DELTA | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

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Publications

Urmston, A., Raquel, M., & Tsang, C. (2013). Diagnostic testing of Hong Kong tertiary students’ English language proficiency: The development and validation of DELTA. Hong Kong Journal of Applied Linguistics, 14(2), 60-82.

Urmston, A., & Raquel, M. (forthcoming). Issues in developing a diagnostic language assessment in Hong Kong. In V. Aryadoust & J. Fox (Eds.), Current trends in language testing in the Pacific Rim and the Middle East: Policies, analyses and diagnoses. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Urmston, A., Raquel, M., & Aryadoust, V. (forthcoming). Can diagnosing university students’ English proficiency facilitate language development? In J. Read (Ed.), Post-admission language assessments in universities: International perspectives. Springer.

Presentations

Fang, F., Gray, J., Guan, G., Lui, E., Ng, C., Raquel, M., Shirley, C., Tsang, C., Urmston, A., & Wong, R. (2011, May). DELTA: The Diagnostic English Language Tracking Assessment. Presentation at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Fang, F., Gray, J., Guan, G., Ng, C., Raquel, M., Shum, W., Tsang, C., Urmston, A., & Wong, R. (2012, June) Diagnosing Hong Kong tertiary students’ English language proficiency. Paper presented at the 12th 3-3-4 Symposium, University of Hong Kong.

Fang, F., Gray, J., Guan, G., Ng, C., Raquel, M., Tsang, C., Urmston, A., & Wong, R. (2011, March). DELTA: The Diagnostic English Language Tracking Assessment. Presentation at the Hong Kong Institute of Education.

Fang, F., Gray, J., Guan, G., Ng, C., Raquel, M., Tsang, C., Urmston, A., & Wong, R. (2011, December). DELTA: The Diagnostic English Language Tracking Assessment. Presentation at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Grey, J. & Shum, W. (2013, March) Impact of curriculum reform on English language proficiency in Hong Kong. Paper presented at the 48th RELC International Seminar: Assessment in Language Education, SEAMEO Regional Language Centre, Singapore.

Grey, J. & Shum, W. (2013, June). Investigating the English language proficiency of Hong Kong's "double cohort" students. Paper presented at the ELC Symposium: The Position of English Language Provision in Hong Kong Tertiary Institutions, City University of Hong Kong.

Grey, J., Shum, W., & Guan, G. (2013, July). Listening subskills and metacognative strategies in a diagnostic English language assessment. Work in Progress presented at 35th Language Testing Research Colloquium. Seoul, Korea.

Guan, G, Raquel, M, Shum, W., Tsang, C. & Wong, R. (2012, December). Diagnostic testing of Hong Kong tertiary student's English language proficiency. Paper presented at the 2nd GDUFS Forum on Applied Linguistics, Guangzhou, China.

Guan, G, Tsang, C. & Urmston, A. (2013, June). Tracking English proficiency progress through a diagnostic language assessment. Paper presented at the ELC Symposium: The Position of English Language Provision in Hong Kong Tertiary Institutions, City University of Hong Kong.

Guan, G., & Shum, W. (2012, August). Applying Rasch measurement to diagnostic English language testing. Paper presented at the Pacific Rims Objective Measurement Symposium (PROMS), Jiaxiang University, China.

Guan, G., & Urmston, A. (2014, June). The impact of educational background on the DIF of the DELTA Listening Component. Poster presented at the 36th Annual Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Lockwood, J. & Raquel, M. (2010, April). Language policy and language proficiency assessment in English and Putonghua: Is what is proposed, possible? Paper presented at the 31st Annual Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Lockwood, J., & Hamp-Lyons, L. (2013, June). Can EAP literacy be assessed automatically? Paper presented at the Biennial BALEAP Conference, Nottingham, United Kingdom.

Lockwood, J., & Hamp-Lyons, L. (2013, June). DELTA writing: Can EAP literacy be assessed automatically? Paper presented at the ELC Symposium: The Position of English Language Provision in Hong Kong Tertiary Institutions, City University of Hong Kong.

Raquel, M. & Wong, R. (2013, May). Consequences of diagnostic assessment for teaching and learning. Paper presented at the 10th Annual EALTA Conference, Istanbul, Turkey.

