The College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) has focused on relative ranks among students since it started from 1993. In December 2014 The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced that it would adopt an absolute grading system (AGS) for English scores in the CSAT, starting from November 2017, and discard the relative grading. The MOE hoped that the AGS of CSAT English would eventually serve to normalize English education by having teachers place more emphasis on improving students’ communication skills rather than on solving CSAT questions. This paper describes the rationale behind the implementation of AGS for CSAT English by the MOE and how the criteria and grades of AGS have been developed and set. Then current problems arising from the AGS for CSAT English are discussed by touching on its theoretical, practical and political issues based on relevant literatures, public hearings and news media reports, and informal interviews with contemporary teachers of English.

1. 서론
2. 수능 영어 절대평가의 이론과 현실
    2.1. 수능 영어 절대평가의 목표 성취 수준의 서술
    2.2. 절대 기준 및 등급을 명확히 설정하지 못한 채로 시험 실시
    2.3. 대부분의 주요 당사자에게 중요하지 않은 영어시험
    2.4. 불안정한 수능영어 시험 난이도의 변동
3. 수능 영어 절대평가의 갈등
    3.1. 영어 절대평가의 부정적 환류 효과
    3.2. 감소되었다고 볼 수 없는 사교육비
    3.3. 수능 영어 절대평가의 윤리성
    3.4. 수능 영어 결과 타당도(consequential validity)
4. 제언 및 결론
    4.1. 제언
    4.2. 결론
참고문헌

• 이영식(한남대학교) | Lee Young Shik