KIỂM TRA VÀ ĐÁNH GIÁ

UNIT 2: Kinds of Tests and Testing

1. Kinds of Tests
Placement Tests
- Purpose: to measure student’s language abilities in order to place them in classes at different levels
- Content: tailor-made (specially made for a particular purpose) for the institution to suit its particular
teaching program
- When: for particular situations
Diagnostic Tests
- Purpose: to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses in order to ascertain what further teaching is
necessary
- Content: need a number of items of each language point, since a student might give the correct response by
chance
- When: at the beginning of a course
Achievement Tests
a) Progress achievement tests
- Purpose: to measure students’ progress with respect to the objectives of a course.
- Content: based on the objectives of a course
- When: in the middle of a course
- Ex: 15-minute tests, short quizzes
b) Final achievement tests
- Purpose: to evaluate how much students have achieved with respect to the objectives of a course
- Content:
+ Syllabus-content approach: based on a course syllabus, the books, or other teaching materials
+ Course-objective-oriented approach: based on the objectives of a course
- When: at the end of a course
- Ex: final exams
Proficiency Tests
- Purpose: to measure students’ overall abilities in a language
- Content:
+ based on a specification of what students have to be able to do in the language
+ have sufficient command of the language for particular purposes
- Ex: Specialized proficiency tests: conditions to follow a course, to work as a translator, …
2. Kind of Testing
a) Direct vs Indirect testing
- Direct testing requires students to perform precisely the skill we wish to measure.
Ex: Students are required to compose an essay in a writing test
- Indirect testing measures the abilities which underlie the skills we are interested in.
Ex: In a writing test, students are asked to do multiple choice items to test their writing skill
b) Norm-referenced vs Criterion-referenced
- Norm-referenced testing:
+ measures one student’s performance against that of other students (e.g., placement tests)
+ may not tell directly what the student is capable of doing in the language
- Criterion-referenced testing:
+ measures one student’s performance in relation to meaningful criteria (e.g., proficiency tests)
+ does not look at how the student’s performance compares with that of other students
c) Discrete point vs Integrative Testing
- Discrete point testing tests one element at a time, item by item
Ex: When I was a child I _____ in a choir.
a. sing b. singed c. song d. sung e. sang
- Integrative testing requires many elements in the completion of a task
Ex: Read the following story and determine which words to fill in the blank
d) Objective vs Subjective Testing
- Objective testing requires no judgement on the part of the scorer
Ex: Multiple choice, True/False/Not given
 - Subjective testing requires judgement of the scorer
Ex: writing or speaking tests
3. Communicative language testing
- Purpose: to measure students’ ability to take part in acts of communication or to use language in real life
situations.
- Content: requires real-world tasks, authenticity of tasks and texts
4. Computer adaptive testing
- The computer presents each test taker with the items that are appropriate for their apparent ability level, as
estimated by their performance on previous items.
ÔN TẬP
1. Direct testing A. requires no judgement on the part of the scorer 1-
2. Indirect testing B. requires many elements in the completion of a task 2-
C. measures one student’s performance in relation
3. Discrete point testing 3-
meaningful criteria
4. Integrative testing D. requires judgement of the scorer 4-
E. measures the abilities which underlie the skills we
5. Norm-referenced testing 5-
are interested in
F. requires students to perform precisely the skill we
6. Criterion-referenced testing 6-
wish to measure
7. Objective testing G. tests one element at a time, item by item 7-
H. measure one student’s performance against that of
8. Subjective testing 8-
other candidates
Which of the following is criterion-referenced testing? (You can choose more than one answer)
A. Final test B. Proficiency test C. Placement test D. Progress achievement test
Criterion-referenced testing is used to discriminate between high and low achievers
A. True B. False
Norm-referenced testing cannot tell what a student is capable of doing in the language
A. True B. False
Analysis of a learner’s performance in writing and speaking to find out problems in terms of grammatical
accuracy or linguistic
A. Achievement test B. Proficiency test C. Diagnostic test D. Placement test
Which of the following is direct testing?
A. In a writing test, students are asked to identify errors in written sentences
B. In a writing test, students are required to compose an essay
What kind of test is this: Read the following story and determine which words to fill in the blank
A. Discrete point testing B. Integrative testing
What kind of test is this: When I was a child I _____ in a choir
a. sing b. singed c. song d. sung e. sang
A. Discrete point testing B. Integrative testing
Norm-referenced testing is used to rank students with respect to the achievement of others.
A. True B. False
Which of the following is objective testing? (You can choose more than one answer)
A. True/False/Not Given B. Multiple choice C. Composition D. Oral Presentation
Read the situation below, and identify its test type.
80% mastery is required in Level C. If students score less than 80% but more than 60%, they may be
more appropriately in Level B
A. Achievement test B. Diagnostic test C. Placement test D. Proficiency test
Answer the followings:
1. How many test types? Describe those test types. Give examples.
2. How many testing types? Describe those testing types. Give examples.
3. Describe communicative language testing.
4. What is computer adaptive testing? How does it work?
 ANSWER KEY
1. Direct testing A. requires no judgement on the part of the scorer 1–F
2. Indirect testing B. requires many elements in the completion of a task 2–E
C. measures one student’s performance in relation
3. Discrete point testing 3–G
meaningful criteria
4. Integrative testing D. requires judgement of the scorer 4–B
E. measures the abilities which underlie the skills we
5. Norm-referenced testing 5–H
are interested in
F. requires students to perform precisely the skill we
6. Criterion-referenced testing 6–C
wish to measure
7. Objective testing G. tests one element at a time, item by item 7–A
H. measure one student’s performance against that of
8. Subjective testing 8–D
other candidates

Question Answer
A. Final test
Which of the following is criterion-referenced testing? (You can choose more
B. Proficiency test
than one answer)
D. Progress achievement test
Criterion-referenced testing is used to discriminate between high and low
B. False
achievers
Norm-referenced testing cannot tell what a student is capable of doing in the
A. True
language
Analysis of a learner’s performance in writing and speaking to find out
B. Diagnostic test
problems in terms of grammatical accuracy or linguistic
B. In a writing test, students are
Which of the following is direct testing?
required to compose an essay.
What kind of test is this: Read the following story and determine which words
B. Integrative testing
to fill in the blank
What kind of test is this: When I was a child I _____ in a choir
A. Discrete point testing
a. sing b. singed c. song d. sung e. sang
Norm-referenced testing is used to rank students with respect to the
A. True
achievement of others.
Which of the following is objective testing? (You can choose more than one A. True/False/Not Given
answer) D. Multiple choice
Read the situation below, and identify its test type.
80% mastery is required in Level C. If students score less than 80% but more C. Placement test
than 60%, they may be more appropriately in Level B