Testing and Assessment: Practice at

Taitung’s SchoolsChao-ming Chen

Department of English, NCCU

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Teaching, Learning and Testing Using tests for placement and diagnostic reasons Using tests to assess students’ proficiency Using tests for achievement check Using tests to motivate students’ learning Using tests

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A Washback Effect To change instructional programs and teaching

practices To develop students’ autonomous learning

abilities

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Types of Tests Proficiency test Achievement test Aptitude test:

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Testing Strategies Norm-referenced Testing: Proficiency

TOEIC, TOEFL, etc. Classifying students by percentile for measuring

either aptitude or proficiency Criterion-referenced Testing: achievement

GEPT, Monthly or term exams, etc. A locally produced achievement test, measures

absolute performance that is compared only with the learning objective

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Steps of developing achievement tests Setting up learning objectives Deciding the testing objectives: diagnostics, achievements, or

others Choosing the appropriate testing styles: oral, written, or

performative? Designing the testing formats: multiple choice, matching, blank-

filling, writing, or others Identifying the benchmark (or passing grades) Pre-testing Constructing the testing instruments Anticipating the testing results

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Examples: Testing alphabets http://www.rachelsenglish.com/alphabet_test

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Examples: testing alphabets Order the alphabets

acfgbed: ____________ becfgad: ____________

Type the alphabets: A ___ C ____ _____ F Match and Identify: Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee, Ff See and Remember: A b F f e G c Hear and Remember: Fe Gg Alphabet games (fun): Group games

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From tests to assessment Tests are given at a single point in time while assessments are continuous, ongoing

evaluation.

Tests are more formal while assessments are in free and flexible forms

Tests are usually announced so students can prepare for them; assessments are usually unannounced because the purpose is to informally check on students’ progress

Tests are often achievement checks on a unit of instruction; assessment are typically designed to check students’ progress informally (purpose is to see what students need to have re-taught or need to practice more)

Tests are mainly designed to result in a grade or test score; assessments tend to deemphasize the grade or score score.

Tests employ typical test item formats which include multiple choice, correct answers, and other ways of evaluating students; assessments usually use rubrics to evaluate students’ performance in languages

Tests are not contextualized while assessments are usually contextualized.

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Which is more effective in language learning? Teaching objectives vs. Learning objectives Diagnostics vs. Achievement Evaluation vs. motivation Tests vs. assessments Assessments vs. worksheets

Questions: Why do we need testing results or scores?

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Worksheets as assessments: Lesson One, the third grade What’s seven plus five? It’s twelve. Good! What’s seven plus eleven? I don’t know.

Numbers: six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, etc. t, d. Let’s repeat, let’s sing, let’s write

Teaching objectives: Numbers, adding numbers, pronunciation, spelling

Learning objectives: Counting numbers Recognizing numbers Spelling the numbers

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How to assess? Teaching practice

Oral practice Flash cards Spelling Counting Singing

Worksheets as assessments To design worksheets for different purposes

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Worksheets: Theory and Practice Review and practice Diagnostic instrument Learning control (or teaching control) Achievement tests Learning by doing Situated Learning

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Worksheets and proficiency Spiral learning model A pragmatic tool, not a cognitive one An overall assessment or a task review Task-oriented learning Autonomous and ongoing learning Proficiency, not achievement testing

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Examples: Grammar Focus (Past Tense)

What did you (he, she, they) do yesterday (last Sunday, this morning)? I (He, She, They) had a picnic (swam) yesterday

(last Sunday, this morning). Worksheet design Test design Assessment design

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Practice: Did you collect stamps? Yes, I did. I collected stamps. No, I didn’t. I didn’t (did not) collect stamps.

Worksheets Tests Assessments

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Questions and Comments!

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