Trinity College 4th Language Education Forum, Madrid
On 5thand 6th November, the Trinity College London team in Spain, organized the 4th Language Education Forum in Madrid with the support of Trinity College London, the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport and the Centro de Innovación e Investigación Docente.
The Forum opened on Thursday 5th November with the lecture “Examining Washback: What do we know and what is there left to explore?” by Dr Dianne Wall from Lancaster University. Dr Wall started by defining key concepts such as washback, high-stakes exams and their impact on education. She then presented current views on general and language education and how research had developed in the last twenty years. She discussed some critical issues for teachers, exam developers, educational authorities and the testing communities giving examples of her own experience in different countries. Finally, she analysed the challenges that lie ahead and the implications they hold for language education. Birgit Strotmann, former TESOL-SPAIN Vice-president, and I, in my capacity as President of TESOL-SPAIN, attended the lecture and the cocktail that followed.
The Forum continued on Friday morning with a presentation by Dr. Dianne Wall, from Lancaster University, entitled “The best laid plans of mice and men …” Factors affecting long-term examination impact”. Dr. Wall’s presentation focused on the wider impact of educational assessment on society, using as an example the thorough English examination system reform that took place in three Eastern European countries after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
A round table followed, moderated by Neus Figueras Casanovas (Universidad de Barcelona). The Forum attendees included representatives from Ministerio de Educación, Conserjerías de Educación of different autonomous communities, several universities, ACLES, Escuela Oficial de Idiomas, British Council, Macmillan Education Iberia, IBG Global Centre, Círculo de Calidad Educativa CICAE, and TESOL-SPAIN, among others. The event was opened by Sarah Kemp, CEO Trinity College London, Violeta Miguel Pérez, Directora CNIIE, MCED, and Barry Lynam, Trinity College National Consultant for Spain and Portugal.
