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Rethinking the Second Language Listening Test: From Theory to Practice
Rethinking the Second Language Listening Test argues that the key to more valid testing of second language listening lies in a better understanding of the nature of the skill and of the signal that listeners have to decode. Using this information as a point of departure, it takes a critical look at many of the myths and conventions behind listening tests and provides practical suggestions as to the ways in which they might be rethought.
The book begins with an account of the various processes that contribute to listening in order to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by second language learners. The information feeds in to a new set of descriptors of listening behaviour across proficiency levels and informs much of the discussion in later chapters. The main body of the book critically examines the various components of a listening test, challenging some of the false assumptions behind them and proposing practical alternatives. The discussion the recording-as-text, the recording-as-speech, conventions of test delivery, standard task formats and item design. Major themes are the critical role played by the recorded material and the degree to which tests impose demands that go beyond those of real-world listening. The following section focuses on two types of listener with different needs from the general those aiming to demonstrate academic or professional proficiency in English and young language learners, where level of cognitive development is an issue for test design. There is a brief reflection on the extent to which integrated listening tests reflect the reality of listening events. The book concludes with a report of a study into how feasible it is to identify the information load of a listening text, a factor potentially contributing to difficulty.
The book begins with an account of the various processes that contribute to listening in order to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by second language learners. The information feeds in to a new set of descriptors of listening behaviour across proficiency levels and informs much of the discussion in later chapters. The main body of the book critically examines the various components of a listening test, challenging some of the false assumptions behind them and proposing practical alternatives. The discussion the recording-as-text, the recording-as-speech, conventions of test delivery, standard task formats and item design. Major themes are the critical role played by the recorded material and the degree to which tests impose demands that go beyond those of real-world listening. The following section focuses on two types of listener with different needs from the general those aiming to demonstrate academic or professional proficiency in English and young language learners, where level of cognitive development is an issue for test design. There is a brief reflection on the extent to which integrated listening tests reflect the reality of listening events. The book concludes with a report of a study into how feasible it is to identify the information load of a listening text, a factor potentially contributing to difficulty.
168 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2019
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About the author
John Field
6 books3 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
This is John^^Field, where ^=space.
About the Author:
John Field has a PhD from Cambridge University on the identification of words in connected speech by first and second language listeners. He has an MA in Linguistics and ELT from the University of Leeds and an MPhil in English and Applied Linguistics from Cambridge University. His undergraduate degree (English Language and Linguistics). was at University College London. He is a trained English language teacher, and holds the Cambridge/ RSA Diploma.
John specialises in Psycholinguistics, with particular reference to the ways in which cognitive psychology can enable a better understanding of second language skills. His main research interest lies in second language listening. He has worked extensively on cognitive validation in language testing, comparing the processes adopted by a candidate under test conditions with those that would be employed in a less constrained real-world context.
This is John^^Field, where ^=space.
About the Author:
John Field has a PhD from Cambridge University on the identification of words in connected speech by first and second language listeners. He has an MA in Linguistics and ELT from the University of Leeds and an MPhil in English and Applied Linguistics from Cambridge University. His undergraduate degree (English Language and Linguistics). was at University College London. He is a trained English language teacher, and holds the Cambridge/ RSA Diploma.
John specialises in Psycholinguistics, with particular reference to the ways in which cognitive psychology can enable a better understanding of second language skills. His main research interest lies in second language listening. He has worked extensively on cognitive validation in language testing, comparing the processes adopted by a candidate under test conditions with those that would be employed in a less constrained real-world context.
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October 1, 2025
Rethinking the Second Language Listening Test by John Field is an insightful and much-needed reexamination of how we design and interpret listening assessments in second language acquisition.
Rather than treating listening as a passive act of comprehension, Field situates it as a complex, multi-layered skill requiring learners to decode, interpret, and respond to dynamic speech signals. By grounding his analysis in both theory and practice, he challenges many of the entrenched assumptions that shape current test formats such as treating recordings as static texts, overlooking the realities of natural speech, and imposing demands far removed from real-world listening contexts.
The book’s strength lies in its practical alternatives. Field not only critiques traditional item design and delivery methods but also proposes new descriptors of listening behavior across proficiency levels, offering teachers, test designers, and researchers concrete tools for more valid and reliable assessments. His discussions of different learner populations from academic and professional test-takers to younger learners navigating cognitive development make the work broadly relevant to both high-stakes testing and classroom practice.
Scholarly yet accessible, Rethinking the Second Language Listening Test is essential reading for applied linguists, language teachers, curriculum developers, and assessment specialists. It bridges the gap between theoretical understanding and testing practice, ensuring that listening tests better reflect how learners actually engage with language.
Rather than treating listening as a passive act of comprehension, Field situates it as a complex, multi-layered skill requiring learners to decode, interpret, and respond to dynamic speech signals. By grounding his analysis in both theory and practice, he challenges many of the entrenched assumptions that shape current test formats such as treating recordings as static texts, overlooking the realities of natural speech, and imposing demands far removed from real-world listening contexts.
The book’s strength lies in its practical alternatives. Field not only critiques traditional item design and delivery methods but also proposes new descriptors of listening behavior across proficiency levels, offering teachers, test designers, and researchers concrete tools for more valid and reliable assessments. His discussions of different learner populations from academic and professional test-takers to younger learners navigating cognitive development make the work broadly relevant to both high-stakes testing and classroom practice.
Scholarly yet accessible, Rethinking the Second Language Listening Test is essential reading for applied linguists, language teachers, curriculum developers, and assessment specialists. It bridges the gap between theoretical understanding and testing practice, ensuring that listening tests better reflect how learners actually engage with language.
Displaying 1 of 1 review