| Duration: |
4.5 hours (3x 90 min sessions) |
Credits: |
4.5 CPD accredited hours |
Book now
Bookings close 13 Apr 2026 at 11am (UK time).
Enrol before 2 Mar for our early bird price of £200.
Learn how to create, evaluate, and adapt multiple-choice questions to ensure valid and reliable outcomes in your language assessments.
Why choose this workshop?
Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are a common tool in language assessment, but designing them effectively requires skill and understanding.
A well-crafted language MCQ tests skills and linguistic ability accurately, while a poorly designed one can give misleading results.
For assessment practitioners, using MCQs effectively helps by:
- Accurately assessing reading, listening, structure, and lexis across a range of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels
- Reducing workload and enhancing reliability through carefully constructed assessment items
- Engaging learners with questions that are relevant, challenging, and tied to meaningful texts.
Our three-part online live workshop series, Multiple-choice questions for languages: getting them right for your learners, is designed to give you the confidence and practical skills to create, evaluate, and adapt MCQs for your own assessment context.
Led by expert Margaret Cooze, this live workshop series will give you a clear understanding of the principles and benefits of MCQs in language assessment, including how to design valid and reliable items for reading, listening, structure, and lexis.
The workshops are designed for those with little or no previous experience in writing MCQs. So, whether you’re new to language assessment or looking to refresh and enhance your MCQ design skills, this series will provide a comprehensive overview of everything you need to consider when creating effective multiple-choice assessments.
Who should attend?
This is an ideal workshop series for anyone working with language assessments. If you’re writing or reviewing assessment items, or are responsible for producing language tests and need to ensure reliability and validity of your assessments this training will give you everything you need.
The session is open to anyone who would find it useful. Previous attendees have included:
- Teachers and Language Instructors
- Assessment Developers and Coordinators
- Assessment Managers
- Development Managers
- Academic Managers
- Researchers
Why choose The Assessment Network?
We’re trusted by over 1,000 organisations across 100 countries and are backed by world-class research from the University of Cambridge.
We proudly hold Dual Accreditation by the Professional Development Consortium, officially recognising us as a Provider of Training Excellence.
Upon successful completion of Multiple-choice questions for languages: getting them right for your learners, you’ll be awarded a Certificate of Attendance from Cambridge University Press & Assessment as recognition of your learning.
Workshop outline
This workshop series is accredited with a Certificate of Attendance for continuing professional development (4.5 CPD hours). To be eligible, two live sessions must be attended.
This series of three workshops will take you through how to effectively design MCQs for languages in order to take advantage of their strengths and avoid their weaknesses.
Workshop 1: 14 Apr 2026 | Test development and assessing reading
14 Apr 2026 | 12:30 - 14:00 (UK time)
Discover the advantages and disadvantages of using MCQs, and explore the importance of text selection, focusing on analysing and producing items to assess reading.
Workshop 2: 21 Apr 2026 | Assessing listening
21 Apr 2026 | 12:30 - 14:00 (UK time)
Build on the content from Week 1 to analyse and produce MCQ texts and items to assess listening.
Workshop 3: 28 Apr 2026 | Assessing structure and lexis
28 Apr 2026 | 12:30 - 14:00 (UK time)
Learn about how to use MCQs to assess structure and lexis in multiple-choice cloze tasks.
Throughout the series, you’ll learn by using a variety of real-life examples. You’ll also have an opportunity to critique, edit and practice writing test items. In addition to the workshops, you’ll take away resources to support you in applying the learning to your own context and structuring your future MCQ design process.
What our attendees say
This was an excellent course with an excellent trainer. It was very useful and I highly recommend it."
Sarah Taylor, Senior Assessment Manager, United Kingdom
Key learning outcomes
By the end of the workshop series you'll be able to:
- Describe how to apply principles of validity and fairness in the design of MCQs
- Recognise different types of MCQs used in language assessment
- Evaluate potential topics, themes and texts for use with MCQs in the assessment of reading and listening skills
- Recognise how to construct stand-alone or grouped MCQs for the assessment of structure and lexis
- Develop strategies to improve each stage of your MCQ design process, following analysis that you have conducted, using tools to advance your practice.
Workshop trainer
Margaret Cooze is a freelance language and assessment specialist. She holds an MA in Applied Linguistics and an MSc in English Language Teaching Management. She has taught in Guatemala, Japan and the UK with a particular interest in the teaching and assessment of writing.
