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Language Testing
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English language assessment in Hong Kong: A survey of practices, developments and issues

David D. Qian

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, David.Qian{at}polyu.edu.hk

English has been an official language of Hong Kong since it was first introduced to the region in the 1840s. Since then, its influence has invariably been strong and remains so even after 1997, when the sovereignty of the region was returned to China. This special background of English in Hong Kong heavily influences the policy and practices of English language assessment in the region. The present article starts with a survey of the status of the English language in Hong Kong and then reviews major English-language tests that are considered to be having a significant impact on Hong Kong society and its education system. Reviewed in the article are tests developed or imported for assessing students in primary and secondary schools and tertiary institutions, as well as tests that assess the English proficiency of English language school-teachers and the general workforce in Hong Kong. In particular, the article provides insights into the recent evolution of Hong Kong's English language assessment at various levels and for different purposes amidst the region's changing socio-political and socio-educational contexts. In anticipating the future of English language assessment, the article considers some pressing issues arising from the implementation of new testing and assessment procedures in the region.

Language Testing, Vol. 25, No. 1, 85-110 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0265532207083746
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