FINAL TERM

• Assessment


  The act of gathering information on a daily basis in order to understand individual student's learning needs
• Testing


  Procedures that are based on tests, a salient part of assessment
• Language testing


  The practice and study of evaluating the proficiency of an individual in using a particular language effectively
• Measurement


  Includes testing and other types of measurement, as well as other types of information that result in quantitative data
• Evaluation


  The culminating act of interpreting the information gathered for the purpose of making decisions or judgments about students' learning and needs
• Practicality


  A good test is practical, within the means of financial limitations, time constraints, ease of administration, and scoring and interpretation
• Norm-referenced tests


  Each test taker's score is interpreted in relation to a mean, median, standard deviation, and/or percentile rank
• Criterion-referenced tests


  Designed to give test-takers feedback on specific course or lesson objectives
• Reliability


  A reliable test is consistent and dependable, sources of unreliability include the test itself, administration, test-taker, and scoring
• Validity


  The degree to which the test actually measures what it is intended to measure, established through statistical correlation and theoretical justification
• Content validity


  If a test samples the subject matters and requires the test-taker to perform the behavior being measured
• Face validity


  Whether the test appears from the learner's perspective to test what it is designed to test
• Construct validity


  Whether the test taps into the theoretical construct as it has been defined
• Authenticity


  The degree of correspondence of the characteristics of a given language test task to the features of a target language task
• Washback


  The effects of assessment on teaching and learning, both before and after the assessment
• Purposes of assessment


  • Assessment for learning
  • Assessment as learning
  • Assessment of learning
• Assessment for learning


  Focuses on the gap between where learners are and where they need to be, realized through sharing criteria, effective questioning and feedback
• Assessment as learning


  About reflecting on evidence of learning, students become aware of what, how and what helps them learn
• Assessment of learning


  Involves working with available evidence to check on student's progress and using this information for management and planning
• Functions of language tests

  • In learning
  • In teaching
  • In research
• Diagnostic assessment and evaluation

  Given at the beginning to identify students' knowledge, skills, learning needs, motivation and interest levels
• Formative assessment and evaluation


  Focus on the processes and products of learning, continuous to inform the student, parent/guardian, and teacher of progress
• Summative assessment and evaluation

  Occur most often at the end of a unit of instruction and at term or year end when students demonstrate achievement
• Diagnostic assessment


  Assesses students' knowledge and skills, their learning needs, and their motivational and interest levels. Helps teachers determine where to begin instruction and what concepts or skills to emphasize.
• Formative assessment


  Focuses on the processes and products of learning. Continuous and informs the student, parent/guardian, and teacher of the student's progress. Provides information to make instructional decisions and adaptations.
• Summative assessment


  Occurs at the end of a unit or term to determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes that have been developed, summarize student's progress, and report this progress.
• Assessment tools


  • Observation
  • Anecdotal records
  • Checklists
  • Rating scales and rubrics
  • Portfolios
  • Speaking and listening
  • Interviews/conferences
  • Projects and presentations
  • Quizzes, tests, and examinations
• Proficiency tests


  Measure people's ability in a language, regardless of any training they may have had in that language. Content is not based on the content or objectives of language courses.
• Achievement tests


  Directly related to language courses, to establish how successful individual students, groups of students, or the courses themselves have been in achieving objectives. Includes final achievement tests and progress achievement tests.
• Diagnostic tests


  Used to identify learners' strengths and weaknesses at a particular aspect of a language, to ascertain what learning still needs to take place.
• Placement tests


  Provide information to help assign students to classes at different levels.
• Aptitude tests


  Measure a person's capacity or general ability to learn a foreign language and to be successful in that undertaking. Considered independent of a particular language.
• Grammar


  The branch of the description of language which accounts for the way in which words combine to form sentences. A system of syntax that decides the order and patterns in which words are arranged into sentences.
• Language testing


  The practice and study of evaluating the proficiency of an individual in using a particular language effectively. Includes assessment of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and integration of skills.
• Well-constructed English test


  • Can create positive attitudes towards the class
  • Can help students master the language
• Grammar tests


  • Measure students' proficiency in matters ranging from inflections to syntax, including word-order, use of negative, question forms, and connectives.
• Reasons to assess grammar

  • Linguistic or communicative competence
  • Structure or functions
  • Usage or use
  • Prescriptive or descriptive
• Types of grammar assessment

  • Formative
  • Summative
  • Authentic
• Ten takeaway tips for using authentic assessment

  • Break down skill work into small steps
  • Build a community of practice
  • Work backwards
  • Have fun
  • Ensure vigor
  • Give cards a try
  • Tap into students' interests
  • Use tasks on demand
  • Do your own assessment
  • Use a variety of tracking tools
• Assessment


  The act of collecting information and making judgments on a language learner's knowledge and ability to use it