process.

In this section we will provide different examples and resources related to sign language testing and assessment, both in a formative and summative framework of assessment which can support test developers, sign language teachers and other professionals involved in sign language teaching and assessment.