kinds of tests and testing

Testing and Evaluation

Lorena Reyes

26 Jan 15

Kinds of tests Proficiency

Achievement

Diagnostic

Placement

Kinds of testing Direct versus indirect

Discrete point versus integrative

Norm-referenced versus criterion-referenced

Objective testing versus subjective

Computer adaptive

Communicative language

Ability in a language.

Content Proficient candidate

They are notbased on coursesthat candidatesmay havepreviously taken.

Backwash?

•Translator at United

Nations

•To study at a British

University

Particular

purpose

•FCE (Cambridge First

Certificate of Proficiency

in English)

•Detailed specifications

General

Directly related to language courses.

Pop quizzes

Final achievement tests

• End of the course.

• Syllabus content

• Objectives content - consistent

Progress achievement tests

• Formative assessment

• Progress = objectives

Backwash?

Strengths and weaknesses.

Comprehensive diagnostic test of English grammar.

Place students in the part of the teachingprogramme that is most appropriate to theirabilities.

Direct: the candidate performs the skill we want tomeasure.◦ Authentic material.◦ Helpful backwash.

Indirect: we measure the abilities that underlie theskills we are interested in.◦ Writing ability

Which of the underlined elements is erroneous or inappropriate in formal standard English?:

At first the old woman seemed unwilling to accept anything that was offered her by my friend and I.

Discrete Integrative

One element at a time. Combination of many elements.

Vocabulary, particular grammatical structures.

Writing a composition, taking a dictation, etc.

Indirect Direct

Norm-referenced:

Relates one candidate’sperformance to that of othercandidates.

Criterion-referenced:

Tells what the student iscapable of doing in thelanguage.

Methods of scoring

Objective: no judgment.◦ Multiple choice tests

Subjective: judgment.◦ Compositions, short answers.

Order of difficulty.

The computer presents items that are appropriate for the candidate’s level of ability.

Dependable estimate – statistical analysis.

Communicative ability in specific contexts.

Information gap, letter writing.