Language Assessment Principles Classroom Practices CHAPTER 1 TESTING

Language Assessment: Principles & Classroom Practices CHAPTER 1 TESTING, ASSESSING, & TEACHING H. D. BROWN

What is a test? Test, Evaluation, Assessment? -Test: method of measuring a person’s ability, knowledge, or performance in a given domain -Indirect nature of testing: judge competence based on limited information on one’s performance & problem of generalization & interpretation

Assessment and Teaching Assessment: an ongoing process that encompasses a much wider domain and it is done to make important curricular & instructional decisions or judge learners’ abilities in language domains - Assessment should be based on solid theories & research! - Test is a subset of assessment and its score is different from the interpretation of the result.

Assessment and Teaching Evaluation (평가): a systematic way of performance in a given context and a bigger concept dealing with tests, assessment, and judgments based on national and institutional policies Relationship of tests, assessment, and teaching (Figure 1. 1) : teaching as a ground for ample opportunities to “play” with language for meaningful learning

Informal & Formal Assessment Informal assessment in classroom Formal assessment: planned, systematic, time-constrained, based on a limited sample of behaviors; Something is at stake! (e. g. , stake-high exams) All tests are formal assessment but not all assessment are formal.

Formative & Summative Assessment Formative Assessment (형성평가): look into “forming” one’s competences to help learners to develop more Summative Assessment(종합평가): measure or summarize one’s performance at the end of a course or instruction When all tests are considered “summative”, attrition of learning occurs!

Norm-referenced & Criterion-references tests Norm-referenced tests: compare results with others using mean, median, standard deviation, percentile rank, etc. -Most standardized tests are normreferenced tests. Criterion-referenced tests: All those who reach certain criteria can pass!; more for feedback on specific course or lesson objectives

Approaches to Language Testing: A Brief Histoy 1950 s: test discrete elements of language 1970 s-1980 s: integrative view of testing Discrete-point vs. Integrative Testing: Issue of (de)contextualization & authenticity Cloze test & dictation as integrative testing Unitary trait hypothesis (Oller, 1983): “indivisible” nature of language

Communicative Language Testing Canale & Swain (1980): grammatical, discourse, sociocultural, strategic competences Bachman (1990): Organizational & Pragmatic competences Bachman & Palmer (1996): Strategic competence

Performance-based Assessment Types of PBA: oral interview, written essays, open-ended Q & A, integrated skills performance, group performance, interactive tasks Importance of language use and authenticity but one may question the reliability of scoring!

Current Issues in Classroom Testing New Views on Intelligence -Alfred Binet vs. H. Gardner’s multiple intelligence(MI): linguistic, logicalmathematical, spatial, musical, bodilykinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal intelligences -Goleman’s EQ(emotional quotient) -tyranny of objectivity in high-stake testing

Current Issues in Classroom Testing Traditional vs Alternative Assessment -one-shot, standardized vs. continuous & long -term -timed, multiple choice vs. untimed, freeresponse -decontextualized vs. contextualized -scores only vs. individualized feedback -norm-referenced vs. criterion-referenced

Current Issues in Classroom Testing Traditional vs Alternative Assessment -summative vs. formative -product-oriented vs. process-oriented -non-interactive vs. interactive performance -extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation Beware of a bias toward alternative assessment!

Current Issues in Classroom Testing Computer-based Testing(CBT) -Computer-adaptive test(CAT) -Internet-based test(IBT) -based on Item Response Theory(IRT): 문항반응이론 -See advantages & disadvantages (p. 15)

Basic Principles Suggested 1. Periodic assessment 2. Appropriate assessment 3. Pinpoint strengths and weaknesses 4. Periodic closure to modules within a curriculum 5. Promote student autonomy by encouraging self-evaluation of their progress 6. Help learners set their own goals 7. Aid in evaluating teaching effectiveness