Alderson, C.J. (2000) Assessing Reading Assessing Reading Author: J. Charles Alderson (2000) Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pages: xv + 398 pages Price: $37.50 USD ISBN: 9993 J. Charles Alderson's Assessing Reading could be described, without exaggeration, as the bible in its field. It provides a comprehensive view of the research into and practice of the testing of reading. Its intended audience includes scholars in the language assessment field, as well as test designers and teachers of reading to both first and second language learners. Reviews appearing in the years following its publication were consistently glowing.

For example, in Chalhoub-Deville's view (2001, p. Alderson's command of his topic was 'masterful,' Walter (2003, p. 315) found the book to be a 'gold mine' and 'extremely comprehensive,' and Maloney (2004, p. 46) described it as the field's 'essential text.'

Charles Alderson's Assessing Reading could be described, without exaggeration, as the bible in its field. It provides a comprehensive view of the research into. Written by a leading authority in both language testing, and in the nature of reading in a second or foreign language, this book is the most comprehensive and up to. Assessing Reading has 8 ratings and 0 reviews. This book is the most comprehensive and up-to-date treatment of the assessment of reading in a foreign.

The book is the third volume in the respected Cambridge Language Assessment Series, edited by Dr. Alderson himself and Lyle F. Both scholars have published extensively in the field of language testing since the 1970s, and are considered to be among its leading authorities. The reviews cited above each provide an informative running description of the content of the book's 9 chapters, which I will not duplicate here.

Instead, after giving a very brief summary of the book, I will explore what it has to say about some basic questions which, for both novice students of second language teaching like myself, as well as for seasoned language teachers, continually arise when we think about reading and assessing reading. The first question is simply 'what is reading?' What do we mean when we talk about reading as a 'skill?'

How do we define the ability to read in a way that is appropriate for teaching and assessment? The second question, 'how do we assess reading?'

Relates to the many possible ways of testing reading. Once we believe we understand what reading is, how should we best go about assessing it? Is there one preferred approach? Are different approaches appropriate for different contexts?

Finally, I will address some summative questions: Are there definitive answers to the first two questions? Where should language teachers look for guidance in assessing reading? Adt Home Alarm Manual : Free Programs.