Dr Jing Xu

Dr Jing Xu

Head of Propositions Research

Jing is the Head of Propositions Research at Cambridge English. His current research focuses on automated English language assessment, computer-assisted language learning and validity theory. Jing obtained his doctorate in Applied Linguistics and Technology from Iowa State University. A recipient of the Jacqueline Ross TOEFL Dissertation Award (2017) and a co-recipient of the International Language Testing Association (ILTA) Best Article Award (2012), Jing was endorsed by the British Academy for his exceptional promise in the field of language assessment in 2017. Before joining Cambridge English, Jing worked as a Program Assistant for the Oral English Certification Test at Iowa State University and a research intern at Educational Testing Service.

Jing grew up in China and started his career as an English language teacher. He came to the UK in 2015 after finishing his postgraduate studies in the United States. In his leisure time Jing enjoys travelling with his family, reading, exercising, and playing basketball.

Key publications and conference presentations

Khabbazbashi, N, Xu, J and Galaczi, E (Forthcoming 2021) Opening the black box: exploring automated speaking assessment, in Lanteigne, B, Coombe, C and Brown, J D (Eds) Issues in Language Testing Around the World, New York: Springer.

Yu, G and Xu, J (Eds) (Forthcoming 2020) Language Test validation in a Digital Age, Studies in Language Testing volume 52, Cambridge: UCLES/Cambridge University Press.

Xu, J and Pinnington, A (2019) Developing computer-based speaking tasks to assess the ‘mediation’ construct, paper presented at the Language Testing Forum 2019, Swansea, UK.

Jones, E and Xu, J (2019) Using ‘limits of agreement’ to validate automated scoring of language performance, paper presented at the Language Testing Forum 2019, Swansea, UK.

Xu, J and Jones, E (2018) Building a validity argument for automated speaking assessment: where are we now, paper presented at the European Association for Language Testing and Assessment (EALTA) Conference, Bochum, Germany.

Xu, J (2018) Measuring ‘spoken collocational competence’ in communicative speaking assessment, Language Assessment Quarterly 15 (3), 255–272, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2018.1482900

Xu, J and Seed, G (2017) Automated speaking tests: merging technology, assessment and customer needs, paper presented at the Language Testing Forum, Huddersfield, UK.

Xu, J (2015) Predicting ESL learners’ oral proficiency by measuring the collocations in their spontaneous speech, PhD dissertation, Ames: Iowa State University, available online: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/14875/

Xu, J (2015) Annotating abstract vocabulary using multimedia, in Turel, V (Ed) Intelligent Design of Interactive Multimedia Listening Software, Hershey: IGI Global, 27–46, available online: https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/annotating-abstract-vocabulary-using-multimedia/135610

Xu, J and Wang, H (2015) Exploring the driving forces behind the evolution of validity theory, paper presented at the American Educational Research Association (AREA) Annual Meeting, Chicago, USA.

Xu, J (2012) Collocations in learner speech: Accuracy, complexity, and context, paper presented at the Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Princeton, USA.

Chapelle, C A, Chung, Y-R, Hegelheimer, V, Pendar, N and Xu, J (2010) Towards a computer-delivered test of productive grammatical ability, Language Testing 27 (4), 443–469, available online: https://doi.org/10.1177/0265532210367633

Xu, J (2010) Using multimedia vocabulary annotations in L2 reading and listening activities, CALICO Journal 27 (2), 311–327, available online: http://www.jstor.org/stable/calicojournal.27.2.311

Xu, J and Xi, X (2010) Comparing human and machine judgments of collocations and relating them to speaking proficiency, paper presented at the Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), University of Cambridge, UK.

Chapelle, C A, Chung, Y-R and Xu, J (Eds) (2008) Towards Adaptive CALL: Natural Language Processing for Diagnostic Language Assessment, Ames: Iowa State University, available online: https://apling.engl.iastate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/221/2015/05/5thTSLL2007_proceedings.pdf