Claudia Harsch talks at the 11th METU International Convention

Dr. Harsch is currently an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Applied Linguistics, The University of Warwick, United Kingdom

Claudia Harsch researches and teaches at Warwick in the field of language learning, teaching, testing and assessment. Her research interests focus on the analysis and implementation of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), on qualitative methods to develop and validate language tests, on constructing valid tasks and rating scales for assessing writing, on teacher training in the field of assessment literacy, on the role of learners' self assessment, the role of assessment across cultures, and on conceptualisations and possible approaches to assessing intercultural communicative competence. She has presented at international conferences and published widely in the area of language testing and assessment.

Claudia studied and worked in Germany before she joined Warwick. She was scientific project director at the Institute for Educational Progress at the Humboldt-University Berlin from 2007 to 2009, where she was responsible for the training of item developers, the development and administration of a standard-based test battery for English as foreign language, and for test validation and standard setting. Her research focused on instruments for assessing writing, on standard setting, and on the usability of the CEFR in foreign language test development. Before this, she worked as research fellow at the University of Augsburg between 2002 and 2007 in several language testing projects, researching for example the construct of the C-test, and the alignment of rating scales to the CEFR. At Augsburg, she conducted her MA and Dr Phil studies in Applied Linguistics and Didactics of English and German as foreign languages. Her doctoral thesis investigated the relevance of the CEFR for various aspects of language assessment.

Claudia is member of several advisory boards in test development projects, think tanks, and professional societies. She has given lectures and seminars for undergraduate and postgraduate students and conducted numerous workshops for in-service teacher training programmes. She also taught German as foreign language in Huddersfield, UK and Augsburg, Germany.

Recent selected publications:

Claudia Harsch & André A. Rupp (2011): “Designing and Scaling Level-specific CEFR Writing Tasks.” In: Language Assessment Quarterly 8(1), 1-34.

Claudia Harsch, Hans Anand Pant & Olaf Köller (Eds.) (2010): Developing Standards-based Assessment Tasks for English as a First Foreign Language. Standard-setting Procedures in Germany. Münster: Waxmann.

Claudia Harsch (2009): „Das Nutzen externer Evaluation im fremdsprachlichen Unterricht“. [The use of external evaluation in the foreign language classroom]. In: Praxis fsu 01/09, p.9-14.

André Rupp, Miriam Vock, Claudia Harsch & Olaf Köller (2008): Developing Standards-based Assessment Tasks for English as a First Foreign Language – Context, Processes and Outcomes in Germany. Münster: Waxmann.

Claudia Harsch (2007). Der gemeinsame europäische Referenzrahmen für Sprachen. Leistung und Grenzen. [The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Attainment and Limitations]. Saarbrücken, VDM Verlag Dr. Müller.