Scribd
Upload
4 views

3Ab- Test Form

The document discusses various forms of language tests, including the structure of test items, classifications such as subjective vs. objective and essay vs. multiple-choice items, and the advantages and disadvantages of different item types. It also highlights alternative assessment methods like self-assessment, journals, conferences, and portfolios, contrasting them with traditional assessment approaches. The aim is to provide a comprehensive understanding of language testing and assessment strategies in education.

Uploaded by

saraesaghi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
4 views

3Ab- Test Form

The document discusses various forms of language tests, including the structure of test items, classifications such as subjective vs. objective and essay vs. multiple-choice items, and the advantages and disadvantages of different item types. It also highlights alternative assessment methods like self-assessment, journals, conferences, and portfolios, contrasting them with traditional assessment approaches. The aim is to provide a comprehensive understanding of language testing and assessment strategies in education.

Uploaded by

saraesaghi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

MA Exam Preparation Courses (Testing) tefl_plan

Chapter Three: Forms of Language Test

The form of a test refers to its physical appearance.

1. STRUCTURE OF AN ITEM
An item, the smallest unit of a test, consists of two parts: the stem and the response.

1) How many functions do language tests serve? (stem)


a) two key
alternatives b) three
c) four distractor
d) five

2. CLASSIFICATION OF ITEM FORMS


2.1. Subjective vs. objective items
Subjective  the scorer must make an opinionated judgment
Objective  the correctness of the test taker’s response is determined by objective criteria
 Note: You should know that objectivity and subjectivity refers to the way a test item is scored.
The most beautiful season is ……
1) spring 2) summer 3) fall 4) winter
There are …… seasons in a year.
1) four 2) three 3) two 4) five

2.2. Essay-type vs. multiple-choice items


Essay-type items  examinee is required to produce language elements
Multiple-choice items  examinee is required to select the correct response from among given
alternatives

2.3. Suppletion vs. recognition items


Suppletion items  examinee supplies the missing part(s) of the sentence or complete an incomplete
sentence
Recognition items  examinee selects an answer from a list of possibilities

3. TYPES OF ITEMS
3.1. Receptive response items
Advantages of Multiple-Choice (MC) items:
 highly structured nature of items  test writer can get directly at the specific skills and learning
he wishes to measure  diagnostic function
 practicality  include a large number of different tasks in the testing session
 Scoring can be done quickly
1
MA Exam Preparation Courses (Testing) tefl_plan

 no judgments as to degrees of correctness  reliability

Disadvantages of items:
 test only recognition knowledge but not language communication  passive
 harmful washback,
 expose students to errors,
 de-contextualized,
 time-consuming to construct,
 simpler to answer than subjective tests,
 encourage guessing.

To compensate for students’ guessing on tests:


Wrong
Guessing Correction Formula  Right 
n -1
where n refers to the number of options.

 Example: In a test which consisted of 80 items with four options, a student answered 50 items
correctly and gave 30 wrong answers. After applying guessing correction formula his score
would be ---------

Wrong 30
Score  Right   50   50  10  40
n 1 4 1

3.2. Personal response items


In recent years, language teachers have stepped up efforts to develop non-test assessment options. Such
innovations are referred to as alternative assessment options that encourage the students to produce
responses that hold personal meaning.

3.2.1. Self-assessment
Any items wherein students are asked to rate their own knowledge, skills, or performances
It provides the teacher with some idea of how the students view their own language abilities and
development
 speed
 direct involvement of students  increased motivation
 the encouragement of autonomy
 subjectivity

 Note: Peer-assessment is a variation on this theme that requires students to rate each other

Categories of self- and peer-assessment:


 Direct assessment of a specific performance
 Indirect assessment of general competence

2
MA Exam Preparation Courses (Testing) tefl_plan

 Student-generated tests
 etc.

3.2.2. Journal
An interaction between the teacher and the student through dialogues or responses
Teachers become better acquainted with their students, in terms of both their learning progress and their
affective states  become better equipped to meet students’ individual needs
 Journals afford an opportunity for a teacher to offer various kinds of feedback
 Journals are too free to form to be assessed accurately
 Critics have expressed ethical concerns

3.2.3. Conference
Any assessment procedure that involves students visiting the teacher’s office alone or in groups for brief
meetings.
 Teacher’s being able to direct feedback toward a student’s specific needs
Teachers assume the role of a facilitator and guide, rather than a master controller and deliverer of final
grades.

3.2.4. Portfolio
A purposeful collection of students’ work that demonstrates to students and others their efforts, progress,
and achievements in given areas
CRADLE  Collecting, Reflecting, Assessing, Documenting, Linking, Evaluating.

4. ALTERNATIVE vs. TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT


against the notion that all people and all skills could be measured by traditional tests  alternative
assessment to triangulate data about students

Traditional Assessment Alternative Assessment


One-shot, standardized exams Continuous long-term assessment
Timed, multiple-choice format Untimed, free-response format
Decontextualized test items Contextualized communicative tasks
Scores suffice for feedback Individualized feedback and washback
Norm-referenced scores Criterion-referenced scores
Focus on the right answer Open-ended, creative answers
Summative Formative
Oriented to product Oriented to process
Non-interactive performance Interactive performance
Fosters extrinsic motivation Fosters intrinsic motivation

You might also like