Skip to Content

Angel Arias

headshot of Angel Arias

Assistant Professor and Graduate Supervisor (Applied Linguistics & Discourse Studies); Director (Language Assessment and Testing Research Unit)

Biography

Angel Arias is an Assistant Professor in the School of Linguistics and Language Studies at Carleton University. He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Measurement from the Université de Montréal and a Master’s in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies from Carleton University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Education and Modern Languages from Universidad Dominicana Organización y Métodos (O&M) in the Dominican Republic. Dr. Arias’s research focuses on the application of psychometric models and mixed methods methodologies to investigate key issues in language testing and assessment. His work emphasizes validation research, examining the meaning, use, and consequences of test scores, and developing culturally responsive assessment practices that recognize and account for learners’ diverse backgrounds, experiences, linguistic repertoires, sociocultural contexts, and values that shape their identities. He has served as an external consultant for Québec’s Ministry of Education and as Chair of the Test Validity Research and Evaluation Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). He speaks Spanish, English, and French fluently and has previously taught English and French in the Dominican Republic.

Research Interests

Courses Taught

Undergraduate Courses

Graduate Courses

Selected Publications

Articles in Refereed Journals

Magabe, D. D., Schissel, J., & Arias, A. (2025). Developing a theory of change: How are teacher educators preparing pre‐ and in‐service teachers of multilingual learners? TESOL Journal, 16(2), e70021. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.70021

Arias, A. (2024). A short tutorial on validation in educational and psychological assessment. The Quantitative Methods for Psychology, 20(3), 24–31. https://doi.org/10.20982/tqmp.20.3.v024

Baker, B., Arias, A., Bibeau, L.-D., Qin, Y. (Coral), Norenberg, M., & St-John, J. (2024). Rethinking student placement to enhance efficiency and student agency. Language Testing, 41(1), 181-191. https://doi.org/10.1177/02655322231179128

Arias, A., & Blais, J.-G. (2023). Evaluating the explanation inference of a high-stakes French listening test: An argument-based perspective. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 79(2), 77–100. https://doi.org/10.3138/cmlr-2021-0060

Appel, R., Arias, A., Baker, B., & Loignon, G. (2023). Insights from lexical and syntactic analyses of a French for academic purposes assessment. Assessing Writing, 58, 100789. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2023.100789

Appel, R., & Arias, A. (2023). Automated measures of lexical sophistication: Predicting proficiency in an integrated academic writing task. Journal of Language and Education, 9(1), 12–25. https://doi.org/10.17323/jle.2023.11045

Arias, A., Vessey, R., & Sheyholislami, J. (2022). Jumping through hoops in the Canadian immigration system: A critical view of the immigrant’s journey to citizenship. TESOL Quarterly, 56(4), 1430–1444. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.3184

Arias, A., & Sireci, S. (2021). Validez y validación de pruebas educativas: Teoría y recomendaciones. https://reviberopsicologia.ibero.edu.co/article/view/1926

Baker, B., Homayounzadeh, M., & Arias, A. (2020). Development of a test taker-oriented rubric: Exploring its usefulness for test preparation and writing development. Journal of Second Language Writing, 50(100771). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2020.100771

Special Issues in Refereed Journals

Schissel, J. L. & Arias, A. Eds. (2021). Language assessment innovations in multilingual contexts. Journal of Multilingual Theories and Practices. https://utppublishing.com/toc/jmtp/2/2

Arias, A., & Schissel, J. L. (2021). How are multilingual communities of practice being considered in language assessment: A language ecology approach. Journal of Multilingual Theories and Practices. https://doi.org/10.1558/jmtp.21242

Book Chapters in Refereed Edited Books

Béland, S., Chénier, C., & Arias, A. (2023). Une (courte) introduction au modèle de Rasch bayésien pour réponse dichotomique. In E. Dionne & S. Béland (Eds.), Appliquer le modèle de Rasch: Défis et pistes de solution (pp. 277-290). Presses de l’Université du Québec.

Presentations

Refereed Paper Presentations

Arias, A., Sinclair, J., & Jang, E. (2025). Supporting validity arguments through DET test alignment with Canadian Language Benchmarks. Advancements for multimodal measurement in language assessment: Duolingo & AAAL Symposium Series. Presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), Denver, Colorado.

Arias, A. (2024). A pedagogical perspective on validity and validation in language assessment. presented at the Asociacion colombiana de profesores de Ingles (ASOCOPI) conference in Barranquilla, Colombia.

Arias, A., Al-kaboody, M. (2024). Examining validity evidence of constructs in applied linguistics: A systematic review. Presented at the International Test Commission (ITC) conference in Granada, Spain.

Arias, A. (2023). Reconsidering construct-irrelevant variance and underrepresentation: Towards a justice-oriented and antiracist validation framework in language assessment. Presented at the Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics (ACLA), Toronto, ON, Canada.

Baker, B., Arias, A., Bibeau, L-D., & Qin, Y. (2023). Incorporating a progression of learning in a revised placement assessment with self-directed elements. Presented at the Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), New York, USA.

