Kirby Cook Grabowski
Lecturer and in Linguistics and Language Education
212-678-3761
Office Location: 315 Zankel, 212-678-3761
Expertise
- Applied Linguistics
- Assessment and Testing
- Teaching English as a Second Language
Kirby Cook Grabowski
Professional Background
Educational Background
Scholarly Interests
Selected Publications
publications
Grabowski, K., & Dakin, J. (2014). Training test developers. In A. Kunnan (Ed.), Companion to Language Assessment. Wiley-Blackwell.
Grabowski, K. (2013). Investigating the construct validity of a role-play test designed to measure grammatical and pragmatic knowledge at multiple proficiency levels. In S. Ross & G. Kasper (Eds.), Assessing second language pragmatics. New York: Palgrave MacMillan.
Kunnan, A., & Grabowski, K. (2013). Large-scale second language assessment. In M. Celce-Murcia, D. M. Brinton, & M. A. Snow (Eds.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (4th ed., pp. 304-319). Boston, MA: National Geographic Learning/Cengage Learning.
Grabowski, K. (2009). Investigating the construct validity of a test designed to measure grammatical and pragmatic knowledge in the context of speaking. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY.
Purpura, J. Ameriks, Y., Dakin, J. W. & Grabowski, K. (2009). The Oxford Online Placement Test Design. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Grabowski, K. (Ed.) (2009). Reflections on Motherhood and Earning a Doctorate: Yes, You Can Have it All (Just Add a Dash of Superwoman). Working Papers in TESOL and Applied Linguistics, 9(1). Available from, http://journals.tc-library.org/index.php/tesol/issue/view/469
Grabowski, K. (2008). Investigating the Construct Validity of a Performance Test Designed to Measure Grammatical and Pragmatic Knowledge. Spaan Fellow Working Papers in Second or Foreign Language Assessment, 6. Available from, http://www.lsa.umich.edu/eli/research/spaan
Grabowski, K. (2008). Measuring pragmatic knowledge: Issues of construct underrepresentation or labeling? Language Assessment Quarterly, 5, 154-159.
Grabowski, K. (2007). Reconsidering the measurement of pragmatic knowledge using a reciprocal task format. Working Papers in TESOL and Applied Linguistics, 7(1). Available from, http://journals.tc-library.org/index.php/tesol/issue/view/20
Purpura, J., Grabowski, K., Kim, H., Kim, J., McCormack, M., Regan, M., & Wagner, M. (2003). In Charge: Achievement Tests 1, Advanced. White Plains, NY: Longman.
Purpura, J., Grabowski, K., Kim, H., Kim, J., McCormack, M., Regan, M., & Wagner, M. (2003). In Charge: Achievement Tests 2, Advanced. White Plains, NY: Longman.
Purpura, J., Graziano-King, J., Chang, J., Cook, K., Kim, J. W., Krohn, N., & Wiseman, C. (2003). An analysis of foreign language needs of SIPA students at Columbia University: The SIPA needs assessment project. Technical Report submitted to the Mellon Foundation via a grant from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University.
Cook, K. (2001). Review of Tim McNamara’s “Language Testing”. Issues in Applied Linguistics, 12, 127-130.
Cook, K. (2001). A study of the factors influencing the interaction between first and second language phonology. Available from, www.tc.columbia.edu/academic/tesol/han/kirby.html
PUBLICATIONS IN PROGRESS
Grabowski, K. (In preparation). Assessing pragmatics. In J. Banarjee & D. Tsagari (Eds.), Handbook of Second Language Assessment. New York: Mouton De Gruyter.
Purpura, J., & Grabowski, K. (In preparation). What is the nature of grammatical knowledge at each of six CEFR proficiency levels targeted in the Oxford Online Placement Test (OOPT) when dichotomous and polytomous scoring models are used? Special Issue in Language Assessment Quarterly on the Assessment of Grammatical Ability (Proposal accepted).
Grabowski, K. (In preparation). Examining the dimensions of grammatical form, grammatical meaning, and pragmatic meaning at three levels of ability in a role-play speaking test. Special Issue in Language Assessment Quarterly on the Assessment of Grammatical Ability (Proposal accepted).
professional presentations
Purpura, J., & Grabowski, K. (2013). Advanced workshop on language test development. Institute on Language Assessment, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Purpura, J., & Grabowski, K. (April, 2012). Assessing the Ability to Convey Semantic and Pragmatic Meanings in Language Assessments. (Workshop). Language Testing Research Colloquium. Princeton, NJ.
Grabowski, K. (April, 2010). Examining the dimensions of grammatical form, grammatical meaning, and pragmatic meaning at three levels of ability in a role-play speaking test. (Paper). Symposium at the Language Testing Research Colloquium, Cambridge, U.K.
Purpura, J., Ameriks, Y., Dakin, J.W., & Grabowski, K. (Symposium organizers) (April, 2010). Investigating the grammatical domains of meaning conveyance in language assessments and language assessment frameworks. Language Testing Research Colloquium, Cambridge, U.K.
Grabowski, K. (March, 2010). A discourse analysis of the pragmatic meanings generated on a role-play speaking test designed to measure grammatical and pragmatic knowledge. (Paper). American Association for Applied Linguistics conference, Atlanta, GA.
Purpura, J., Grabowski, K., Ameriks, Y., & Dakin, J.W.(March, 2010). Measuring pragmatic knowledge at multiple proficiency levels. (Paper). American Association for Applied Linguistics conference, Atlanta, GA.
Dakin, J.W., Purpura, J., Grabowski, K., & Ameriks, Y.(March, 2010). What is the nature of grammatical knowledge in the CEFR proficiency scales? (Paper). American Association for Applied Linguistics conference, Atlanta, GA.
