Principles of language assessment
- 1. Assessment and evaluation: Principles of language assessment Members: Dominguez, Diaz C. , Diaz M. , Egas, Encalada, and Enríquez.
- 2. Assessment and Test ● Assessment is the way that a teacher value the development of the students through answering questions, providing ideas, interacting with others, writing and reading information. ● Test measures abilities and knowledge through activities like multiple choice questions, rubrics, questions scripts or checklists. It must be explicit and well structured. ○ Test include a clear form of reporting measurement. ○ Test measure performance and the results provide evidence of the development of abilities or competences. ○ Test measure a specific domain.
- 3. Measurement and Evaluation ● Measurement is the process of to quantify individual´s achievement. ● Quantitative measures how many or how much the students is reaching the learning. ● Qualitative measurement answer the questions why and how students performed during a test. It gives individual feedback or comments on learner´s work.
- 4. Assessment Informal Refers to an individual and spontaneous form to measure students’ progress and provide constructive feedback To identify the difficulties and challenges that learner Summative Evaluates formally student’s learning, knowledge, proficiency or success at the end of a period in contrast includes complete chapters or content areas and therefore it is considered to be more of a “Product”. Could be used formatively to guide their efforts in subsequent courses. Formal It gives teachers specific information about how much individuals have learned during a period or cycle. The purpose is to measure learners’ performance based on specific standards or criteria.
- 5. Types ● Tests to measure proficiency. ● Tests to place students on the right level in a course. ● Tests to diagnose the level of proficiency learners have. Purposes These tests measure the level of proficiency students have in a didactic unit. Assessment Instrument are the first steps to choose, design, revise or adapt the procedure educators will finally use.
- 6. ACHIEVEMENT TEST Achievement test To measure the ability of the students at the end of a course or lesson, it's essential to diagnose the student through performance tests. They can be designed for groups where deficiencies are found to improve and that the objectives set are met, focusing on the skills. necessary for each student. SUMMATIVE It is done at the end of a unit or a quarter. FORMATIVE Provides information from the teacher when it comes to feedback and decision making. There are 2 types of test
- 7. DIAGNOSTIC TEST At the beginning of a program it is necessary to determine what skills should be developed or included and this is where diagnostic tests are applied, this allows the teacher to have a clear idea of what important points should be given in class. The diagnostic test gives information about the 4 skills (speaking, reading, writing and listening) about the student's use of language. It allows the student to go to the level where he belongs within a curriculum covered by the corresponding materials in a particular area. There will be easy and difficult questions with a starting point of a course or level, the questions must be complex to be able to focus on the student's level within their linguistic understanding. These tests evaluate productive and receptive skills with open questions, multiple choice, filling in the gaps, etc. Some institutions apply this test where the scoring system, reporting and results are considered. PLACEMENT TEST
- 8. Proficiency tests ● Limited vocabulary and simple sentence structures. ● Able to understand and use familiar everyday expressions. A1 (Beginner) ● Can manage most situations when traveling in an English-speaking country. ● Understands the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters. B1 (Intermediate English) ● Increased vocabulary and slightly more complex sentence structures. ● Capable of handling simple, routine tasks. A2 (Elementary English) ● Near-native proficiency. ● Can understand virtually everything heard or read. C2 (Proficiency English) ● Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts. ● Expresses ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. C1 (Advanced English ● Good command of the language in everyday situations. ● Able to produce detailed text on various topics. B2 (Upper-Interme diate English) English Proficiency Levels
- 9. Aptitude tests ● Measures an individual's potential to learn a language, particularly a foreign or second language, before starting a course. ● Predicts a learner's potential success in language courses. Examples of Standardized Aptitude Tests ● Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) ● Pimsleur Language Aptitude Battery (PLAB) Educational Use ● Educative institutions utilize these tests to pinpoint language learning disabilities. ● Provide insights into students' learning styles, preferences, strengths, and weaknesses. Purpose of Aptitude Tests ● Predict language learning success. ● Identify language learning disabilities. ● Understand students' learning styles and preferences.
