Who are NAATI Certification examiners?
NAATI Certification examiners are instrumental to NAATI’s mission. They are NAATI’s partners in enabling the Certification system.
NAATI Certification examiners are experienced certified practitioners who work with us in setting and maintaining Certification standards and enabling the existence of an adequate supply of certified practitioners to support Australia’s and New Zealand’s multicultural societies.
They hold qualifications in translation and/or interpreting or a related field such as linguistics and demonstrate extensive experience as practitioners. Many of them also have experience in test setting and marking.
They abide by NAATI’s values of Respect, Integrity and Professionalism and are required to demonstrate ethical practice at all times in their work as an examiner.
NAATI works with more than 450 Certification examiners across 66 language panels.
Inside NAATI: Discover the Examiner’s Role Video (5:20)
Recruitment process
NAATI generally organises targeted Expression of Interest (EOI) campaigns based on language testing demand or NAATI’s language development plan needs. Potential examiners are contacted and asked to submit a detailed EOI.
Successful applicants are then asked to complete two screening tasks containing setting and marking exercises aimed at evaluating the applicant’s potential to become a Certification examiner.
Finally, successful applicants will be provided training in both test setting and marking before they can develop or mark their first tests.
If you are interested in finding out more about how to become a NAATI Certification examiner, visit our Careers page.
Certification examiner training
Certification examiners have access to a range of training resources to support them in the setting and marking of tests. These may include training sessions, e-learning modules, and detailed marking and setting guidelines.
They also have access to an online Examiner Space where they can connect and engage with NAATI and other examiners.
Training is typically delivered to a panel of examiners to ensure shared understanding of the NAATI standards.
Performance monitoring & feedback
Examiner performance is monitored regularly.
For test setting, NAATI ensures that all tasks are set according to NAATI’s test specifications. Every task is thoroughly checked, and examiners are provided with systematic feedback on the tasks they develop.
For test marking, NAATI has implemented a performance evaluation framework that relies on statistical data analysis using Percentage Agreement, Kappa and Multifaceted Rasch models to provide examiners with data-driven insights on their use of NAATI’s assessment rubrics and alignment with other examiners. They also receive feedback on the comments they provide to test candidates for the skills assessed.
Examiners are audited once or twice a year for each test type they mark. Performance is supported by additional training sessions and resources where required.
Examiner Status
Since November 2022, examiners can voluntarily disclose their examiner status publicly. NAATI provides examiners with a personalised examiner badge which includes their NAATI Practitioner number. These badges can be displayed on their website, blog or email signature block. You can see an example of this badge below.
