Xun Yan

Xun Yan

Contact Information

Department of Linguistics
4080 Foreign Language Building, MC-168
707 S. Mathews Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
xunyan@illinois.edu
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Assistant Professor

Additional Campus Affiliations

Research Interests

  • Language testing and assessment
  • English for academic purposes
  • Educational measurement
  • Quantitative research methods

Research Description

My research broadly focuses on speaking and writing assessment. My specific research interests include scale development and validation, rater behavior and training, assessment literacy for language teachers, and test score use in educational settings.

Education

  • Ph.D., English (Second Language Studies), Purdue University, 2015
  • M.A., TESOL, Ohio State University, 2009
  • B.A., English, Wuhan University, China, 2008

Grants

Courses

  • EIL 460 Principles of Language Testing
  • LING 489 Theoretical Foundations of Second Language Acquisition
  • EIL 411 Introduction to TESL Methodology

Selected Publications

Book Contributions

Yan, Xun, and April Ginther Listeners and raters: Similarities and differences in evaluation of accented speech Assessment in L2 Pronunciation edited by Okim Kang, edited by April Ginther. Listeners and raters: Similarities and differences in evaluation of accented speech Edited by Okim Kang, Edited by April Ginther, Routledge 2017.
Yan, Xun, Suthathip Thirakunkovit, Nancy Kauper, and April Ginther What do test takers say: Test-taker feedback as in put for quality control Post-admission Language Assessments of University Students edited by John Read. What do test takers say: Test-taker feedback as in put for quality control Edited by John Read, Springer 2016, p. 113-136.

Journal Articles

Fan, Jinsong, and Xun Yan From test performance to language use: Using self-assessment to validate a high-stakes English proficiency test The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher 26 1-2 2017, p. 61-73.
Yan, Xun, Maeda Yukiko, Jing Lv, and April Ginther Elicited imitation as a measure of second language proficiency: A narrative review and meta-analysis Language Testing 33 4 2016, p. 497-528.
Banerjee, Jayanti, Xun Yan, Mark Chapman, and Heather Elliott Keeping up with the times: Revising and refreshing a writing rubric Assessing Writing 26 2015, p. 5-19.
Zhang, Cong, Xun Yan, and Xiangdong Liu The development of EFL writing teaching and research in China: An update from the International Conference on English Language Teaching Journal of Second Language Writing 30 2015, p. 14-18.
Yan, Xun An examination of rater performance on a local oral English proficiency test: A mixed-methods approach Language Testing 31 4 2014, p. 501-527.
Ginther, April, and Xun Yan Interpreting the relationships between TOEFL iBT scores and GPA: Language proficiency, policy, and profiles Language Testing 35 2 2018, p. 271-295.
Zhang, Cong, and Xun Yan Assessment literacy of secondary EFL teachers: Evidence from a regional EFL test Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics 41 1 2018, p. 25-46.
Yan, Xun, Cong Zhang, and Jason Jinsong Fan “Assessment knowledge is important, but…”: How contextual and experiential factors mediate assessment practice and training needs of language teachers System 74 2018, p. 158-168.
Kim, Ha Ram, Melissa Bowles, Xun Yan, and Sun Joo Chung Examining the comparability between paper- and computer-based versions of an integrated writing placement test Assessing Writing 36 2018, p. 49-62.
Yan, Xun, Lixia Cheng, and April Ginther Factor analysis for fairness: Examining the impact of task type and examinee L1 background on the internal structure of an ITA speaking test Language Testing 2018.

Books

Divoma, Slobodanka, Xun Yan, and April Ginther Local Language Testing: Design, Implementation, and Development Routledge 2020.

In The News

  • Professor Xun Yan wins LEAP Award

    Congratulations to Professor Xun Yan on his designation as a LEAP (Lincoln Excellence Award for Assistant Professors)  scholar for 2018-19 academic year.