Commentary on Establishing a Life-Language Model of Proficiency: A New Challenge for Language Testing

The intriguing article, Establishing a life-language model of proficiency: A new challenge for language testers, raises two concerns. First, the proposed construct of a “life-language model” of proficiency in the hands of “Educational Language Testers” would require the measurement of “the psychological, emotional, and social needs of learners (through careful design of Life-Language Tests)” (p. 97). This is a very broad definition of proficiency indeed, more suited to other kinds of tests, namely diagnostic tests. Second, the proposed construct of critical thinking, which is highlighted within the discussion of the Life-Language Test, may be more of a proxy measure for intelligence testing than critical thinking which, it is argued, is embedded within disciplinary cultures. Each of these concerns is discussed below.