Chapter 5( standards based assessment)
- 1. Build Bright UniversityBuild Bright University Language Testing and AssessmentLanguage Testing and Assessment Chapter- 5Chapter- 5 Standards-based AssessmentStandards-based Assessment Prepared by Kheang Sokheng Ph.D Candidate and MEd in TESOL
- 2. Mid 20th CenturyMid 20th Century Standardized tests had unchallengedStandardized tests had unchallenged popularity and growth.popularity and growth. Standardized tests brought convenience,Standardized tests brought convenience, efficiency, air of empirical science.efficiency, air of empirical science. Tests were considered to be a way ofTests were considered to be a way of making reforms in educationmaking reforms in education Quickly and cheaply assessing studentsQuickly and cheaply assessing students became a political issue.became a political issue.
- 3. Late 20th CenturyLate 20th Century *There was possible inequity and disparity*There was possible inequity and disparity between the tests in such tests and the onesbetween the tests in such tests and the ones they teach in classes.they teach in classes. **The claims in mid-20th century began to beThe claims in mid-20th century began to be questioned/criticised in all areas.questioned/criticised in all areas. *Teachers were in the leading position of those*Teachers were in the leading position of those challenges.challenges.
- 4. The Last 20 YearsThe Last 20 Years *Educators become aware of weaknesses in*Educators become aware of weaknesses in standardized testing:standardized testing: TheyThey were not accuratewere not accurate measures of achievement and success andmeasures of achievement and success and they were not based on carefully framed,they were not based on carefully framed, comprehensive and validated standards ofcomprehensive and validated standards of achievement.achievement. *A movement has started to establish*A movement has started to establish standards to assess students of all ages andstandards to assess students of all ages and subject-matter areas.subject-matter areas. *There have been efforts on basing the*There have been efforts on basing the standardised tests on clearly specified criteriastandardised tests on clearly specified criteria for each content area being measured.for each content area being measured.
- 5. CriticismCriticism Some teachers claimed that those tests wereSome teachers claimed that those tests were unfair there were dissimilarity between theunfair there were dissimilarity between the content & task of the tests & what they werecontent & task of the tests & what they were teaching in their classes.teaching in their classes. SolutionsSolutions By becoming aware of these weaknesses,By becoming aware of these weaknesses, educators started to establish someeducators started to establish some standards on which students of all ages &standards on which students of all ages & subject matter areas might be assessed.subject matter areas might be assessed.
- 6. SolutionsSolutions most departments of education at all statemost departments of education at all state level in the US have specified thelevel in the US have specified the appropriate standards (criteria, objectives)appropriate standards (criteria, objectives) for each grade level(pre-school to grade 12)for each grade level(pre-school to grade 12) and each content area (math, sciences,and each content area (math, sciences, arts…)arts…) The construction of standards makesThe construction of standards makes possible concordance betweenpossible concordance between standardized test specification and thestandardized test specification and the goals and objectives (ESL, ESOL,goals and objectives (ESL, ESOL, ELD,ELLs). LEP has now been discardedELD,ELLs). LEP has now been discarded because of the negative connotation of thebecause of the negative connotation of the
- 7. ELD STANDARDSELD STANDARDS The process of designing and conductingThe process of designing and conducting appropriate periodic reviews ofappropriate periodic reviews of ELDELD standards involves dozens of curriculum andstandards involves dozens of curriculum and assessment specialists, teachers, andassessment specialists, teachers, and researchers (researchers (Fields, 2000; Kuhlman, 2001Fields, 2000; Kuhlman, 2001)) In creating such “ benchmarks forIn creating such “ benchmarks for accountability” (accountability” (O’Malley & Valdez PierceO’Malley & Valdez Pierce,, 19961996), there is a tremendous responsibility to), there is a tremendous responsibility to carry out a comprehensive study of acarry out a comprehensive study of a number of domains:number of domains:
- 8. ELD STANDARDSELD STANDARDS literally thousands of categories of languageliterally thousands of categories of language ranging from phonology at one end of aranging from phonology at one end of a continuum to discourse, pragmatic,continuum to discourse, pragmatic, functional and sociolinguistic elements at thefunctional and sociolinguistic elements at the other end;other end; specification of ELD students’ needs are, atspecification of ELD students’ needs are, at thirteen different grade levels, forthirteen different grade levels, for succeeding in their academic and socialsucceeding in their academic and social development;development; a consideration of what is a realistic numbera consideration of what is a realistic number and scope of standards to be included withinand scope of standards to be included within
- 9. ELD STANDARDSELD STANDARDS a given curriculum;a given curriculum; a separate set of standards(qualifications,a separate set of standards(qualifications, expertise, training) for teachers to teach ELDexpertise, training) for teachers to teach ELD students successfully in their classrooms; andstudents successfully in their classrooms; and a thorough analysis of the means available toa thorough analysis of the means available to assess student attainment of those standards.assess student attainment of those standards. Standards-setting is a global challenge. InStandards-setting is a global challenge. In many countries, English is now a requiredmany countries, English is now a required subject starting as early as the first grade insubject starting as early as the first grade in some countries and by seventh grade in virtuallysome countries and by seventh grade in virtually every country worldwide.every country worldwide.
