This document discusses assessing English proficiency. It outlines the differences between tests and assessments, with tests being discrete and measuring mastery, while assessments are ongoing and use multiple methods. Assessments are used to understand what students know, can do, how they learn, and their attitudes. They can be formal or informal. The document also discusses different types of assessments and tests, ideal assessment qualities, and provides examples of assessments used to evaluate the four language skills. Activities are suggested for practicing skills assessment.

1. www.nvcc.edu/workfo

2. EDUC 1814:
Assessing English Proficiency
American Culture & Language Institute, TESOL Certificate Program
Northern Virginia Community College
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

3. Overview
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Testing vs. Assessment
Why Assess Students?
Functions of Assessment
What Can We Assess?
Assessment Types & Test Types
Formal & Informal Assessments
Ideal Assessments
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

4. Testing in the Past
“Assessment is often shrouded in
mystique, governed by tradition and has the
tendency to be notoriously inadequate.”
Beaumont-Kings, 1994
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

5. Testing Today
“Tests need not be degrading or threatening.
• Can they build a person’s confidence and
become learning experiences?
• Can they become an integral part of a
student’s ongoing classroom development?
• Can they bring out the best in students?
The answer is yes”
Brown & Abeywickrama, 2010
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

6. Reflection
• Think of your most memorable testing
experience.
–
–
–
–
Was it positive or negative?
Was it fair?
What did it test?
How did it affect your studying/learning
habits?
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

7. Tests vs. Assessments
• A test is:
–
–
–
–
A form of assessment
An instrument given at a discrete time
Done at the end of a unit/semester/year
Measures mastery
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

8. Tests vs. Assessments (cont.)
• An assessment is:
– A process of gathering data related to
student progress
– A combination of multiple methods
(tests, observations, interviews, etc.)
– Done at any time (continuous)
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

9. Why Assess Students?
• As Teachers, we want to discover:
– What students know (knowledge)
– What students can do (skills) & how well
they do it (performance)
– How students learn (process)
– How they feel about their work
(motivation/effort/attitudes)
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

10. Why Assess Students? (cont.)
• As Administrators/Researchers we want
to:
–
–
–
–
Analyze language learning & use
Design & modify programs
Provide feedback to students
Provide feedback to other stakeholders
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

11. Functions of Assessment
• Diagnostic:
– What does the student (Ss) know?
– What are the gaps in the Ss knowledge?
• Formative:
– How well is the Ss doing during the course?
(motivation)
• Summative:
– How well did the Ss do at the end?
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

12. What can we assess?
• Students’ learning styles and abilities
• Students’ interest, goals, and attitudes
• Students’ content knowledge &
application
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

13. Assessment Types
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
True-False
Multiple Choice
Completion
Short Answer
Essay
Practical Exam
Reports
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Questionnaires
Journals
Portfolios
Observations
Discussions
Interviews
Peer/Self Rating
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

14. Test Types
•
•
•
•
•
Admissions Test
Placement Test
Aptitude Test
Proficiency Test
Diagnostic Test
• Dominance Test
• Progress Test
• Achievement
Test
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

15. Activity One
Which Test is Which?
• In pairs, read about the different types of
tests.
• Match the test name to each type.
• Compare your results with another pair’s.
• Discuss.
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

16. Formal Assessments
- Planned
- Time constrained
- Occur outside of
the lesson
- Focused on content
- Results recorded
- Individual
Informal Assessments
- Unplanned or planned
- Not time constrained
- Occur during the lesson
- Focused on growth
- Results not recorded
- Individual or group
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

17. Formal Assessments
- Easy to grade
- High face value
- Fosters “cramming”
- Assesses declarative
knowledge
Informal Assessments
- Difficult to grade
- Lower face value
- Fosters development
of skills
- Assesses creative
thinking/problem
solving
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

18. Ideal Assessments
• Reliable
– Given by different testers yields a similar
result
• Valid
– Has students produce and measure what it
claims to test them on
• Practical
– Easy to administer
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

19. Ideal Assessments (cont.)
• Authentic
– Similar to real world tasks
• Washback
– Positive effect on learning and teaching
Brown, 2004
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

20. Assessments Used at ACLI
- Placement Tests
(four skills)
- Departmental Exams
(speaking & writing)
- Class Exams
(listening & reading)
- Quizzes
- Essays
- Journals
- Role-plays
- Presentations
- Games
- Online Tests
- Debates
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

21. Activity Two
Assessing the 4 Skills
• In groups of 3-4, think of an assessment
to evaluate each of these skills:
–
–
–
–
Speaking
Listening
Reading
Writing
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

22. Activity Three
Assessment Practice
• In pairs
–
–
–
–
Read three pieces of writing.
Assess which is weak, middle, strong.
Listen to three speakers answer a question.
Assess which is weak, middle, strong.
• Discuss what, if any, challenges you
experienced while assessing students.
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

23. Put it into Practice
• Create an assessment to primarily test one
skill, i.e. what students will do so you can
evaluate them:
– Speaking or Listening
– Reading or Writing
• Conduct your assessment for 10 minutes.
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

24. Suggested Reading
• Bailey, K. Learning about Language
Assessment
• Fulcher, G. www.languagetesting.info
• Fulcher, G. Practical Language Testing
• Hughes, A. Testing for Language
Teachers
• Madson, H. Techniques in Testing
• Winger, T. “Grading What Matters”
www.nvcc.edu/workfo