The key to success: English language testing in China

TLDR

China’s long history of testing dates back nearly two thousand years, but English language tests introduced over the past 20 years are now taken by billions of learners and are seen as essential for academic and life success. The paper aims to introduce major English tests in China, review the past decade of Chinese language‑testing research, and discuss issues and concerns within the Chinese context. It does so by first outlining the major English tests in China and then reviewing the past decade of Chinese language‑testing research published in domestic journals.

Abstract

The testing and examination history in China can be traced back to the imperial period nearly two thousand years ago. The existence of English language testing (tests), on the other hand, has a much shorter history. These English tests, developed and administered over the past 20 years, however, are taken by billions of learners of the English language in China. To many of these learners, doing well on these tests are the key to their academic success as well as the success of their life in general. The paper will first introduce major tests and examinations of English designed and administered in China, then provide an overview of the current research in language testing that has been conducted by Chinese researchers and published in Chinese academic journals over the past 10 years. This paper will focus on the discussion of the issues and concerns of language testing within the Chinese context.