An-Introduction-to-English-Language-Testing

AnIntroductiontoEnglishLanguageTestingDefinitionofterms:measurement,test,evaluationMeasurement:theprocessofquantifyingthecharacteristicsofpersonsaccordingtoexplicitproceduresandrules.Test:aproceduredesignedtoelicitcertainbehaviorfromwhichonecanmakeinferencesaboutcertaincharacteristicsofanindividual.Evaluation:thesystematicgatheringofinformationforthepurposeofmakingdecisions.ApproachestolanguagetestingTheessay-translationapproach:thesubjectivejudgmentoftheteacherisconsideredtobeofparamountimportance.Testsusuallyconsistofessaywriting,translation,andgrammaticalanalysis,haveaheavyliteraryandculturalbias.Thestructuralistapproach:characterizedbytheviewthatlanguagelearningischieflyconcernedwiththesystematicacquisitionofasetofhabits,identifyandmeasurethelearner’smasteryoftheseparateelementsandskillsofthetargetlanguage.Itisconsideredessentialtotestonethingatatime.Theintegrativeapproach:involvethetestingoflanguageincontextandisthusconcernedwithmeaningandtotalcommunicativeeffectofdiscourse.Designedtoassessthelearner’sabilitytousetwoormoreskillssimultaneously,andconcernedwithaglobalviewofproficiency.Thecommunicativeapproach:concernedwithhowlanguageisusedincommunication.Successisjudgedintermsoftheeffectivenessofthecommunicationwhichtakesplaceratherthanformallinguisticaccuracy.Basedonpreciseanddetailedspecificationsofneedsofthelearners.DifferencebetweenapproachandmethodApproach:theoreticalpositionsandbeliefsaboutthenatureoflanguage,thenatureoflanguagelearning,andtheapplicabilityofbothtotesting.Method:thewayinwhichlanguageorknowledgeoflanguageiselicitedfromatesttaker.TestmethodsAframeworkoftestmethodfacetsTestenvironmentFamiliarityoftheplaceandequipmentPersonnelTimeoftestingPhysicalconditionsTestrubricTestorganizationTimeallocationInstructionFacetsoftheinputFormatNatureoflanguageFacetsoftheexpectedresponseFormatNatureoflanguageRestrictionsonresponseRelationshipbetweeninputandresponseReciprocalNonreciprocalAdaptiveCharacteristicsofindividualsPersonalcharacteristicsAgeSexNationalityResidentstatusNativelanguageLevelandtypeofgeneraleducationTypeandamountofpreparationThetopicalknowledgethattesttakersbringtothelanguagetestingsituationTheiraffectiveschemataTheirlanguageabilityCommunicativelanguageabilityAtheoreticalframeworkofcommunicativelanguageabilityLanguageknowledgeOrganizationalknowledgeGrammaticalknowledgeTextualknowledgePragmaticknowledgeFunctionalknowledgeSociolinguisticknowledgeStrategiccompetenceGoalsettingAssessmentPlanningExecutionPsychophysiologicalmechanismsUsesoflanguagetestsUsesoflanguagetestsineducationalprogramsTheinformationregardingeducationaloutcomesisessentialtoeffectiveformaleducation,tomakedecisionsToimprovelearningandteachingthroughappropriatechangesintheprogram,basedonfeedbackTomeasureeducationaloutcomesResearchusesoflanguagetestsResearchonlanguageproficiencyResearchonthenatureoflanguageprocessingResearchonthenatureoflanguageacquisitionResearchonthenatureoflanguageattritionInvestigationofeffectsofdifferentinstructionalsettingsandtechniquesonlanguageacquisitionClassifyingtypesoflanguagetestsaccordingtointendeduseSelection:whetherornotthestudentsshouldentertheprogramPlacement:placingstudentsintoappropriategroupsDiagnosis:diagnosingstudents’areasofstrengthandweaknessinordertodetermineappropriatetypesandlevelsofteachingandlearningactivitiesProgressandgrading:providingcontinuousfeedbacktoboththeteacherandthelearnerformakingdecisionsregardingappropriatemodificationsintheinstructionalproceduresandlearningactivities.ClassifyingtypesoflanguagetestsaccordingtocontentProficiencytests:measuringgeneralabilityorskillAptitudetests:measuringcapabilityorpotentialrelatedtolanguageacquisitionaswellastheuseoflanguageAchievementtests:measuringtheextentoflearningofthematerialpresentedinaparticularcourse,textbook,orprogramofinstructionClassifyingtypesoflanguagetestsaccordingtoformatDirecttests:measuringabilitydirectlyinanauthenticcontextandformatIndirecttests:fosteringinferenceaboutonekindofbehaviororperformancethroughmeasurementofanotherrelatedkindperformance.ClassifyingtypesoflanguagetestsaccordingtocomplexityofresponseDiscrete-pointtests:employingitemsmeasuringperformanceoveraunitarysetoflinguisticstructuresorfeaturesIntegrativetests:measuringknowledgeofavarietyoflanguagefeatures,modes,orskillssimultaneouslyClassifyingtypesoflanguagetestsaccordingtoscoringObjectivetests:scoredwithreferencetoascoringkeyandnotrequiringexpertjudgmentinthescoringprocessSubjectivetests:dependingonimpressionandopinionatthetimeofscoringClassifyingtypesoflanguagetestsaccordingtonormofreferenceNorm-referencedtests:evaluatingabilityagainstastandardofmeanornormativeperformanceofagroup,implyingstandardizationthroughprioradministrationtoalargesampleofexamineesCriterion-referencedtests:assessingachievementorperformanceagainstacut-offscorethatisdeterminedasareflectionofmasteryorattainmentofspecifiedobjectives.ClassifyingtypesoflanguagetestsaccordingtotimelimitSpeedtests:limitingtimeallowedforcompletionsothatthemajorityofexamineeswouldnotbeexpectedtofini