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2020
Reasons for testing
To inform the teacher and students about
Testing and assessment students’ knowledge (gaps in knowledge)
and progress
To motivate students to learn
Kristel Ruutmets
2020
To give a structure to the course
To find out about students’ language level
and assign them in suitable groups
…
Analysing tests
Good tests should … • Which language skills (listening, reading, writing)
• test what has been taught. and knowledge (vocab, grammar) are covered?
• have clear and specific objectives. • Does the test focus more on receptive or
• have clear, unambiguous instructions; if productive knowledge?
necessary, contain samples. • How varied are the tasks?
• reflect classroom tasks and knowledge. • How clear are the instructions of the tasks?
• be suitable for the level of students. • How attractive is the layout of the test?
• have a good balance of items and timing.
• What is the scoring of individual tasks / the whole
• have a variety of tasks and focus on different test? Is it objective? If there is no scoring, how
skills.
would you score the test?
• have scoring which reflects objectives.
• Which aspects do you like about the test?
• be fairly easy to mark and correct.
• Which changes would you make in the test?
Some test task types I Some test task types II
Use test items that are similar to tasks that Speaking:
students have been doing in their lessons.
information-gap, interview, presentation, group
discussion, (guided) role-play, retelling, picture
Listening and reading: description or story
order (pictures, events, sentences), match, list, Writing:
label, answer questions (open-ended, closed), fill copying, guided writing (based on models,
in the table, gap-fill, multiple-choice, T/F/NI pictures, notes, diagrams), summary writing
statements, correct mistakes, sentence or text (based on a reading text), free writing (e.g. write
completion about your hobbies), dictation, writing a text based
dictation (listening only) on questions or keywords, writing a reply to a
letter/email
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Some test task types III Testing terms
A valid test measures what it is supposed to
Vocabulary: measure.
word test, matching, multiple-choice, gap-fill, A reliable test has consistent and trustworthy
crossword, labelling, classification, word formation, results when administered on different occasions.
anagrams, writing words for definitions or vice
Objective testing – there is one correct answer
versa,
for every question / item.
Grammar:
Subjective testing – it is possible to answer in a
multiple-choice, sentece completion or number of correct ways.
transformation (rewriting but keeping the meaning
Washback (backwash) – a positive or negative
the same)
effect a test has on the teaching and learning
process.
Is the test reliable? Validity of a test
Two learners of obviously different levels get A multiple-choice written grammar test consists of
roughly the same score on a test. items such as:
The same learner gets a different score on two How long are you living / do you live / have you
different occasions of taking the same test. lived here now?
The vocabulary test is based on 15 words/word
combinations. Students have to study around 70 The test is valid for finding out the students’ ability
words/word combinations for the test. to match grammatical forms to their contexts.
A student takes an oral test. There is only one The test is valid for finding out students’ ability to
examinar who scores the student on a scale from use different tenses in their contexts in written
0-5. There are no scoring criteria. form and/or orally.
The answer is „No“ in all the cases. The test is valid for both occasions given above.
Testing speaking
You need to test students’ ability to retell the story. Some dangers tests have
What might be the testing criteria?
• Too much focus on accuracy and memory.
• Grades cause unhealthy competition.
• Tests make learners nervous, the results
may not reflect their actual knowledge.
• Negative washback, e.g. teachers focus on
what will be tested, learners focus on what they
think they will be tested on.
• Aim at finding out what students do not
know
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Sources used I Sources used II
Scrivener, J. (2011). Learning Teaching. Oxford: Macmillan
Ellis, G., & Ibrahim, N. (2015). Teaching Children How to Education.
Learn. Peaslake: Delta Publishing. Spratt, M., Pulverness, A., & Williams, M. (2005). The Teaching
Hadfield, J., & Hadfield, C. (2008). Introduction to Teaching Knowledge Test Course. Cambridge: CUP.
English. Oxford: OUP. Thornbury, S. (2006). An A-Z of ELT. Oxford: Macmillan
Harmer, J. (2012). Essential Teacher Knowledge. Harlow: Education.
Pearson Education Limited. Walker, A., & White, G. (2013). Technology Enhanced
Harris, M., & McCann, P. (1994). Assessment. Oxford: Language Learning. Oxford: OUP.
Macmillan Heinemann English Language Teaching.
Lindsay, C., & Knight, P. (2006). Learning and Teaching
English. A Course for Teachers. Oxford: OUP.
Pinter , A. (2006). Teaching Young Language Learners. Oxford:
OUP.
