New Directions East Asia 2024 Explores Impact of Language Assessment on Society

Berita Baru, Hong Kong – The British Council‘s flagship event on language testing and assessment, New Directions East Asia 2024, brings together regional and international leaders in education from 21 to 23 November in Bangkok, Thailand. Now in its 12th year, the annual conference provides a unique platform for policymakers, educators, academics, teachers, and assessment experts to collaborate, share ideas, and explore the latest innovations in language assessment.

Organised by the British Council, the UK’s organisation for educational opportunities and cultural exchange, this year’s conference theme is: “The Power of Language Assessment on Individuals and Society.” It invites meaningful discussions on how language assessment policies can drive social and economic progress, boost education quality, and contribute to global interconnectedness. This three-day event covers the most recent global research and will promote practical tools for policy makers, education institutions, teachers, teacher educators and assessment professionals.

Mark Walker, Global Head of English and Exams, British Council said, “Language assessment, when thoughtfully designed and implemented, has the power to uplift individuals, shape educational systems, and support inclusive growth across societies. I am delighted that this year’s New Directions East Asia conference in Thailand will explore the transformative role of language assessment on individuals and society”.

This year’s New Directions East Asia conference examines the impact of language assessment policy at various levels:

1. English language policy, learning systems, and assessment
2. Policy and society
3. English alongside other languages
4. Technology and AI

A Focus on Policy and Impact

The conference focuses on the impact of language assessment policies at both the macro and micro levels. At the macro level, informed policy promotes sustainable social and economic progress by strengthening links between curriculum, teaching, and assessment, ultimately creating a robust education system. At the micro level, it enhances accessibility and education quality for individual learners, preparing them to meet the communication demands of a multilingual, globalised world.

At the same time, the conference addresses the challenges of policy and decision-making, exploring cases where language assessment policies can lead to unintended consequences and lessons that can be learned. Discussions centre around four key strands:

English Language Policy, Learning Systems, and Assessment: Focuses on how assessment policies shape curriculum design and impact teachers and learners, showcasing successful reforms in improving communicative skills.

Policy and Society: Highlights the role of language policies in promoting economic growth, global connectivity, and social mobility, especially for employment and migration opportunities.

English Alongside Other Languages: Examines the coexistence of English with local and national languages in East Asia, exploring how policies support linguistic diversity and English’s role in communication.

Technology and AI: Discusses the application of AI in language learning and assessment, focusing on its potential for personalised learning and cost-effective assessments, while addressing concerns about access and fairness.

“On many occasions, strong government policies on language learning and development, combined with standardised assessments, can drive improvements in English teaching, learning, and assessment. It’s great to see discussion on how this can enhance educational outcomes, as well as support economic and social development”, noted Heather Forbes, Regional Exams Director, East Asia, at the British Council. “At an individual level, language policies often increase life opportunities for young people and prepare them for the communication and collaboration demands of a multilingual world”.

Key speakers and panellists at the New Directions conference include thought leaders and educational experts in the field of English Language Assessment from across Asia-Pacific and the world, including Associate Professor Jirada Wudthayagorn, Director, Chulalongkorn University Language Institute (Thailand); Professor Claudia Harsch, University of Bremen (Germany); Dr Tony Capstick, Associate Professor of Language and Migration, University of Reading (United Kingdom); Ms Saengkae Khonghuayrob, Director, English Language Institute, Human Capital Excellence Management Center, Office of Basic Education Commission (Thailand); Dr Huu Nguyen, Director, National Foreign Languages Project, Ministry of Education and Training (Viet Nam); Professor Barry O’Sullivan, Director, English Language Research, British Council (UK); Dr Jessica Wu, Deputy CEO & Director General for R&D, Language Training & Testing Center (Taiwan), Professor Ianthi Tsimpli, Professor of English and Applied Linguistics, University of Cambridge (UK), and Dr Adam Edmett, Head Ed Tech Innovation, British Council (United Kingdom).

For more information on the New Directions Conference please visit:
https://www.britishcouncil.or.th/en/programmes/new-directions-east-asia-2024

About the British Council
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2022–23 we reached 600 million people.
www.britishcouncil.org