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Svetlana Mazhurnaya

Svetlana Mazhurnaya portrait

In my Deputy Director of Assessment role, I am involved in the development and administration of the Test of English for Educational Purposes (TEEP) used to assess academic English proficiency skills for university entry.

My main duties in this role include:

  • managing the full lifecycle of creating a secure test, including designing test specifications, test items and assessment scales for paper-based and online language tests
  • developing and implementing face-to-face and online examiner and invigilator training packages
  • ·overseeing large scale face-to-face and online TEEP test administrations in the UK and abroad
  • using statistical analysis for monitoring language test reliability and validity
  • undertaking assessment consultancy projects for other UK-based Higher Education institutions

    My Transnational Education (TNE) module role involves:

  • designing module curriculum, assessments and course materials for a credit bearing English for Academic Purposes Project (IF0NUP) module delivered at the NUIST Reading Academy in Nanjing, China
  • leading a team of Academic English module tutors and supporting their professional development
  • establishing and overseeing quality assurance, internal and external moderation processes

Areas of interest

My teaching and research interests include:

  • Assessment of second language oral skills
  • Rater training and reliability
  • Language assessment literacy
  • Electronic assessment management
  • Developing intercultural competence

Teaching

Pre-sessional English Programme 

Academic English Programme 

International Foundation Programme

Research projects

I am currently working towards a Master's degree in Language Testing.

Background

I have nearly 20 years’ experience in teaching English for general and academic purposes. I joined ISLI in 2014 and have worked as a lecturer across the English for Academic Purposes programmes (International Foundation, Pre-sessional and Academic English), gaining a better understanding of international students’ language learning needs. My interest in language assessment led me to joining the ISLI Assessment Team in 2017, becoming an Exams Officer for our Transnational Education Programme in 2018, and gaining an MA in Language Testing at the University of Lancaster in 2021. I enjoy being able to combine my language assessment work in the UK with being part of the Transnational Education Team. I am also keen to engage with the wider university community through co-convening the Assessment SIG with Dr Anna Ziomek. I am currently working on a 3-year project in Developing English for Academic Purposes (EAP) assessment literacy for China-UK partnerships, funded by the British Council and led by Professor Liz Wilding.

Academic qualifications

  • 2020 - MA degree in Language Testing (merit overall, dissertation thesis – Distinction), University of Lancaster, UK
  • 2012 - Cambridge DELTA: Level 7 Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (distinction in the curriculum design module), Reading Open Centre, UK
  • 2008 - Cambridge CELTA: Level 5 Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (grade A), Reading Open Centre, UK
  • 2008 - Cambridge CPE: Level C2 Certificate in English Proficiency (grade A), Reading Open Centre, UK
  • 2002 - BA degree in Applied linguistics (first class), Novosibirsk State Teacher Training University, Russia

Awards and honours

  • In 2022 I received the Caroline Clapham IELTS Masters Award in language testing for my MA dissertation project researching challenges of assessing interaction skills in a second language.
  • In 2018/19 I worked as an Academic Partner on the Electronic Management of Assessment Programme, contributing to the development of the university-wide approach to electronic assessment rubrics. The programme was awarded the 2019 International Blackboard Catalyst Award for Optimising the Student Experience.

Professional bodies/affiliations

 I enjoy being part of the wider academic community as a member of the following organisations:

  • BALEAP (the Global Forum for English for Academic Purposes Professionals)
  • UKALTA (UK Association for Language Testing and Assessment)
  • ILTA (International Language Testing Association)

Conferences attended

  • “Managing the transition of the examiner training package online” (conference presentation jointly-delivered with Dr Anna Ziomek), EAP in the North conference held at the University of Manchester, November 2021
  • “Online speaking tests” (Assessment SIG workshop), University of Reading, January 2020
  • “Rubrics: examples of good practice” (symposium presentation) Electronic Assessment Management Symposium held at the University of Reading, May 2018
  • “Statistical analysis of language test performance” (workshop jointly delivered with Professor Emeritus John Slaght) Testing roadshow held at the University of Coventry, June 2018
  • “An experiment in introducing inter-cultural competency into the EAP classroom “(conference presentation jointly delivered with Associate Professor Joan McCormack). BALEAP-BAAL PIM on Intercultural Communication and EAP held at Nottingham Trent University, November 2017

Publications

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