Challenges to language assessment

Posing a challenge to English language assessment in Asia is the current evolving view that EIL (English as an International Language) will replace EFL (English as a Foreign language), ESL (English as a Second Language) and Teaching of English to Speakers of Other languages (TESOL). 
In effect, language educators will have to reevaluate their views about language acquisition theories and teachings at a time when most Asian educators are still unsure as to what theories and teachings do work.  In this case, as to what assessment tools do respond best to the language proficiency needs of Asian learners. 
Robertson (2006) sees this phenomenon happening.  He contends that there are now more non native speakers of English teaching English than native speakers. In teacher education, they are referred to as “educated natives”. With them around, English language teaching is no longer confined to native speakers - paving way for the birth of EIL.
In China, for instance, aside from the local (Chinese) non-native speakers who teach English, many other non-native speakers from different non-native speaking countries have already come to teach English.  Bringing their own set of cultures, they create multicultural exchanges in a non-native English learning environment that is trying to achieve proficiency in English as the target language.
As an indicator of speaking competency, pronunciation (and its attending belief systems) too has clouded goals of effective assessment and has thus posed another challenge to English language assessment. 
There are various contentions and mindsets as to which kind of pronunciation should be used in Asian setting.  Should L2 learners speak native-like? Approximate native–like speech? Should L2 learners use Received Pronunciation (RP, based on British English), General American (GA), or maintain that accent is self and thus native-like pronunciation must not be an end-goal for L2 learners?
Interestingly, Luchini (2005) on this point asserts that developing a highly acceptable phonological competence to become fluent bilingual speakers that will enable learners to communicate in EFL, ESL and EIL contexts, a combination of fluency with accuracy-focused tasks is necessary.  He stresses that instead of pushing learners to strive for perfect pronunciation, a focus on pedagogic attention on those items which are teachable and learnable and also essential in terms of intelligible pronunciation appears to be a more reasonable goal.
Otlowski (1998) states that the goal of pronunciation should be changed from the attainment of ‘perfect’ pronunciation to the more realistic goals of developing functional intelligibility, communicability, increased self-confidence, the development of speech monitoring abilities and speech modification strategies for use beyond the classroom.  He further states that the overall aim of these goals is for the learner to develop spoken English that is easy to understand, serves the learner’s individual needs, and allows a positive image of himself as a speaker of a foreign language.
What are the implications? First, there is a view gaining momentum that native teachers of English need to be trained by non native teachers in EIL/IEL.  Being “educated natives”, it is claimed that these teachers can relate more to the learning psyche of the intended learners, having themselves undergone the process of acquiring the target language.  This phenomenon is being currently explored in many language conferences.
Second, pronunciation in English should be included in classroom instruction with a more tolerant attitude towards a freer phonological exploration rather than asking students to engage rigorously in exercises that aim at perfect native speaking competence. In speaking assessment, intelligibility in the communication process is given more weight than error-free stress and intonation.
In Macau, the relevance of these challenges cannot be underestimated.  The entire educational system is still beholden to the native-premised mindset.  It has yet to see the wisdom behind “linguistic enrichment” and the pedagogical promise of “emerging cultures”. 
 (The author is a Senior Language Instructor at USJ and is currently pursuing his PhD in English.  He taught the English language in Guangzhou, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.)   

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