Cecilie Hamnes Carlsen

Field of work

I teach and supervise within the areas of second language acquisition, language testing and assessment, language policy and multilingualism. From 1997 to 2017, I worked as a language test developer of tests of Norwegian for  adult migrants, from 2011 to 2017 as a leader (Norsk språktest/Kompetanse Norge). I represent HVL in the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) where I am elected member of the Standing Committee and co-chair of the LAMI (Language Assessment for Migration and Integration) special interest group as well as leder of the Social Justice Discussion Group. My prior and current research interests cover topics related to the use, and misuse, of language tests in  immigration and citizenship policy, in the labour market and in education, with a particular focus on the impact of language tests on low-literate adult learners.

Current projects

• IMPECT - Linguistic Integration of Adult Migrants with Poor Education and the Consequences of Migration Tests (Finansiert av NFR) (Role: Researcher and work package leader)

• MetaLearn - Education for plurilingualism: Metalinguistic awareness in early instructed language learning (Role: Researcher with main responsibility for the development of a test measuring metalinguistic awareness inn Norwegian school children, work package leader)

• Vestlandsverktøyet - Development of a language assessment tool for minority pupils in upper secondary school in Vestland county municipality, Norway, in collaboration with Vestland county municipality. (Role: Professional leader, teacher educator, test developer).

Selected publications

• Carlsen, C. H. & Hamidi, H. (2023). Språklig rasialisering - språk og språkkravs rolle i strukturell rasisme. I Bugge, E. & Carlsen, C. H. (Red.). Norsk som andrespråk - voksne innvandrere som utvikler skriftkyndighet på et andrespråk. Cappelen Damm Akademisk.
• Carlsen, C. H., Rocca, L. & Sheils, J. (2023). Education for integration - the case of adult migrants. In Byram, M., Fleming, M. & Sheils, J. (Red.). Quality and Equity in Education: Council of Europe policy and implications for teaching for plurilingual, intercultural and democratic citizenship. Multilingual Matters. 
• Carlsen, C. H. & Rocca, L. (2022). Language Test Activism. Language Policy. https://rdcu.be/cRwNo
• Carlsen, C. H. & Rocca, L. (2021). Language Test Misuse. Language Assessment Quarterly 5: 477-491.
• Carlsen, C. H. & Bugge, E. (2021). Språkkrav for statsborgerskap og hvordan de begrunnes (Language requirements for citizenship, and how they are legitimized). In Monsen, M. & Pajaro, V. (Eds.). Andrespråkslæring for voksne. Vitenskapelige innsikter og didaktiske refleksjoner. (s. 191-212). Oslo: Cappelen Damm Akademiske
• Rocca, L., Carlsen, C. H. & Deygers, B. (2020).Linguistic Integration of Adult Migrants: Requirements and Learning Opportunities. Report on the 2018 Council of Europe and ALTE survey on language and knowledge of society policies for migrants.. Council of Europe.
• Carlsen, C.H. & Moe, E. (2019). Vurdering av språkferdigheter ("Assessment of language proficiency") Bergen: Fagbokforlaget.
• Carlsen, C. H. (2018). The adequacy of the B2-level as university entrance requirement. Language Assessment Quarterly,15(1): 75-89.
• Deygers, B., Zeidler, B., Vilcu, D. & Carlsen, C. H. (2018). One framework to unite them all? Use of the CEFR in European University Entrance Policies. Language Assessment Quarterly 15(1):3-15.
• Carlsen, C. H. (2017). Giving LESLLA-learners a fair chance in testing. In Solinski, M. (Ed.). Proceedings from LESSLA 2016 12th Annual Symposium, Sept. 8th.-10th 2016 (pp. 135-148). Granada: Universidad de Granada.
• Carlsen, C. H. (2014). Språkkrav og statsborgerskap - et testetisk dilemma. ("Language requirements and citizenship - a test ethical dilemma"). In Brunstad, E., Gujord, A.-K. H. & Bugge, E. Rom for språk. Nye innsikter i språkleg mangfald. Oslo: Novus.
• Carlsen, C. & Moe, E. (2014). Assessing Norwegian. In Kunnan, A. (Ed.) The Companion to Language Assessment. Wiley-Blackwell.
• Carlsen, C. (2012) Proficiency level – a fuzzy variable in computer learner corpora. Applied Linguistics. 33(2): 161-183 

Selected conference presentations

• Carlsen, C. H. (2022). Språkprøver for innvandrere - språksyn, bruk og konsekvenser ("Language tests for migrants - language ideology, use and consequences"). Invited keynote, Møte om norsk språk (MONS), 23.11.23, Universitetet i Tromsø.
• Carlsen, C. H. (2021). Social justice & structural racism - the role of language, language tests and language testers. ALTE 1st International Digital Symposium, 28.-30. april 2021
• Carlsen, C. H. & Deygers, B. (2019). Language teaching & testing of low-literate learners. Den 53. ALTE konferansen. Leuven, 25. april 2019.
• Carlsen, C. H. (2019). Language tests to regulate migration - a validity problem. Den 19. EALTA konferansen. Dublin, 31.mai - 02. juni, 2019.
• Carlsen, C. H. (2019). Språkkrav i arbeidslivet. ("Language requirements in the labour market") Kompetansefrokost, Kompetanse Norge. Oslo, 31. oktober 2019.
• Carlsen, C. H. (2017). Engaging vulnerable learners - learning & assessment and low literacy profiles. ALTEs 6. internasjonale konferanse. LAMI Symposium, 3. mai 2017.
• Carlsen, C: H. (2017). Language testing with a bitter aftertaste. Den 14. EALTA-konferansen, Sevres, 01. juni 2017.
• Carlsen, C. H. & Kurvers, J. (2017). Giving low educated learners a fair chance - reducing the negative impact of high stakes testing on low educated L2-learners (Workshop). Den 50 ALTE konferansen, 20. september 2017.
• Carlsen, C. H. & Tammelin-Laine, T. (2017). Language testing for low literate learners - what role should it play? (Symposium) den 14. EALTA-konferansen, Paris, 01. juni 2017.
• Carlsen, C. H. (2016). Assessing low educated L2-learners. Implications for the test construct of large-scale assessment. Det 38. Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC). Palermo, 20.-24. juni 2016.

Other contributions

• Drangsland, K. A. H. & Carlsen. C. H. (2022) Language tests as gatekeepers to residency and democratic rights. Podcast episode in Refugee law and refugee lives Stream Refugee law and refugee lives music | Listen to songs, albums, playlists for free on SoundCloud
• Carlsen, C. H. & Einarsen, T. (2021) Bedre integrering? Kronikk i Dagsavisen.
• Carlsen, C. H., Bugge, E. & Helland-Gujord, A.-K. (2019). Hvor godt norsk er godt nok? Kronikk i Klassekampen.

Profile at Research Gate

• Second language acquisition
• Language testing and assessment
• Critical language testing
• Oral language
• The Common European Framework of Reference
• Language policy

• Language Testing and Assessment
• The consequences of citizenship tests on low-literate adult learners 
• Metalinguistic Awareness

• Language and Society
• Diversity and integration
• Evaluation and Assessment (ENA) (OsloMet)