- 10. ELD ASSESSMENTELD ASSESSMENT The development of standards obviouslyThe development of standards obviously implies the responsibility for correctlyimplies the responsibility for correctly assessing their attainment.assessing their attainment. It is found that the standardized tests of theIt is found that the standardized tests of the past decades were not in line with newlypast decades were not in line with newly developed standardsdeveloped standards the interactive processthe interactive process not only of developing standards but also ofnot only of developing standards but also of creating standards-based assessmentcreating standards-based assessment started.started. Specialists design, revise and validate manySpecialists design, revise and validate many tests.tests.
- 11. ELD ASSESSMENTELD ASSESSMENT The California English Language DevelopmentThe California English Language Development Test (CELDT) is a battery of instrumentsTest (CELDT) is a battery of instruments designed to assess attainment of ELD standardsdesigned to assess attainment of ELD standards across grade level. (not publicly available)across grade level. (not publicly available) LLanguage and Literacy Assessment Rubric, inanguage and Literacy Assessment Rubric, in which multiple forms of evidence of students’which multiple forms of evidence of students’ work are collected.work are collected. Teachers observe students year-round andTeachers observe students year-round and record their observations on scannable forms.record their observations on scannable forms.
- 12. CASAS AND SCANSCASAS AND SCANS CASAS:CASAS: (Comprehensive Adult Student(Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System):Assessment System): Designed to provide broadly basedDesigned to provide broadly based assessments of ESL curricula acrossassessments of ESL curricula across US.US. It includes more than 80 standardizedIt includes more than 80 standardized assessment instruments used to;assessment instruments used to; *place Ss in programs*place Ss in programs *diagnose learners’*diagnose learners’ needsneeds *monitor progress*monitor progress *certify mastery of*certify mastery of functional skillsfunctional skills
- 13. CASAS AND SCANSCASAS AND SCANS At higher level of education (colleges, adultAt higher level of education (colleges, adult and language schools, workplace)and language schools, workplace) SCANS: (Secretary’s Commissions inSCANS: (Secretary’s Commissions in Achieving Necessary Skills):Achieving Necessary Skills): outlines competencies necessary foroutlines competencies necessary for language in the workplacelanguage in the workplace the competencies are acquired andthe competencies are acquired and maintained through training in basic skills(4maintained through training in basic skills(4 skills);skills); thinking skills (reasoning & problem solving);thinking skills (reasoning & problem solving);
- 14. CASAS AND SCANSCASAS AND SCANS personal qualities (self-esteem & sociability)personal qualities (self-esteem & sociability) Resources (allocating time, materials, staffResources (allocating time, materials, staff etc.)etc.) Interpersonal skills, teamwork, customerInterpersonal skills, teamwork, customer service etc.service etc. Information processing, evaluating data,Information processing, evaluating data, organising files etc,organising files etc, Systems, understanding social andSystems, understanding social and organizational system,organizational system, Technology use and applicationTechnology use and application
- 15. TEACHER STANDARDSTEACHER STANDARDS KuhlmanKuhlman (2001) emphasized the(2001) emphasized the importance ofimportance of teacher standards in threeteacher standards in three domainsdomains:: 1.1. Linguistic and language developmentLinguistic and language development 2.2. Culture and interrelationship betweenCulture and interrelationship between language and culturelanguage and culture 3.3. Planning and managing instructionsPlanning and managing instructions Professional teaching standards have alsoProfessional teaching standards have also been the focus of several committees in thebeen the focus of several committees in the international association of Teachers ofinternational association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other LanguagesEnglish to Speakers of Other Languages
- 16. 4. Make appropriate evaluations of4. Make appropriate evaluations of different kinds of itemsdifferent kinds of items.. Item facility (IF) – % of people who give theItem facility (IF) – % of people who give the right answerright answer Item Discrimination (IDis) – indicates theItem Discrimination (IDis) – indicates the extent to which success on an itemextent to which success on an item corresponds to success on the whole test.corresponds to success on the whole test. Item Difficulty (ID) - finding out the % ofItem Difficulty (ID) - finding out the % of people who get the item right in the try-outpeople who get the item right in the try-out group.group.