Appel, R., Arias, A., Baker, B., Hirch., & Loignon (2022). Discoveries in analysing recurrent word sequences and linguistic complexity in French academic writing assessment. Presented at the Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Tokyo, Japan. [Online Virtual Conference].

Béland, S., Arias, A., & Chénier, C. (2021). L’utilisation du modèle de Rasch bayésien pour détecter la dérive des items (item drift) à partir d’une hypothèse basée sur la théorie. Presented at the 42nd colloquium of l’Association pour le développement des méthodologies d’évaluation en éducation (l’ADMEE – Canada). [Online Virtual Conference].

Arias, A., & Blais, J-G. (2020). Construct evidence of a second language listening test used for Canadian immigration. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Council for Measurement in Education (NCME), San Francisco, CA. [Online Virtual Conference].

Arias, A., & Chénier, C. (2019). Exploration de la dérive des paramètres d’items comme preuve de validité : une application du modèle de Rasch. Presented at the 41st colloquium of l’Association pour le développement des méthodologies d’évaluation en éducation (l’ADMEE – Canada). Sherbrooke, Québec.

Arias, A., Loye, N., & Béland, S. (2019). Validation des instruments de mesure en éducation et en psychologie : comparaison de modèles conceptuels. Presented at the 1st colloquium of the Research Group in Pursuit of Validity in Drummondville, QC, Canada.

Loye, N., Arias, A., & Béland, S. (2019). La validation par l’argumentation. De quoi est-il question? Presented at the 1st colloquium of the Research Group in Pursuit of Validity in Drummondville, QC, Canada.

Arias, A., & Blais, J-G. (2018). Maximum Likelihood (ML), Bayesian (BAYES), and Weighted Least Squares Means and Variance Adjusted (WLSMV) estimation procedures: A comparison of estimation methods with binary data from a language proficiency test. Presented at the 11th International Test Commission (ITC) conference in Montreal, QC, Canada.

Arias, A., Baker, B., & Chapelle, C. (2018). Creating a validity argument for an existing testing program for university admissions and professional certification. Presented at the 40th Language Testing Research Colloquium, University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Arias, A., Baker, B., & Hope, A. (2017). Skimming, scanning, search reading and reading comprehension: An exploration of constructs through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Presented at the 39th Language Testing Research Colloquium, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia.

Arias, A., Laurier, M., & Blais., J. G. (2017). La validation du volet de la compréhension orale du Test de connaissance du français à l’aide de l’analyse factorielle confirmatoire. Presented at the Canadian Association of Language Assessment (CALA). Ottawa, ON: Canada.

Arias, A., Baker, B., & Hope, A. (2015). Revising test specifications for the listening component of a high-stakes English assessment: A conceptual and data-driven approach. Presented at the East Coast Organization of Language Testers. Washington, DC. Chénier, C., & Arias, A. (2015). Un seul score pour l’expression orale est-ce assez? Presented at the 37th colloquium of l’Association pour le développement des méthodologies d’évaluation en éducation (l’ADMEE – Canada). Gatineau, Québec.

Refereed Poster Presentations

Arias, A. (2024). RaterLynx: A shiny app for incomplete rating designs of rater-mediated assessments. Presented at the International Test Commission (ITC) conference in Granada, Spain.

Arias, A., & Blais, J-G. (2021). Using Rasch measurement to examine the psychometric properties of a listening test used for immigration. To be presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), Orlando, FL. [Online Virtual Conference].

Homayounzadeh, M., Baker, B., & Arias, A. (2018). Mixed-methods development of a test-taker-oriented writing rating scale. Presented at the 40th Language Testing Research Colloquium, University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Arias, A. (2017). Re-evaluating commonly held views of residual-based fit statistics in language assessment research: Rasch analysis of the CanTEST listening test. Presented at the 39th Language Testing Research Colloquium, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia.

Arias, A., Stone, J. & Wu, A. (2013). Establishing cut scores through technological resources on the general version of the listening and reading tests of the 2014 Canadian English Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP-G). Presented at the 35th Language Testing Research Colloquium, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea. 

Invited Presentations

Arias, A. (2022). Unpacking validation approaches for applied linguistics: Current challenges and potential solutions to enhance accessibility and uptake. CCERBAL Online Research Forum.

Arias, A., Schissel, J., & Tavarez da Costa, P. (2021). Our journey into university English language education research: Transnational and transdisciplinary collaborations. Coalition for Diversity in Language and Culture. University of North Carolina, Greensboro.

Schissel, J.L. & Arias, A. (2021). Multilingualism and assessment: Expanding validity frameworks. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in ELT: International Perspectives and Local Resonances: TESOL ELevate Virtual Conference.

Arias, A. (2019). Les enjeux de validation des instruments de mesure en évaluation des langues. Presented at journée de réflexion sur l’évaluation des compétences langagières : Enjeux et perspectives.

Arias, A. (2016). Le français sur objectif universitaire. Presented to the comité des études du département d’administration et fondements de l’éducation, Université de Montréal, QC, Canada.

This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. Find out more on how we use cookies and how you can change your settings.