This document discusses different types of assessment used to evaluate learner performance. Formal assessment includes tests and exams with numerical grades, while informal assessment observes learner skills through comments without grades. Self-assessment and peer assessment also allow learners to evaluate themselves and each other. Examples of assessment tasks that can be used formally or informally include gap fills, multiple choice questions, interviews, compositions and dictation. Tasks vary in what they measure, from communication skills to language accuracy, and in how easy they are to score objectively versus subjectively. Informal methods include observation, note-taking and self/peer evaluation sheets.

1. Assessment types and tasks

2. What are assessment types and
tasks?
Assessment means judging learners’
performance by collecting information
about it. We assess learners for different
reasons, using different kinds of tests to
do so. Assessment tasks are the methods
we use for assessing learners. We can
assess learners formally and informally.

3. Formal assessment is
when we assess
learners through tests
or exams and give
their work a mark or a
grade.
Informal assessment
is when we observe
learners to see how
well they are doing
something and then
give them comments
on their perfomance.

4. Self-assessment
When learners decide
for themselves how
good they think their
progress or language
use is.
Peer assessment
When learners give
feedback on each
other’s language,
work, learning
strategies,
performance.

5. Examples of assessment tasks:
• Gap-fill
• Multiple-choice questions
• True/False questions
• Ordering
• Correcting mistakes
• Taking part in interviews, conversations or role-
plays
• Writing letters or compositions
• Dictation

6. Differences between tasks:
- Some tasks test communication skills
(e.g. conversations, interviews, letters,
reading leaflets for prices) while others
test the accuracy of language use (e.g.
gap-fill).
- Some tasks test one thing (e.g. gap-fill,
choosing between pairs of sounds) while
others test many things together (e.g. a
composition, a conversation)

7. • The answers to some kinds of tasks are
easy to mark (e.g. multiple-choice,
true/false, gap-fill and dictation tasks).
These are called objective tests.
• Marking some kinds of tasks involves
judging many things together (e.g.
compositions, stories, interviews, role-
plays). The mark depends on our
judgment. These are called subjective
tests.

8. • Portfolio
• It consists of a collection of learners’ work
done over a course or a year which shows
evidence of development of their language
skills. Portfolios can be used for formal
and informal assessment.

9. Informal assessment methods:
• Observing learners’ spoken and written
works and answers to comprehension
tasks;
• Keeping notes on the learners’
performance;
• Asking learners to complete self- and peer
assessment sheets.

10. Glossary
• Cloze test
A task-type in which learners read a text with missing words and try
to work out what the missing words are. The missing words are
removed regularly from the text, e.g. every seventh word. A cloze
test is used for testing reading ability or general language use. It is
different from a gap-fill activity, which can focus on practising or
testing a specific language point.
• Continuous assessment
A type of testing which is different from a final examination. Some
or all of the work that learners do during a course is considered by
the teacher on a regular basis and contributes to the final grade given
to learners. It may also include regular monitoring of classroom
performance and contribution.
• Open comprehension questions are a task-type in which learners
read or listen to a text and answer questions (using their own
words).
• Sentence completion
A task-type in which learners are given parts of a sentence, e.g. the
beginning or the end, and are asked to complete the sentence, using
specific target language, e.g. At the weekend, I love … ; In the
evenings, I enjoy … .