ALTAANZ Conference 2025
Online, 11-13 November 2025
Call for Proposals
Theme: Balancing innovation and tradition in language assessment
Proposals are encouraged from practitioners and researchers (both established and emerging) who are navigating the tensions between new technological tools and traditional assessment methods.
Proposals are invited for research papers, works-in-progress, roundtables and workshops. We welcome papers on any topic related to language testing and assessment, but areas of particular interest are:
The deadline for submitting proposals is 1 April, 2025.
Submit your proposal here.
For enquiries about the conference, email: [email protected]
Submissions require:
Research Papers
This format is best suited to empirical research or theoretical work. Research papers are 20 minutes followed by 10 minutes of discussion. Empirical papers should include the research objectives, methods, results, conclusions, and implications. Theoretical or conceptual papers should discuss an approach, a framework or a critical issue, and provide new insights. Preference will be given to papers which address the listed areas of interest, but other topics will be considered. The proposal must not exceed 300 words.
Works-in-Progress (WIPs)
A WIP session is an opportunity to seek feedback on research projects or assessment practices which are in progress, planning or pilot stages. Presenters give a brief overview of the project, their progress so far, issues arising and plans. The proposal must not exceed 300 words. WIP sessions are 20 minutes followed by 10 minutes of discussion.
Roundtables
A roundtable is a 60-minute structured discussion on a critical issue to the language assessment community, such as a specific policy area, a particular research concern or an assessment practice. Up to four individual presenters may present brief perspectives on the issue (e.g., 5-10 minutes each), highlighting just a few key points. A moderator/discussant should introduce the topic, control the timing and offer ample opportunity for audience discussion within the scheduled timeslot. This format is best suited for current issues which the presenters would like to bring to the attention of the audience and seek input on. It is not a format for assessment product display. The 500-word proposal should include the topic of the roundtable, a rationale for its inclusion in the conference, the nature of the participants’ roles in the topic area (e.g., a policy expert, a secondary school teacher), their topics and the structure and timing of the session. Participant names should not be mentioned in the body of the proposal.
Workshops
A workshop is a 60-minute activity-based interactive session aimed at sharing practical/professional skills with the ALTAANZ community. The session should offer participants hands-on experience of a particular area of assessment practice (e.g., item writing, portfolio design) or research practice (e.g., an analytical method). The 500-word proposal should include the topic of the workshop, the expertise of the facilitators (in general terms), the intended participant group, an outline of the proposed activities and the structure and timing of the session. The central activity should be feasible in the time slot. Facilitator names should not be mentioned in the body of the proposal. This is not a format for assessment product display. Longer workshops can also be proposed.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Theme: Balancing innovation and tradition in language assessment
Proposals are encouraged from practitioners and researchers (both established and emerging) who are navigating the tensions between new technological tools and traditional assessment methods.
Proposals are invited for research papers, works-in-progress, roundtables and workshops. We welcome papers on any topic related to language testing and assessment, but areas of particular interest are:
- Creating, expanding and reconceptualising theoretical models and validity frameworks for language assessment
- Technological tools and developments in language assessment
- Examining test constructs in the evolving landscape of language use
- Interrogating scoring validity (including the validity of AI-based automated scoring)
- Leveraging technology in test development
- Innovative contexts of learning and assessment
- Interactions between large-scale standardised assessments/frameworks and classroom practices
- Assessments and tests with multiple uses
- Intersections between learning and assessment
- Collaborations across stakeholder groups
- Language assessment policy and practice: ethics and accountability
- Classroom-based assessment: new developments, challenges and local practices
- Standardised tests: development, implementation and/or use
- Research methodology for exploring language assessment practice
- Multilingual assessment and assessment in multilingual contexts
- Accessibility and accommodations in language assessment
- Other topics relevant to language assessment
The deadline for submitting proposals is 1 April, 2025.
Submit your proposal here.
For enquiries about the conference, email: [email protected]
Submissions require:
- Title (20 words or less)
- Proposal containing no author names: Research papers 300 words, works-in-progress 300 words, roundtables 500 words, workshops 500 words
- An up to 80-word summary
- Three key terms
- Full names, affiliations and emails of all authors
- Presenter location (city/town) and time zone in November 2025 (to help scheduling)
Research Papers
This format is best suited to empirical research or theoretical work. Research papers are 20 minutes followed by 10 minutes of discussion. Empirical papers should include the research objectives, methods, results, conclusions, and implications. Theoretical or conceptual papers should discuss an approach, a framework or a critical issue, and provide new insights. Preference will be given to papers which address the listed areas of interest, but other topics will be considered. The proposal must not exceed 300 words.
Works-in-Progress (WIPs)
A WIP session is an opportunity to seek feedback on research projects or assessment practices which are in progress, planning or pilot stages. Presenters give a brief overview of the project, their progress so far, issues arising and plans. The proposal must not exceed 300 words. WIP sessions are 20 minutes followed by 10 minutes of discussion.
Roundtables
A roundtable is a 60-minute structured discussion on a critical issue to the language assessment community, such as a specific policy area, a particular research concern or an assessment practice. Up to four individual presenters may present brief perspectives on the issue (e.g., 5-10 minutes each), highlighting just a few key points. A moderator/discussant should introduce the topic, control the timing and offer ample opportunity for audience discussion within the scheduled timeslot. This format is best suited for current issues which the presenters would like to bring to the attention of the audience and seek input on. It is not a format for assessment product display. The 500-word proposal should include the topic of the roundtable, a rationale for its inclusion in the conference, the nature of the participants’ roles in the topic area (e.g., a policy expert, a secondary school teacher), their topics and the structure and timing of the session. Participant names should not be mentioned in the body of the proposal.
Workshops
A workshop is a 60-minute activity-based interactive session aimed at sharing practical/professional skills with the ALTAANZ community. The session should offer participants hands-on experience of a particular area of assessment practice (e.g., item writing, portfolio design) or research practice (e.g., an analytical method). The 500-word proposal should include the topic of the workshop, the expertise of the facilitators (in general terms), the intended participant group, an outline of the proposed activities and the structure and timing of the session. The central activity should be feasible in the time slot. Facilitator names should not be mentioned in the body of the proposal. This is not a format for assessment product display. Longer workshops can also be proposed.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
- Relevance to the theme and/or importance to the field of language assessment
- Appropriateness and quality of the content for the session type
- Clarity, coherence and completeness of the proposal