The Challenge of Interaction: Bridging Psycholinguistic Modelling and Interactional Competence in Language Assessment
Abstract
The validity of speaking tests is often defended by demonstrating their cognitive validity – the extent to which test tasks elicit mental processes mirroring real-world speaking. Traditional cognitive models of speech production, derived from psycholinguistics, emphasise individual processing and overlook the interactive nature of dialogue. This commentary explores an alternative framework that more directly integrates comprehension and production. Drawing on conversation analysis and recent cognitive modelling, it highlights the importance of predictive mental mechanisms in turn-taking. It advocates for greater interdisciplinary research to develop more comprehensive models of cognition for interaction.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Educational and Psychological Assessments
EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning
Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Language Assessment Quarterly
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 69–88
- Publication date
- 1 January 2026
- Language
- EN