chapter 3(designing classroom language tests)

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Build Bright University Build Bright University Language Testing and Assessment Language Testing and Assessment Chapter-3 Chapter-3 Designing Classroom Language Designing Classroom Language Tests Tests Prepared by Kheang Sokheng Prepared by Kheang Sokheng Ph.D Candidate and MEd in Ph.D Candidate and MEd in TESOL TESOL

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Build Bright UniversityBuild Bright UniversityLanguage Testing and AssessmentLanguage Testing and Assessment

Chapter-3Chapter-3Designing Classroom Language Designing Classroom Language

Tests TestsPrepared by Kheang SokhengPrepared by Kheang SokhengPh.D Candidate and MEd in Ph.D Candidate and MEd in

TESOL TESOL

Critical Questions to Start Designing Critical Questions to Start Designing a Testa Test

1. What is the purpose of the test?1. What is the purpose of the test?2. What are the objectives of the test?2. What are the objectives of the test?3. How will the test specifications reflect both 3. How will the test specifications reflect both the purpose and the objectives?the purpose and the objectives?4. How will the test tasks be selected and the 4. How will the test tasks be selected and the separate items arranged?separate items arranged?5. What kinds of scoring, grading, and/or 5. What kinds of scoring, grading, and/or feedback expected?feedback expected?

What is the purpose of the test?What is the purpose of the test?

Why are you creating this test, or why was Why are you creating this test, or why was it created by a textbook writer?it created by a textbook writer?

What is its significance relative to your What is its significance relative to your course (for example, to evaluate overall course (for example, to evaluate overall proficiency or place a student in a course)?proficiency or place a student in a course)?

How important is the test compared to other How important is the test compared to other student performance?student performance?

What will its impact be on you and yourWhat will its impact be on you and your students before and after the assessment?students before and after the assessment?

What are the objectives of the test?What are the objectives of the test?

What exactly are you trying to find out?What exactly are you trying to find out?

What language knowledge and/or skills What language knowledge and/or skills

are you assessing?are you assessing?

How will the test specifications reflect both the How will the test specifications reflect both the purpose and the objectives?purpose and the objectives?

To design or evaluate a test, you must make To design or evaluate a test, you must make sure that the test has a structure that logically sure that the test has a structure that logically follows from the unit or lesson it is testing.follows from the unit or lesson it is testing.

The class objectives should be present in the The class objectives should be present in the test through appropriate task types and test through appropriate task types and weights, a logical sequence, and a variety of weights, a logical sequence, and a variety of tasks.tasks.

Selection & Arrangement of Selection & Arrangement of Tasks?Tasks?

The test tasks need to be practical.The test tasks need to be practical. For the test to be valid, they should also For the test to be valid, they should also

mirror tasks of the course, lesson or mirror tasks of the course, lesson or segment.segment.

They should be authentic (i.e. reflect They should be authentic (i.e. reflect real‐world language use).real‐world language use).

The tasks must be ones that can be The tasks must be ones that can be evaluated reliably by the teacher.evaluated reliably by the teacher.

Scoring, Grading, Feedback?Scoring, Grading, Feedback? The appropriate form of feedback on The appropriate form of feedback on

tests will vary, depending on the tests will vary, depending on the purpose.purpose.

For every test, the way results are For every test, the way results are reported is an important consideration.reported is an important consideration.

Under some circumstances, a letter Under some circumstances, a letter grade or score may be appropriate.grade or score may be appropriate.

Other circumstances may require that Other circumstances may require that the teacher provide detailed feedback the teacher provide detailed feedback to the students.to the students.