- 17. Consequences of standards-basedConsequences of standards-based and standardized testingand standardized testing PositivePositive High level of practicality and reliabilityHigh level of practicality and reliability Provides insights into academic performanceProvides insights into academic performance Accuracy in placing a number of test takersAccuracy in placing a number of test takers on to a norm referenced scaleon to a norm referenced scale Ongoing construct validation studiesOngoing construct validation studies NegativeNegative They involve a number of test biasesThey involve a number of test biases
- 18. NegativeNegative A small but significant number of testA small but significant number of test takers are not assessed fairly nor theytakers are not assessed fairly nor they areare assessed accuratelyassessed accurately Fostering extinct motivationFostering extinct motivation Multiple intelligence are not consideredMultiple intelligence are not considered There is danger of test driven learning andThere is danger of test driven learning and teachingteaching In general performance is not directlyIn general performance is not directly assessed.assessed.
- 19. Test BiasTest Bias Standardized tests involve many test biasStandardized tests involve many test bias (language, culture, race, gender,(language, culture, race, gender, learninglearning styles)styles) National Centre for Fair and Open TestingNational Centre for Fair and Open Testing claims of tests bias from; teachers, parents,claims of tests bias from; teachers, parents, students, and legal consultants. (readingstudents, and legal consultants. (reading texts, listening stimulus)texts, listening stimulus) Standardized tests do not promote logical-Standardized tests do not promote logical- mathematical and verbal linguistic to themathematical and verbal linguistic to the virtual exclusions of the othervirtual exclusions of the other contextualized, integrative intelligence.contextualized, integrative intelligence.
- 20. Test BiasTest Bias (some learners may need to be(some learners may need to be assessed with interviews, portfolios,assessed with interviews, portfolios, samples of work, demonstrations,samples of work, demonstrations, observation reports) more formativeobservation reports) more formative assessment rather than summative.assessment rather than summative. That would solve test bias problems butThat would solve test bias problems but it is difficult to control it in standardizedit is difficult to control it in standardized items.items.
- 21. Test-driven learning and teachingTest-driven learning and teaching It is another consequence of standardizedIt is another consequence of standardized testing. When students know that one singletesting. When students know that one single measure of performance will determine theirmeasure of performance will determine their lives they are less likely to take positivelives they are less likely to take positive attitudes towards learning. Extrinsic motivationattitudes towards learning. Extrinsic motivation is not intrinsic.is not intrinsic. Teacher are also affected from test-drivenTeacher are also affected from test-driven policies. They are under pressure to make surepolicies. They are under pressure to make sure their Ss excelled in the exam, at the risk oftheir Ss excelled in the exam, at the risk of ignoring other objectives in the curriculum. Aignoring other objectives in the curriculum. A more serious effect was to punish schools withmore serious effect was to punish schools with lower-socioeconomic neighbourhood.lower-socioeconomic neighbourhood.
- 22. ETHICAL ISSUES: CRITICALETHICAL ISSUES: CRITICAL LANGUAGE TESTINGLANGUAGE TESTING One of by-products of rapid growing testingOne of by-products of rapid growing testing industry is the danger of an abuse of power.industry is the danger of an abuse of power. Shohamy (1997, p.2) further defines theShohamy (1997, p.2) further defines the issue: “Tests represent a social technologyissue: “Tests represent a social technology deeply embedded in education, governmentdeeply embedded in education, government and business; tests are most powerful asand business; tests are most powerful as they are often the single indicators forthey are often the single indicators for determining the future of individuals.”determining the future of individuals.” Teachers can demonstrate standards inTeachers can demonstrate standards in their teaching.their teaching.
- 23. ETHICAL ISSUES: CRITICALETHICAL ISSUES: CRITICAL LANGUAGE TESTINGLANGUAGE TESTING Teachers can be assessed through theirTeachers can be assessed through their classroom performanceclassroom performance Performance can be detailed with ‘indicators’:Performance can be detailed with ‘indicators’: examples of evidence that the teacher canexamples of evidence that the teacher can meet a part of a standard.meet a part of a standard. Student learning is at the heart of theStudent learning is at the heart of the teacher’s performanceteacher’s performance.. The issues of critical language testing areThe issues of critical language testing are numerousnumerous