- 10. Principles of Language Assessment Practicality: ➔ Involves the administrative aspects of assessment, including test creation, administration, and scoring. ➔ Addresses factors such as cost, time, scores, and results. ➔ Impracticality defined as the inability to achieve test objectives. ➔ Examples of impractical tests provided. Main qualities of a practical test highlighted: ➔ Within budget limits ➔ Taken within the given time ➔ Clear instructions ➔ Appropriate use of human and material resources Overall Emphasis: ● Practicality, one of the principles, plays a crucial role in recognizing the effectiveness of a test. ● All principles (Practicality, Reliability, Validity, Authenticity, Washback Effect) are of equal importance.
- 11. Reliability in Language Assessment Reliability concerns the consistency of test results over different instances. Example: Consistent results for the same test with the same students on different dates indicate reliability. Types of Reliability: Learner-Related Reliability: Influence of physical or psychological factors (e.g., illness or anxiety) on test results. Inter-rater Reliability: Test Administration Reliability: Test Reliability: Key Point: Agreement among two or more scorers on test results. Focus on conditions during test administration, including factors like photocopy quality, classroom environment, and equipment. Occurs due to measurement errors, often more prevalent in subjective tests or poorly written test items. Brown and Douglas emphasize that test reliability is compromised when measurement errors occur.
- 12. Validity Content-Related Validity: Measurement of all important sections of the subject or content covered in the course. Criterion-Related Validity: Relationship between a measure and an external standard (criterion). The test must align with the standard to be considered valid. Construct-Related Validity: Determines if a test accurately assesses the intended construct, such as a theme, idea, subject, or skill. Example: A writing test should evaluate the process of writing sentences and words, ensuring content-related validity. Key Point: Validity ensures that the test measures what it claims to measure, providing meaningful and accurate results. Validity ensures that a test measures what it intends to measure. Types of Validity:
- 13. Authenticity in Assessment Characteristics of Authentic Assessments Time and Effort in Authentic Assessment ● Assignments are considered authentic if they are realistic and replicate situations from real workplaces and personal life. ● According to Grant Wiggins (1998), authenticity is achieved when students are required to justify their responses. Example: Problem-solving exercises are cited as examples of authentic evaluation, where students must apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems. Authentic assessments differ from traditional assessments in that they demand significant time and effort for planning and evaluation. Teachers invest long hours in designing and assessing authentic tasks. Example: In an oral production lesson, a teacher might ask students to engage in role-playing to simulate real-life situations. Authenticity in assessment refers to the extent to which a test or assignment is designed to apply knowledge in new and real-world situations.
- 14. Washback Effect The washback effect occurs when a test significantly influences the way a professor teaches. Teaching Practices and Summative Evaluation: Teachers may align their teaching practices closely with the format of summative evaluations to better prepare students for examinations. Impact of Washback on Teaching and Learning ● Washback has a profound effect on both teaching and learning. ● It provides learners with insights into the test format in advance, allowing for better preparation. ● The feedback received through washback promotes language improvement among students. Advantages of Washback ● Students benefit from knowing the test format beforehand, reducing anxiety and enhancing preparation. ● Washback creates a feedback loop that contributes to ongoing language development. The relationship between assessment and teaching practices is crucial, and understanding the washback effect helps educators optimize their teaching strategies for better student outcomes.
- 15. References Authentic assessment. (n.d.). Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Retrieved December 4, 2023, from https://citl.indiana.edu/teaching-resources/assessing-student-learning/authentic-assessment/index.html Kagan, J. (2010, May 9). Aptitude test: Definition, how it’s used, types, and how to pass. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/aptitude-test.asp Fachrurrazy, M. A. (n.d.). Definitions and principles of language assessment. Ut.Ac.Id. Retrieved December 6, 2023, from https://pustaka.ut.ac.id/lib/wp-content/uploads/pdfmk/MPBI5201-M1.pdf Yeşilyurt, S. (2016). An attempt for the exploration of academicians’ experiences of the standard foreign language tests held in turkey through metaphors. International Journal of Higher Education, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v5n2p263