Tests TypesTests Types

Language Aptitude TestsLanguage Aptitude Tests Proficiency TestsProficiency Tests Placement TestsPlacement Tests Diagnostic TestsDiagnostic Tests Achievement TestsAchievement Tests

Language Aptitude TestLanguage Aptitude Test A Language Aptitude Test is designed to A Language Aptitude Test is designed to

measure capacity or general ability to learn measure capacity or general ability to learn a foreign language and ultimate success in a foreign language and ultimate success in that undertaking. Language aptitude tests that undertaking. Language aptitude tests are ostensibly designed to apply to the are ostensibly designed to apply to the classroom learning of any language classroom learning of any language (Brown, 2004)(Brown, 2004)

To predictTo predict a person’s future success in a person’s future success in learning a (any) foreign languagelearning a (any) foreign language

Taken before actual learning Taken before actual learning

Proficiency testsProficiency tests A proficiency test is not limited to any one A proficiency test is not limited to any one

course, curriculum, or single skill in the course, curriculum, or single skill in the language; rather it tests overall ability.language; rather it tests overall ability.

A proficiency test is a test which measures A proficiency test is a test which measures how much of a language someone has how much of a language someone has learned. It is not linked to a particular course learned. It is not linked to a particular course of instruction, but measures the learner’s of instruction, but measures the learner’s general level of language mastery ( Richard, general level of language mastery ( Richard, Platt & Heidi, 1993)Platt & Heidi, 1993)

For example, TOEFL, IELTS and other For example, TOEFL, IELTS and other standardized tests.standardized tests.

Placement testsPlacement testsTo assign students to classes/programs To assign students to classes/programs appropriate to their level of proficiencyappropriate to their level of proficiencyDefine characteristics of each level of Define characteristics of each level of proficiency proficiency should be measured”should be measured”E.g. The English as a Second Language E.g. The English as a Second Language Placement Test (ESLPT) at San Francisco Placement Test (ESLPT) at San Francisco State University has three parts. Part 1, State University has three parts. Part 1, students read a short article and then write a students read a short article and then write a summary essay. In part 2, students write a summary essay. In part 2, students write a composition in response to an article. Part 3 is composition in response to an article. Part 3 is multiple-choice: students read an essay and multiple-choice: students read an essay and identify grammar errors in it.identify grammar errors in it.

Diagnostic testsDiagnostic tests A diagnostic test is designed to show what A diagnostic test is designed to show what

skills or knowledge a learner knows and skills or knowledge a learner knows and doesn’t know.doesn’t know.

E.g. A test in pronunciation might diagnose E.g. A test in pronunciation might diagnose the phonological features of English that are the phonological features of English that are difficult for learners and should therefore difficult for learners and should therefore become part of a curriculum.become part of a curriculum.

Identify a students’ strengths and weaknessesIdentify a students’ strengths and weaknesses To benefit future instructionTo benefit future instruction

Achievement testsAchievement tests Measure how successful students are in Measure how successful students are in

achieving objectives of a lesson/ course/ achieving objectives of a lesson/ course/ curriculumcurriculum

Closely related to the content of a particular Closely related to the content of a particular lesson/course/ curriculumlesson/course/ curriculum

Syllabus content approach OR course Syllabus content approach OR course objectives approach?objectives approach?

Final achievement tests / progress achievement Final achievement tests / progress achievement tests (formative assessment)tests (formative assessment)

They are often summative because they are They are often summative because they are administered at the end of a unit or term of administered at the end of a unit or term of study.study.

Practical Steps To Test ConstructionPractical Steps To Test Construction

1.1. Assessing Clear, Unambiguous Assessing Clear, Unambiguous ObjectivesObjectives

2.2. Drawing up Test SpecificationsDrawing up Test Specifications3.3. Devising Test TasksDevising Test Tasks4.4. Designing Multiple-Choice Test ItemsDesigning Multiple-Choice Test Items

Assessing Clear, Unambiguous ObjectivesAssessing Clear, Unambiguous Objectives

Test SpecificationTest Specification

Devising Test TasksDevising Test Tasks

Design each item to measure Design each item to measure a specific objectivea specific objective

Design each item to measure Design each item to measure a specific objectivea specific objective

Make certain that the intended answer is Make certain that the intended answer is clearly the only correct oneclearly the only correct one

Thank you!Thank you!