1. This document discusses testing the four language skills of listening, reading, speaking, and writing. For each skill, it covers specifying the tasks and criteria, setting the test, and reliably scoring test performance. Key points include selecting authentic audio/text at appropriate levels, using a variety of item types, avoiding bias, and training scorers to apply rubrics consistently. The goal is to obtain a valid and reliable sample of each skill through well-designed tests.

1. 1
Topic 9: Testing the four language skills
(Hughes, 1993/ 2002, Chapters 9 to 12)
Hoa Nguyen

2. 2
1. Testing listening
1. Specify what candidates should be able to do
• Content
– Operation: macros skills and microskills
– Types of text: dialogue, short talk, lecture
– Addressees: students, ESP students…
– Topics: general interests or specific
• Setting criteria levels of performance: full mark or
partial credit for each item, requirement for a
“pass”.

3. 3
Testing listening (cont)
2. Setting the task
– Selecting samples of speech
– Speech should be chosen based on test specifications (authentic
such as radio, TV program or teaching materials)
– Quality of the recording should be taken into consideration to ensure
the validity and reliability of the test.
– Writing items
– Note key information
– Time gap between items
– Recording vs. live presentations
» Multiple choice/ true false
» Short answer
» Information transfer
» Note taking
» Partial dictation
3. Scoring the listening tests
– Error of grammar or spelling should not be penalized or deducted
provided that correct response was intended.

4. 4
2. Testing reading
1. Specify what candidates should be able to do
• Content
– Operation: macros skills (locate specific information,
obtain the gist, identify stages of an argument) vs. and
micro skills (identify referents of pronouns, use context
to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words)
– Types of text: text books, newspapers, academic
journal, magazines, newspaper advertisements….
– Addressees: intended audience for reading materials
– Topics: general interests or specific
• Setting criteria levels of performance: full mark or
partial credit for each item, requirement for a
“pass” (how many %).

5. 5
2. Testing reading (cont.)
2. Setting the task
2.1 Selecting texts
-Keep specifications in mind, choose a representative of
sample
- Text length
- Choose a number of reading passages to increase reliability
- A passage with plenty of discrete pieces of information is
good for scanning skills
- Avoid texts requite specific information in a particular area or
specific culture background (culturally laden)

6. 6
2. Testing reading (cont.)
2.2 Writing items
• Set tasks which will involve candidates in providing
evidence of successful reading
• Questions types:
• Multiple choice/ True false (Problems?)
• Unique answer (single word or number)
• Short answer
• Guided shorts answers
• Summary cloze
• Information transfer
• Identify order of events, topics, or arguments
• Identifying referents
• Guessing the meaning of unfamiliar words from context.
• Others: matching the headings

7. 7
2. Testing reading (cont.)
Procedure for writing items
– Read the text carefully
– Keep specifications in mind
– Note the interesting/key information
– Determine reasonable tasks for test takers relating to
interesting/ key information
– Draft items:
• Items should follow the order of the text if scanning skills
required.
• Responses should demand minimal demands on writing ability
• Avoid any items for which correct response can be found without
understanding the text or reading the text
– Present drafted items to colleagues for moderation
– Revise the items based on feedback

8. 8
2. Testing reading (cont.)
2.3 Scoring the reading tests
• Error of grammar, spelling, or punctuation should not
be penalized provided that the candidate has
successfully performed the reading tasks which the
item set.

9. 9
3. Testing speaking
1. Specifying all appropriate tasks
• Content:
– Operation (expressing opinions, comment, attitude…)
– Text types
– Addressees and topics
– Criteria levels of performance
• Format
– Interview
– Interaction with peers
– Response to tape-recordings: (uniformity of elicitation
vs. inflexibility: no way of following up candidates’
responses)

10. 10
3. Testing speaking
2. Obtaining a sample of candidate’s speaking ability
• Planning and conducting the test carefully
– Make the oral test as long as is feasible
– Include a wide sample of specified content
– Plan the test carefully: follow some pattern
– Give the candidate as many fresh ‘start’ as possible
– Select interviewers carefully and train them
– Use two interviewers
– Tasks an topics should be familiar to test takers (not difficult in their
own language)
– Carry out interview in a quiet and acoustic room
– Put candidates at ease: easy questions to start with, natural
transitions between topics, end the interview at a level candidates feel
comfortable (leaving him or her with a sense of accomplishment).
– Collect enough relevant information
– Do not talk too much.

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3. Testing speaking (cont.)
• Eliciting techniques
– Avoid Yes-No questions
– Use picture for description
– Role play
– Discussion between candidates
– Use tape-recorded stimuli (look at example on page
109 of Hugh’s book and give test taker some time (eg.
10 second before giving a response)
3. Obtaining valid and reliable scoring
• Describing the criteria levels
• Training of scorer

12. 12
4. Testing writing
1. Setting the task
• Selecting all appropriate tasks and selecting a
sample, keeping specifications in mind
• Operations: describe, explain, compare &
contrast, argue
• Text types: form (letter, postcard, note, forms,
argument); types (announcement, description,
narration, comment/opinion); length
• Addresses: friends, university lecturer,
unspecified
• Topics: various

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4. Testing writing (cont.)
2. Eliciting sample of writing
• Set as many tasks as is feasible: several tasks
to increase validity but we must ensure
practicality.
• Test only writing ability: instruction should be
clear and NOT too long.
• Restrict candidates (writing tasks should be
well-defined: what is required, scope, aspect)
• Give no choice of task or a very limited choice
of task.

14. 14
. Testing writing (cont.)
3. Scoring reliably
• Holistic scoring (‘impressionistic’ scoring):
• Single score on the basis of overall impression.
• Eg. Two tasks set up to see if test taker’s writing ability is
adequate for study at university, each task is scored twice, scorer
reliability is 0.9.
• Analytic methods of scoring
• A separate score for each of a number of aspects of a task are
said to be analytic (eg. scale 1-6 applied to grammar, vocabulary,
mechanic, fluency, organization).
• The conduct of scoring
– Holistic or analytic
– Identifying bench mark
– Marking environment (well-lit, quiet) and scorer’s state of mind
– Multiple scoring