This document discusses key concepts related to language testing and assessment. It begins by defining tests as methods used to measure a person's ability, knowledge, or performance in a given domain. Well-constructed tests provide an accurate measure of a test-taker's proficiency. The document then examines different types of language assessment methods, both formal and informal. It also explores theoretical approaches to language testing, including behavioral, communicative, integrative, and performance-based assessments. Current issues in classroom testing are discussed, such as theories of multiple intelligences and alternative forms of assessment. Principles of effective language assessment are outlined, emphasizing practicality, reliability, validity, authenticity, and washback.

1. Lorena Peña Florez
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3. Test
It is a method of measuring
a person’s ability ,
knowledge or performance
in a given domain.
Test :
1. Are a method
2. must measure
3. Measures performance
4. Measures a given
domain.
A well-constructed test is an
instrument that provides an
accurate measure of test-taker´s
ability with a particular domain.

4. METHOD
Set of techniques procedures or items
Explicit
Multiple choice
questions with
prescribed
correct answers.
Structured
A writing
prompt with a
scoring rubric
An Oral
interview based
on question
scripts
A checklist of
expected responses
to be filled by the
administration.

5. Must Measure
General ability
Example
Multi-skill proficiency
test
Specific competences,
objectives or
knowledge
Example
Quiz on recognizing
correct use of definite
articles

6. Measures Performance
Linguistic
competences
Speaking
Writing
Reading
Listening
Knowledge about
language
Vocabulary
Grammar rules
Identify a rhetorical
feature in written
discourse.

7. Measures a Specific
Domain
Positive
Negative
Specific topics to
measure the desired
criterion
Including factors
inadvertently

8. Assessment & Teaching
A good teacher never
ceases to assess
students whenever
Tests
Assessment
those assessments areIt is an ongoing process that
 They are prepared

INCIDENTAL
administrative procedures or INTENDEDencompasses a much wider
 They Occur at identifiable
times in a curriculum
 Learners muster all their
faculties
 Learners´responses are being
measured and evaluated.
 They are subsets of assessment.
domain.
 on each aspect about students the
teacher makes assessment on
students 'performance.
 There are many procedures and
tasks different from TEST to
assess students.

9. Informal
Assesment
Suggestions
Advicing about how
to better pronounce
words
Responding to a
draft of an essay
Incidental,
unplanned
comments and
responses
Coaching
Impromptu
feedback
Margianal
comments on
papers

10. Formal Assesment
they are systematic
planned sampling
techniques
It is constructed to give
teacher and students an
appraisal of student
achievement.

11. Formative Assessment
Evaluating SS in the process of
forming their competence and
skills.
Focus on the
ongoing development
of the learner´s
language.
Occurs every time
All kind of informal
assessment are
formative
Delivery by teacher
Internalized by
student

12. Summative Assessment
It measures or summarizes
what a student has grasped.
2. Quizzes
1.General
proficiency exams
3. Periodic review
tests
4. mid-term exams
Occurs at the end
of a course unit or
instruction
The following 4
are examples of
summative tests

13. Can
Tests
become
Learning
experiences ?

14. Norm-referenced &
Criterion-referenced Tests

15. Norm-referenced Test criterion-referenced Test
 Scores are interpreted in relation to




a mean, media and SD and
percentile rank.
The purpose is to place test-takers
along a mathematical continuum in
rank order.
Scores are reported back to the
test-taker in form of numerical
scores.
They are administered to large
audiences.
The responses are already
predetermined.
Examples:
 Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)
 Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL)
 They are designed to give test-
takers feedback in the form of
grades, on specific course or
lesson objectives.
 It is required much time and
effort from the teacher (testadministrator).
 Appropriate feedback.
 Instructional value Oller(1979,p
52)
Examples:
 Classroom tests involving the
students on only one class and
connected to a curriculum.

16. Approaches to Language Testing
1950’s –
Behaviorism
Testing focused
on specific
language
elements such
as the
phonological,
grammatical
and lexical
contrasts
between two
languages.
1970’s- 1980’s
Communicat
ive theories
brought a
more
integrative
view of
testing.
Today
Continues
the challenge
of more
authentic
valid
instruments
that simulate
real world
interaction.

17. Discrete-point Testing
Language can be broken into its
component parts and those parts can be
tested successfully.
evaluating certain points
Decontextualization
Oller(1979)
• Language competence = unified set of abilities that
cannot be tested separately.

18. Integrative testing
Cloze test
Dictations
Reading
passages
(150-300
words)
Listening
passages
(100-150)
Those tests
require a number
of abilities.
Knowledge
of
vocabulary
Grammatical
structures
Discourse
structure
Oral reading
without pauses
Reading
skills
Strategies
Oral reading
with long pauses
between every
phrase
Internalized
“expectancy
grammar ”
Reading at
normal speed

19. 1. Careful
listening
4.Expectancy
rules to aid
short- term
memory
Integrative
Test
3. Efficient
short- term
memory
“UNITARY
TRAIT
HYPOTHESIS”
2.
Reproduction
in writing
Which suggested an
indivisible view of
language
proficiency: that
vocabulary,
grammar,
phonology, the
“four skills “and
other discrete points
of language could
not be disentangled
from each other in
language
performance.

20. Communicative Language Testing
Language use
Batchman and
Palmer(1996,p9)
Language test
performance
Weird(1990,p6)
Integrative
Test(cloze )
Bachman (1990)
Proposed a model
of language
competence
Organizational
competence
Tell about
Candidate´s
linguistic
competence
Don’t tell
about
Student´s
performance
ability
Pragmatic
competence
Grammatical
components
Textual components
Illocutionary
components
Sociolinguistic
components
Strategic competence

21. Performance-based Assessment
Oral
production
Interactive
tasks
Integrated
performance
Timeconsuming
Written
production
Openended
responses
Higher
content
validity is
achieved
Expensive
Ss are assessed as
they perform
actual or
simulated realworld tasks

22. Current Issues in
Classroom Testing

23. New Theories of Intelligence
Spatial
intelligence
Intrapersonal
intelligence
Musical
intelligence
Gardner
(1983, 1999)
Interpersonal
intelligence
Bodilykinesthetic
intelligence

24. Robert Sternberg
(1988,1997)
Daniel Goleman’s
(1995)
Intelligence
EQ= emotional
Quotient
Creative thinking
Manipulative
strategies
Importance of
emotions in
cognitive processing

25. Alternative Assessment
Continuous long-term assessment
Untimed, free-response format
Contextualized communicative tasks
Individualized feedback and
washback
Criterion- referenced scores
Open-ended, creative answers
Formative
Oriented to process
Interactive performance
Foster intrinsic motivation

26. Computer-based Testing
Are also called computer- assisted or
web-based testsAre small scale “home-grown” tests
Available on web-sites
Standardized large scale tests
Almost all Computer-based testing
items have fixed, closed-ended responses

27. PRINCIPLES OF
LANGUAGE
ASSESSMENT
PRACTICALITY
RELIABILITY
VALIDITY
Student- related reliability
Content- related evidence
Rater reliability
Criterion-related evidence
Test administration
reliability
Constructed-related
evidence
test reliability
Consequential Validity
Face validity
AUTHENTICITY
WASHBACK

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