This learning activity discusses the definitions and principles of language assessment.

1. Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE
LA1: Principles of Language Assesment
Asignature: Assessment and Evaluation
Professor: Carlos Espin
Student: Melina Ortiz
Nrc: 18235

2. Assessment terminology
Assessment: Systematic process on student
learning and development.
Test: It is a useful method that includes a set of
techniques that are managed by the teacher.
The test helps to measure the ability of students to
perform in a particular field in a given time limit
with a specific objective. It usually acts as a
stepping stone for students to move forward in
learning.
Assessment and Testing
Measurement and Evaluation
Measurement: is the process of quantifying
individual achievements in both quantitative
and qualitative terms.
Evaluation: is a comprehensive
and continuous process which
assesses overall personality of a
student

3. Formal and Informal Assessment Formative and Summative Assessment
Formative
assessment occurs
throughout a class
or course and
seeks to improve
students'
achievement of
learning objectives
through
approaches that
can support
specific student
needs.
Summative
assessment
evaluates student
learning,
knowledge,
proficiency, or
success at the end
of an instructional
period, such as a
unit, course, or
program.
Formal
assessment
provides teachers
with specific and
clear information
about how much
individuals have
learned over a
period of time.
Informal
assessment is
identifying the
difficulties and
challenges a
learner may
face without
grading criteria.

4. Types and purposes of assessment
Achievement tests refer to
assessments whose scores
are often used to determine
the level of instruction for
which a student is
prepared.
Conversely, low scores
may indicate the need for a
remedial course or to
repeat a course.
These tests are
administered at the end of
a lesson, unit, or course.
This can occur when a
professor administers a
comprehensive test to his
or her students at the
beginning of the semester
to determine if students are
ready to take the next step.
A diagnostic test is
administered at the
beginning of a program to
determine what skills need
to be developed and
included.
Examples: checklists and
pretests. Standardized
diagnostic assessments are
given to find out specific
information about a
student's skill level
Achievement tests
Diagnotics tests

5. Placement tests
Places the student in the indicated level of the
program or curriculum.
A placement test is composed by sample materials
which will be covered in a particular area.
Proficiency tests
This test is composed of several sections and
evaluates the student's general competence.
This test does not focus on a particular skill, but on
the whole. The Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL) is an example of a
commercialized proficiency test.

6. Aptitude tests
Measures a person's
ability to learn a
foreign language.
These tests can predict
the success a learner
may have during the
taking of a course.
Aptitude test are
administered to
understand your
inherent abilities to
reason and respond to
specific tasks.

7. Principles of language assessment
Practicality Reliability
The first characteristic of an effective test is
practicality. Practicality is related to the cost
of a test, time allotted, test administration,
human resources, test development, and test
scoring.
One consideration is the time allotted to
conduct the test. Approximately half an hour
to two hours will be adequate time.
Must have clear instructions Proper use of
human and material resources
Reliability is a term that
deals with the consistency
of test results.
In this type of test, there are
some factors that intervene
in the final results, both
physical and psychological.
In other words, the result
of his/her test may not be
reliable.

8. Authenticity
Validity
Validity is usually
defined as a test or
assessment which is
used to measure what is
supposed to be
measured.
This section discusses
some aspects related to
validity: content-related
validity, criterion-related
validity, construct related
validity, consequential
validity
For example: a test of
reading
comprehension should
not require
mathematical ability
Authenticity can mean
the degree of closeness
of the test tasks to the
real-life tasks in the
target language.
A test is authentic when
it is designed to apply
knowledge in new
situations.
Tests should contain natural
language, should have
contextualized rather than
isolated items, and should
include meaningful,
relevant and interesting
topics.

9. Washback effect
Washback offers learners the chance to know the test format
in advance, consequently, students prepare themselves
sufficiently.
Washback is helpful for students because they get feedback
before exam date and that promotes language improvement.
Even when the test is useful, there may be an opportunity for
cheating and that is a negative effect on student learning.

10. References
Cizek, G. J. (2004). Achievement tests. In Charles D. Spielberger, (Ed.). Encyclopedia of Applied
Psychology, 41-46.
https://doi.org/10.1016/B0-12-657410-3/00226-9
Fachrurrazy, M (2016). Definitions and Principles of Language Assessment.
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content/uploads/pdfmk/MPBI5201-M1.pdf