Raquel, M. & Lockwood, J. (2010, April). Measuring Hong Kong students’ English proficiency: Development of the Tertiary English Language Test (TELT). Poster presented at the 31st Annual Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Raquel, M., Urmston, A., Gray, J., Tsang, C., Fang, F. & Lui, E. (2011, March). Application of an on-line diagnostic English language test. Paper presented at the 11th 3-3-4 Symposium, Lingnan University, Hong Kong.

Raquel, M., Urmston, A., Gray, J., Tsang, C., Fang, F. & Lui, E. (2011, June). Designing a valid and reliable diagnostic assessment and tracking system for tertiary level ESL learners. Poster presented at the 32nd Annual Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

Raquel, M., Fang, F., & Wong, R. (2013, June). Value of a diagnostic e-report for English teaching and learning. Paper presented at the ELC Symposium: The Position of English Language Provision in Hong Kong Tertiary Institutions, City University of Hong Kong.

Raquel, M., Tsang, C., Wong, R., Shum, W., & Guan, G. (2013, July). Effectiveness of a diagnostic e-report for independent learning. Poster presented at the 35th Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Seoul, Korea.

Raquel, M. & Urmston, A. (2014, June). The Excel@English Scheme: Supporting language learning after diagnostic testing. Paper presented at the 36th Annual Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Raquel, M., Wong, R. (2013, March). Effectiveness of a diagnostic e-Report for independent learning. Paper presented at the 48th RELC International Seminar: Assessment in Language Education, SEAMEO Regional Language Centre, Singapore.

Tsang, C. & Urmston, A. (2013, March). DELTA: Diagnosing and tracking the English language development of Hong Kong tertiary students. Paper presented at the 48th RELC International Seminar: Assessment in Language Education, SEAMEO Regional Language Centre, Singapore.

Urmston, A., Fang, F., Tsang, F., Lockwood, J., Raquel, M. & Shirley, C. (2010, June). Tracking students' progress in English under the four-year curriculum: The TELT Project. Paper presented at the ELC Symposium: The Challenges of the 4-year Curriculum for English Language Centres in Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Urmston, A. & Raquel M. (2103, September). Issues in Diagnostic Testing in Hong Kong. Paper presented at the Free Linguistics Conference 2013, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Urmston, A. & Raquel, M. (2015, May). Automated diagnostic scoring, feedback and tracking of academic English writing ability. Paper presented at the 2nd Annual Asian Association for Language Assessment Conference (AALA), Bangkok, Thailand.

Urmston, A. & Raquel, M. (2015, May). Developing a diagnostic, post-entry language assessment amidst changing policy and practice. Paper presented at the 12th Annual EALTA Conference, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Urmston, A., Raquel, M., Lockwood, J. & Lui, E. (2011, June). Using a web-based language assessment to diagnose student's reading and writing needs. Paper presented at the ELC Symposium: Developing Students as Readers and Writers in the Four-year Curriculum: The Role of the English Language Centres, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Urmston, A., Raquel, M., & Tsang, C. (2012, March). Diagnostic testing of ESL reading skills: Relating test-taking strategies to reading abilities. Paper presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Urmston, A., Raquel, M., & Tsang, C. (2013, July). Broadening horizons: Language assessment, diagnosis and accountability. Paper presented at the 35th Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Seoul, Korea.

Wong, R. (2013, September). Automated writing assessment. Paper presented at the Free Linguistics Conference 2013, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Wong, R., Lugmani, S., & O'Reilly, J. (2012, December). Moving towards appropriate writing tasks and rubrics for academic English Assessment. Paper presented at the Centre for Applied English Studies, University of Hong Kong.

COMPETITIVE RESEARCH & PUBLICATION GRANTS (AWARDED)

Hong Kong Institute of Education Institute-Level Teaching Development Grant 2007
-Project title: Further TELT development for Recruitment and Placement Assessment. This grant award: HK$450,500.

Hong Kong Institute of Education Institute-Level Teaching Development Grant 2009/10
-Project title: TELT Item Bank Development for Tracking Student English Language Proficiency on an annual Basis. This grant award: HK$125,000

Hong Kong Institute of Education Faculty-Level Teaching Development Grant 2009/10
-Project title: Further TELT development for recruitment and placement assessment (TELT phase 2). This grant award: HK$123,700.

University Grants Committee (UGC) / Quality Assurance Council (QAC) Grant
-Project title: The Further Development and Implementation of the DELTA: A Web-based English Language Diagnostic Assessment and Tracking System for University Students in Hong Kong. (Ongoing) This grant award: HK$ 3.4 million.