Professor Luke Harding

Professor of Applied Linguistics

Research Interests

My research interests are in applied linguistics, with a focus on language testing and assessment. I currently work in four areas: (1) integrating World Englishes and English as a Lingua Franca perspectives in language assessment); (2) second language listening and speaking assessment (with a focus on pragmatic and interactional competence); (3) the impact of digital technology/AI in language assessment; and (4) language assessment literacy. I am currently working with colleagues (Dr Dana Gablasova and Prof Vaclav Brezina) on projects that combine corpus linguistics and language assessment. Prof. Tineke Brunfaut and I convene the Language Testing Research Group.

I have published in a range of journals including Language Testing, Applied Linguistics, Language Assessment Quarterly and Assessing Writing. I was the Co-Editor in Chief of Language Testing from 2017-2022. I co-edited the Routledge Handbook of Language Testing (Second Edition) with Prof. Glenn Fulcher (2022). I am currently the President of the International Language Testing Association (ILTA), and I am a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS).

Links to some recent open-access publications are provided below:

Harding, L. (2026). Beyond dichotomies: unravelling the complexities of international standardised English language testing. ELT Journal, 80(1), 110-116.

Gablasova, D., Harding, L., Brezina, V., Hazelhurst, E. T., O’Sullivan, B., & Spiby, R. (2026). Evaluating chatbot authenticity in simulations of spoken interaction: Demonstrating the utility of corpus-based methods for development and validation. Language Testing. OnlineFirst.

Harding, L. (2025). Utopian and dystopian visions: Steering a course for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in language testing and assessment. Language Testing, 42(4), 561-575.

Gablasova, D., Harding, L., Bottini, R., Brezina, V., Ren, H. S., Iamartino, G., ... & Zottola, A. (2024). Building a corpus of student academic writing in EMI contexts: Challenges in corpus design and data collection across international higher education settings. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 3(3), 100140.

Gablasova, D., Harding, L., Brezina, V., & Dunlea, J. (2024). Expressions of epistemic stance in computer-mediated L2 speaking assessment: A corpus-based approach. International Journal of Learner Corpus Research, 10(1), 183-215.

The EMI Corpus of Student Academic Writing and Reading: A new resource in EAP materials design
Oral presentation

Assessing oral proficiency: Intelligibility and pronunciation in ELF contexts
Business Course/Training

Assessing English as a Lingua Franca competence: Managing tensions between construct representation and standardization
Invited talk

The role of digital technology in assessing and researching communicative competence: Risks and opportunities
Invited talk

Digital technology, Artificial Intelligence and disrupted practices: What is changing in language testing and assessment?
Invited talk

Assessing speaking: A focus on task validity
Business Course/Training

Assessing listening: Working with texts and writing items
Business Course/Training

Techniques for promoting language assessment literacy in teacher education: Combining knowledge and practice
Business Course/Training

English as a Lingua Franca in teaching and assessment: Towards a definition of lingua franca competence
Invited talk

Language testing as “border work”: A critical perspective on the role of language tests in immigration and citizenship contexts
Invited talk

New directions in assessing communicative competence: A focus on speaking constructs
Invited talk

Intelligibility, Comprehensibility, and World Englishes: Challenges for pronunciation assessment
Consultancy

Exploring pragmatic features in computer-mediated, semi-direct speaking assessment: What can corpus-based research reveal?
Invited talk

Language assessment, digital technology, and disruptive change: Steering a course for ethical practice
Invited talk

New directions in assessing spoken language: Exploring communicative constructs
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar

Global Englishes project
Consultancy

Olga Ukrayinska
Hosting an academic visitor

An introduction to standard setting in language assessment
Business Course/Training

English as a Lingua Franca and language assessment
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar

British Council Assessment Advisory Board (AAB)
Non-governmental organization

Language Testing (Journal)
Editorial activity

Language Assessment Quarterly (Journal)
Editorial activity

Language Testing (Journal)
Editorial activity

Papers in Language Testing and Assessment (Journal)
Editorial activity

Journal of Second Language Pronunciation (Journal)
Editorial activity

Language Assessment in an International Academic Context (CIP Symposium 2012)
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience

Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching (4th annual conference)
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience

Northern Association of TESOL (NATESOL) conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience

ILTA Best Article Award
Prize (including medals and awards)

e-Assessment Award for Best Research
Prize (including medals and awards)

Jiayue Yin

Jiayue Yin

PhD student

  • LTRG - Language Testing Research Group