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.