Grabowski, K. (February, 2010). Investigating the construct validity of a test designed to measure grammatical and pragmatic knowledge in the context of speaking. (Invited paper) TESOL Working Papers in TESOL and Applied Linguistics special lecture series, Teachers College, Columbia University.
Purpura, J., Grabowski, K. , Ameriks, Y., Dakin, J., & DiGennaro, K. (November, 2009). What is the nature of grammatical knowledge in the CEFR proficiency scales? (Paper). East Coast Organization of Language Testers conference, Washington, D.C.
Grabowski, K. (July, 2007). Reconsidering the measurement of pragmatic knowledge using a reciprocal task format. (Paper). Language Testing Research Colloquium, Barcelona, Spain.
Grabowski, K. (October, 2006). Reconsidering the measurement of pragmatic knowledge using a reciprocal task format. (Paper). Colloquium at the East Coast Organization of Language Testers conference, Washington, D.C.
Purpura, J., Cook, K., Graziano-King, J., Kim, J., Krohn, N., & Wiseman, C. (March, 2003). An analysis of the foreign language needs of professional school students at Columbia University: The SIPA Needs Assessment Project. (Paper). Colloquium at the American Association of Applied Linguistics conference, Arlington, Virginia.
Purpura, J., Cook, K., Graziano-King, J., Kim, J., Krohn, N., & Wiseman, C. (October, 2001). The SIPA project. (Paper). Colloquium at the New York State TESOL Conference, Rye Brook, NY.
service and work outside nyc
| 2012-present | International Language Testing Association (ILTA) Nominating Committee
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| 2008-present | Editorial Advisory Board, Language Assessment Quarterly, published by Lawrence Erlbaum. (Editor: Antony Kunnan)
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| 2012-present | External Reviewer, Language Learning, published by Wiley-Blackwell (Editor: Lourdes Ortega)
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| 2007 to present | Serve as conference proposal evaluator for the AAAL, LTRC, & ECOLT.
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honors and awards
| 2011 | Jacqueline Ross TOEFL Dissertation Award for outstanding doctoral dissertation in second/foreign language testing, Educational Testing Service
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| 2007-2008 | Research Fellow, Office of Policy and Research, Teachers College, Columbia University
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| 2007 | Spaan Fellow, English Language Institute, University of Michigan
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| 1998 | François Denoeu Prize, Outstanding Accomplishment, French Language and Literature, Dartmouth College
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service to the college and university
custom course list
A&HL 4001: Sociolinguistics & education
Language variation based on social class, race, ethnicity, age, and gender; cross-cultural pragmatics, interactional sociolinguistics, code-switching, language planning, and World Englishes. Pedagogical implications.
A&HL 4085: Pedagogical English grammar
A systematic, in-depth examination of English grammar with particular reference to the teaching and learning of grammar.
A&HL 4088: Second language assessment
Prerequisite: A&HL 4087 or permission of instructor. Priority given to M.A. Applied Linguistics/TESOL students in their last semester. Introduction to language assessment practices including test design, construction, scoring, analysis and reporting; introduction to measurement concepts and basic statistics; and use of SPSS.
A&HT 4301: TESOL novice practicum
Prerequisite: A&HT 4077. This course is designed to develop novice teachers' professional competence in teaching English as a Second Language through experiential knowledge and reflective practice. Students will also teach in the Community English Program (CEP). Special fee: $15.
A&HT 4500: Advanced English language study
Developmental ESL for non-native speakers of English who wish to improve their academic writing and speaking skills; emphasis on writing research papers or giving oral presentations in graduate seminars or other professional venues. Topics and emphasis change each term. Course may be taken more than once. Limit 1 point toward TESOL or Applied Linguistics degree. Special fee: $15.
A&HT 5301: TESOL Specialized Practicum: Integrated Skills
This course is designed help student teachers refine their understanding of, and skills in, implementing and reflecting on their English language teaching. The course consists of two components: weekly seminars and student teaching in the Community English Program (CEP). Special fee: $15.
A&HT 5360: Specialized practica for ESL teachers
Permission of instructor required. These practica offer a teaching experience in TCs Community Language Program (CLP). Special fee: $10.
A&HL 5575: Research literacy in applied linguistics and TESOL
Introduction to quantitative and qualitative research methods with discussion of major research paradigms (experimental, ethnographic, introspective, questionnaire, etc.) and critical review of professional literature in applied linguistics and TESOL.
A&HL 6060: Generalizability Theory for Second Language Assessment Research
Pre- or co-requisites: A&HL 4088; HUDM 4122. Recommended: HUDM 5122. This course introduces students to an overview of generalizability (G) theory and its application in the context of second language (L2) assessment. The goals of this course are to provide the theoretical basis for G-theory in order for students to become well-informed consumers of research in this area and to provide students with the tools necessary to design empirical studies using G-theory analyses in L2 assessment contexts.
A&HL 6089: Second Language Performance Assessment
Pre- or co-requisites: A&HL 4088; HUDM 4122. Recommended: HUDM 5122. This seminar first examines the roots of language performance assessments from Carroll to the present. Then, it explores several potential sources of variation in performance data and discusses how these facets can be modeled. The primary focus of the class will be on the applications of Many-Facet Rasch Measurement (MTFM) to the examination of questions in language performance assessment and in other areas of applied linguistics.
A&HT 6302: TESOL Specialized Practicum: Speaking
The speaking practicum is designed to help students develop and practice their skills in teaching speaking within an integrated, communicative English language curriculum. The course consists of two components: weekly seminars and student teaching in the Community English Program (CEP). Special fee: $15.
