Intercultural Noise And English Language Testing: Source Analysis And Noise-reducing Strategies

In the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Guidelines, it has been have clearly stated that the objectives of language learning include the aspects of listening, speaking, reading, writing and intercultural communicative competence. Therefore, intercultural communicative competence has become an important aspect that is used to measure a foreign language or second language learner's language ability. Simultaneously, the ability of using a foreign language has become one of significant criteria, and measure an individual's personal making. Those also justify the widespread existence and popularity of various kinds of English tests in both China and other parts of the world, including IELTS, TOFEL, TOEIC, CET, PETS, BEC, SIA and so on, which can reflect the degree of emphasis on English language testing in the society. However, the intercultural gap is quite difficult to overcome, especially in foreign language testing. Intercultural noise has become one of the most significant elements that could influence the effective communication in English and the exact understanding of the language.This thesis, devoted to the study of cultural elements in language testing, is an attempt to look into the sources, effects of and solutions to intercultural noise in language testing. There are two motivations behind the research: one intrinsic and the other practical. From the point of view of theoretical value, we believe that the attempt to study the cultural elements in language testing process would enhance the development of foreign and second language testing in an all-round way. From the point of view of testing practice, the successful reduction of intercultural noise would enhance the sensitivity and adaptability of English teachers and learners towards intercultural noise and the success rate of participating English language testing would naturally increase.The thesis is divided into seven chapters.Chapter One is the introduction, which gives a general description of the study, the need, motivation and value of the study, and the overall structure of the whole thesis.Chapter Two deals with literature review, including an analysis of the relationship among language, culture and testing, a discussion of the current situation of the study.Chapter Three starts with the purpose and characteristics of language testing. Then it shows that language testing is a kind of intercultural communication, as a process of conveying messages between two languages and two cultures. The sensibility and adaptability towards intercultural elements will influence the achievement of successful testing directly. In other words, intercultural noise would be the potential barrier to the effective testing.Chapter Four focuses on a detailed analysis of intercultural noise in the process of testing. The conception of intercultural noise, its sources and effects, are discussed in this chapter.Chapter Five explores a set of theoretical framework of reducing intercultural elements in the process of testing, through identifying the subject, object and the related principles in the process of testing. Chapter Six presents some systematical strategies of reducing intercultural noise, according to the established theoretical framework in Chapter Five. Chapter Seven is the conclusion of this thesis.This thesis discusses the intercultural elements in language testing from many angles, including information communication, intercultural communication, linguistics and language testing; establishes a model of testing as a communication process and provides the theoretical framework and practical solutions to the reduction of intercultural noise. This research has its own theoretical and practical values.