Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Teaching, Learning and Education
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Rethinking Assessment for Adult Language Students with Selective Mutism
Alessandro Cimino
ABSTRACT:
Selective mutism (SM) has long impacted students of all ages, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, although scant attention is still being paid to a stealth disorder, often misinterpreted as a sign of shyness and introversion or, in turn, as a telltale sign of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). SM is a pervasive anxiety disorder oftentimes leading to stunted emotional, social, interrelational and educational progression. Whilst research has looked into some of the factors influencing the condition and the potential developmental trajectory for children, little to no notice has been offered to the impact of SM on adult language learners within an academic context. As a consequence, older learners with SM may still be assessed and evaluated against criteria set for students not affected by neurodevelopmental diversity. As a case study, Italian university students sit for traditional oral exams in the vast majority of cases, which would prove inconceivable for someone non-verbal or partially verbal. Students are thus evaluated based on their limited performance, typically not representative of their language skills. This paper will offer an insight into how to break apart competence from performance for language students whose voice is still in the process of warming up.
keywords: assessment; evaluation; inclusion; languages; mutism