Margaret has also worked for Cambridge University Press & Assessment managing the production of a range of assessments for language learners and teachers. She has also led on assessment reviews, benchmarking and comparability studies as well as supporting awarding bodies in gaining recognition for their assessments.
She is now involved in the design, development and production of assessment materials as well acting as moderator and Principal Examiner for English assessments for Cambridge International. Alongside this, Margaret has recently written for Cambridge University Press & Assessment and also designs and delivers training on the principles of assessment, question paper content writing, the operational aspects of assessment systems and also language awareness for teachers with recent work in Sweden, Lesotho, Pakistan, Botswana, Eswatini, The Bahamas and Vietnam.
FAQs
What are Multiple-choice questions in languages?
Why train with The Assessment Network?
The Assessment Network at Cambridge is a global community of assessment professionals, committed to equipping practitioners with a clear understanding of core assessment principles and practices. Through accredited training, professional membership, and career development opportunities, we support individuals and organisations in becoming recognised, up-to-date assessment leaders.
We enable positive change by helping practitioners enhance the impact of assessment for learners, offering CPD courses, bespoke solutions, and professional recognition for every challenge and role. Trusted by over 1,000 organisations across 100 countries, and backed by world-class research from the University of Cambridge, we unite professionals who connect, share learning, and stand out as experts in their field.
How much does it cost?
Multiple-choice questions for languages: Getting them right for your learners costs £265 or you can receive a 10% discount on your booking as a Member.
I want to register my team, what’s the best way to do this?
If you’re looking to book five or more places on an upcoming workshop or workshop series, you can receive a group discount. Please get in touch for a quote.
How do I register?
If this workshop is currently available use the Book Now button to complete your registration on our booking platform. If the workshop is not available, you can register your interest.
How will I learn?
Live workshops are interactive, practical sessions offered online, either as standalone sessions or as part of a series.
Led by assessment experts, these sessions require live attendance, via our online learning site, providing opportunities for direct guidance and real-time answers to your questions. These practical explorations and discussions with your assessment peers will help transform your assessment practice.
Will I be able to discuss the workshop topic during the session?
You can engage regularly throughout the online workshops via chat boxes, breakout rooms, polls, and quizzes.
What level of English do I need to be able to complete the course?
The course is delivered in English so you are required to have sufficient competence in English to participate in the training. You should have English language competence comparable to Level B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). We recommend a minimum requirement of 5.5 on the International English Language Testing System. Further information may be obtained through the IELTS website.
My place on the workshop is now confirmed, what happens next?
Once you’ve completed your booking you’ll receive a confirmation email. Joining instructions for the workshop or series are normally sent after the booking deadline has passed.
What happens if I can't attend one of the sessions?
To receive certification for a workshop series, you can only miss one session.
You’ll be able watch a recording of this missed session, but please note breakout rooms will not be recorded, and attendance is strongly recommended whenever possible.
What kind of certification is available upon completion of the workshop?
You’ll be awarded a Certificate of Attendance from Cambridge University Press & Assessment. It is expected that participants will attend at least two out of three live sessions to be eligible for a Certificate of Attendance at the end of the series.
How many CPD learning hours is this accredited for?
This workshop series is accredited for 8 learning hours. You must meet the attendance requirements to be eligible to receive the learning hours.
The Assessment Network has been awarded Dual Accreditation by the Professional Development Consortium, meaning we are officially recognised as a Provider of Training Excellence, alongside being a trusted provider of fully CPD accredited assessment training activities.
The majority of our professional development courses are also CPD accredited. Accredited courses are clearly marked with the CPD hours available, and a full list can be found on the CPD Standards website.
Some newer workshops and courses may not yet be accredited by the CPD Standards Office. However, as an assured provider of training excellence, all our workshops meet the same rigorous standards as our accredited training.
What can I do with my learning hours?
At The Assessment Network, learning hours from completing professional development courses contribute directly toward earning awards that recognise your assessment expertise. There are two levels of awards, the Assessment Practitioner Award and the Advanced Assessment Practitioner Award.
How long will I have access to the recording/resources after the workshop ends?
Recordings, slides, and any extra resources will be available via the online learning site for 40 days for a standalone workshop or 90 days for a workshop series.
When is the next workshop running?
We aim to run our workshops at least once a year. If the workshop is not currently available to book, please use the register your interest page.