Cala - Canadian association of language assessment

100+

Active members

From academia, educational institutions, and government agencies across Canada

15+ Years

Experience

Supporting excellence in language assessment since 2009

10+

Virtual Events Hosted

Expert-led webinars and online presentations

10+

Annual In-Person Events Hosted

Annual workshops, symposia, and conferences organized across Canada

Our Core Objectives

Knowledge Mobilization

Disseminating knowledge about language assessment to all interested individuals and organizations (including educators) by hosting conferences, symposia, workshops, and webinars across Canada. Creating spaces for experts to share insights, best practices, and policy developments.

Bilingual Community Engagement

Supporting both English and French-speaking professionals. Fostering collaboration through accessible, inclusive events. Building a sustainable platform for communication among researchers focused on language assessment in Canada.

Partnerships

Providing consultation on sensitive, high stakes language assessment practices as well as fair practices in language assessment. Advising local, provincial and federal agencies and organizations on issues related to language assessment.

Promoting Student Engagement

Fostering a supportive and encouraging space to promote student engagement within the scholarly community. Providing financial support to students through our student awards during our conferences and events.

Conference news and research updates

Stay current with the latest news and updates

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Conference Proceedings

Professional Representations of Oral Interaction Competence Assessment among Second Language Teachers

This research aims to describe and explain the professional representations of oral interaction competence assessment among secondary school second language teachers in Quebec. An emic perspective allows to view their assessment literacy as insider knowledge rather than a deficit of scientific understanding (Goffman, 1959; Mauss, 1969). After conducting semi-structured interviews with these teachers, we will perform both content and discourse analyses, shedding light on the underlying assumptions, values, and social influences that shape these representations (Bardin, 2013; Piaser & Bataille, 2011). This approach considers the dynamic and situational aspects of discourse, recognizing that the way teachers discuss assessment in interviews may differ from their in-class practices (Goffman, 1959). It highlights the rhetorical strategies and narrative constructions teachers may use to present themselves as competent professionals (Amossy, 2010). We aim to uncover the intricate ways in which professional socialization and identity influence teachers’ assessment representations, providing insights that are not only specific to the interview context, but applicable to understanding other professional settings as well. References Amossy, R. (2010). La présentation de soi : Ethos et identité verbale. Presses Universitaires de France. Bardin, L. (2013). L'analyse de contenu. Presses Universitaires de France. https://doi.org/10.3917/puf.bard.2013.01 Goffman, E. (1959). The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Doubleday Anchor Books. Mauss, M. (1969). Oeuvres II : Représentations collectives et diversité des civilisations. Les Éditions de Minuit. Piaser, A., & Bataille, M. (2011). Of Contextualized Use of “Social” and “Professional”. In Education, Professionalization and Social Representations: On the Transformation of Social Knowledge. Routledge.

Student Awards

We will update this space soon with information about student awards from our 2025 bilingual event and our 2024 fall conference.

Development of a test taker-oriented rubric: Exploring its usefulness for test preparation and writing development

The study reported here is part of a mixed methods validation of a test taker-oriented rating scale or rubric for the writing section of the CanTEST, a high-stakes proficiency test used for university admissions at several Canadian institutions. This rubric is being developed as a support to test preparation efforts, as well as a potential formative tool to support student writing development. The scale was provided to international students in ESL advanced writing classes (n = 48) who were representative of the test taker population. Students reviewed and practiced using it in class, then used it to score a set of blinded essays and provide comments justifying their scores. Students also reflected on their experience using it and the extent to which it supported their own writing development. Cluster analysis revealed considerable variation in scale use and discrepancies with the official scores awarded to the essays. However, qualitative analysis of student comments and reflections revealed considerable potential for the tool to direct students’ writing development efforts.

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Upcoming events

Join us. Explore research, connect with peers, and shape the future of language assessment.

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Fri

Oct 2025

Fall 2025 Conference

Halifax, Nova Scotia

This year’s theme invites participants to explore the dynamic relationship between theoretical frameworks and practical applications in language assessment and testing, with a particular emphasis on the Canadian context. We encourage submissions that investigate how assessment theory informs design, implementation, policy, and classroom practice, and, conversely, how empirical work and situated pedagogical experiences shape evolving theories of language proficiency, measurement, and validation. In addition, we welcome reflections on emerging developments, including the evolving role of technology such as generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in language assessment. While still in its early stages, GenAI is beginning to influence both conceptual and practical approaches to assessment, raising new questions about constructs, feedback practices, ethics, and the role of human judgment in technologically mediated environments.

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CALA President’s message

Welcome to CALA/ACEL!

The past year has been an exciting one for the CALA/ACEL organization. We were proud to host two successful events: one in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and another in Montreal, Quebec—each offering dynamic spaces for attendees to connect, collaborate and learn more about the field of language assessment and testing.

Looking ahead, we’re building on that momentum. This fall, we’ll be back in Halifax on October 3–4, 2025, for another engaging conference. Then on June 6–8, 2026, we are honoured to coordinate with the International Language Testing Association (ILTA) as they host the Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC) in Montreal, Quebec bringing together language testing experts from around the world.

Thank you for being part of CALA/ACEL. Whether you're a professor, educator, or language tester, we’re glad you're here—and we look forward to connecting with you in the months ahead.

Sincerely, Christine Doe President, CALA/ACEL

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