In:Migration, Language, and Policy Discourse: Bridging the gap between policymaking and language assessment
Laura Schildt
[IMPACT: Studies in Language, Culture and Society 59] 2026
► pp. 179–201
Chapter 10Conclusion
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Article outline
- A bird’s-eye-view
- Revisiting the research goals
- Research goal 1: Examine the methodologies and theoretical frameworks commonly used to investigate language testing for migration purposes.
- Research goal 2: Explore the interactions between language
testers
and policymakers - Research goal 3: Understand the value of language expertise
in policymaking and how the professional identity of language testers
is constructed and negotiated. - Research goal 4: Explain the actors and decision-making
processes
in the introduction of the Flemish language testing policy for integration. - Research goal 5: Explore how politicians legitimize the use of language tests in integration policy
- Theoretical implications: Cross-cutting themes
- Question 1: The role of language testers
- Dual roles
- Constraints on policy collaborations
- Migration policy issue characteristics
- Theoretical implications for validity theory
- Question 2: How language testing policy is made
- Theoretical implications for policy as negotiated practice
- Implications for theory on feedback loops and discretion
- Theories on the use of expert knowledge in policymaking
- Theorizing about policy intentions
- Methodological implications
- Contrastive literature review
- Narrative analysis
- Multiple Streams Framework
- Membership Categorization Analysis
- Methodological diversity
- Implications for practice
- 1.Policy literacy
- 2.Language assessment literacy (LAL)
- 3.Acting as a ‘translator’ of LAL
- 4.Navigating between neutrality and advocacy
- 5.Strategic framing around core needs
- 6.Ensuring ethical and fair use of tests
- Future research
- Final thoughts
Notes
