Department of Linguistics, School of Linguistics and Language Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Carleton University, Canada
This research explores the alignment of government language assessment policies with language training for public servants in a Canadian federal agency, using backward design to bridge assessment goals and instructional strategies. Backward design begins with identifying desired outcomes (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005)—specifically, the language proficiency benchmarks set by government policies. Recognizing that government policies are slow to adapt, this study focuses on preparing learners to meet these standards, even when current assessments do not fully align with policy goals. Drawing on constructivism and learner-centered theories, this work emphasizes creating instructional materials that address real-world language needs in public service (Johnson, 2013). With policy as a guiding framework, Spolsky’s (2004) perspective on language policy highlights the necessity for language materials that resonate with societal expectations and learner contexts. This lens ensures training remains relevant to both government standards and the authentic communication needs of learners. A detailed analysis of existing curriculum gaps identifies key areas for improvement, aiming for a reformed curriculum that supports broader policy mandates while delivering relevant language skills. This backward-design approach provides learners with language tools suited to their professional contexts, ensuring alignment with government policy while enhancing language acquisition for daily work interactions. By bridging policy, assessment, and instruction, this research aims to support sustainable curriculum reform that meets policy objectives and fosters meaningful language growth for public servants.
Keywords: ESL, Policy, Assessment, Curriculum, Reform
The above abstract is a part of the article which was accepted at The 10th International Conference on Languages, Linguistics, Translation and Literature (WWW.TLLL.IR), 1-2 February 2025, Ahwaz.
