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Hello!

I am Phuong Nguyen, a language assessment specialist at the University of Chicago Language Center. I provide workshops in language assessment and curriculum development, help language instructors with their test development projects, develop new language tests, manage the Foreign Language Proficiency Certification (FLPC) program, and conduct test validation and evaluation research.

I obtained my BA in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from Ho Chi Minh University of Education and MA in Applied Linguistics from the University of Melbourne. I received my Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics and Technology at Iowa State University (ISU) with a Statistics minor.

Before coming to the U.S., I taught general English Academic English, English for Tourism and Hospitality, and English teaching methodology in Vietnam. In the U.S., I taught First-year composition courses and ESL courses for three years. I interned at the Center for Applied Linguistics and Michigan Language Assessment during the summer of 2017 and 2018. In 2019, I also worked as a research assistant for the Global Online Course project, funded by the U.S. Department of State.

My research interests include language assessment, technology-mediated language learning, corpus linguistics, and program evaluation. As a language tester, I value the importance of fairness - how to design high quality tests that allow for fair, valid inferences about test-takers' ability. Therefore, I am interested in developing high-quality language tests and conducting test validation studies to help ascertain the validity of the interpretation and uses of test scores. As a teacher, I believe in the benefits of teamwork, culturally diverse environments, and scaffolding strategies to help students learn. Therefore, I always make sure my students have sufficient practice in the content they are presented to and encourage them to work in groups while learning about their group members' culture.

I enjoy programming, traveling, photography, cooking, and soccer. I also like doing Zumba and playing the ukulele/guitar in my free time.

Please contact me (phuongn@uchicago.edu) if you like me to share my work or if you are interested in discussing topics related to language assessment, SLA (L2 writing, L2 oral language and technology), corpus linguistics, or program evaluation.

Email: phuongn@uchicago.edu

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6799-6397