CHOOSING AND DEVISING TESTS TASKS

By: M.E.d Yohana Aguirre Alvarezyohanaaguirre.blogspot.com

Choosing Test Tasks

It depends on the following factors:

1. Instructional Objectives.

2. The Sts’ level of proficiency.

3. Instructional activities.4. Available testing

sources.

Instructional Objectives

O Choose tasks that focus on the same kind of language skills described in the objectives.

O Open-ended tasks give more freedom to the Sts , then they respond using ways that are very different from the intended by the examiner.

O Closed-ended tasks permit the examiner to assess specific language skills.

Level of Proficiency

O Close-ended and limited-response tasks are suitable for beginners in second language instruction. Open-ended tasks for advance students.

O If different types of tasks are use in a single test, start with C-E and continue with O-E or/and L-R.

Instructional Activities

O When examiners take in to account the kind of instructional activities planning a test, it ensures the Sts are familiar with the task and understand the response demands.

Testing ResourcesO Take in to account the time, for

testing and for scoring, for both open-ended and close-ended and limited response test tasks.

O Physical resources such as the space, must be taken in to account.

Guidelines and Advising for Making Open-ended Test Tasks

O Take in to account that O-E test tasks do not control the precise way the specific response to be made by the test taker. However, they have to have certain structure.

O Generally, there is one single task focus on productive skills.

O Open-ended test tasks have the advantage of reflecting the way authentic language is used.

O They are easy to device but time consuming to score.

O Take in to account the feasibility in terms of task topic, task difficulty and the time allotted to perform the task.

Guidelines and Advising for Making Close-ended Test Tasks

O Focus on comprehension skills.O Particularly suitable for beginners, however

they are also used for advance students.O Possible tasks are multiple choice and

matching .O The answer can be controlled by the

examiner.

O Offer advantages in terms of time and grade of difficulty.

O They required considerably time and preparation.

O A large amount of Sts can be tested.

Final Consideration

O As in other aspects that involves evaluation, one form in testing is not necessarily desirable for all circumstances and purposes.