Introduction to Language Testing

1. Introduction to
Language Testing
Dr. Sumardi, M.Hum

2. 1. Objectives of this course
After you have completed the study of this course you will
be:
 familiar with the background of language testing
 aware of the fact that testing is an important part of every
teaching
and learning experience
 aware that both experienced and inexperienced teachers of
English as a Foreign Language (EFL) need to improve their
skills in constructing and administering classroom tests
 able to understand how testing helps students create
positive attitudes towards your class and able to identify the
main issues of language testing
 able to define and differentiate the terms of test,
measurement,
assessment and evaluation
 recognize that assessment, measurement, evaluation
and

3.  As a teacher, why does
he/she need to test the
students?
 What is expected to emerge
from a teaching and learning
process?
 What is an important

4. 2. Introduction ...
 A successful learning process can be
seen from the extent of all students
are able to master the competencies
to be achieved.
 A competence is the main indicator
that is expected to emerge from each
of the language learning process.
 Competences: the realm of cognitive,
affective, and psychomotor

5. What competencies are expected
to emerge from a process of
English Language learning?
Communication competence vs.
linguistic competence: What are
their differences?
Problem: how to measure the
success of English learning
process?

6. Test, measurement,
assessment, and
evaluation
Are they the same?

7. Test: a set of questions that have the
attributes of right and wrong
Measurements: a systematic
procedure for determining the number
at an object or phenomenon
 Assessment: the interpretation of
measurement results
 Evaluation: a systematic action to
determine the level of success of a
program (learning outcomes and also
policy)

8. Illustration ...
Mrs. Elin, an English teacher, wants to know if her
students have mastered a basic competence of English
subject. Therefore, Mrs. Elin gave a multiple-choice test
consisting of 50 items to the students. (This means Mrs.
Elin has already used a TEST). Mrs. Elin, then,
checked the answers given by the students according to
the key answers and calculated the raw scores by using
a particular formula. Apparently, the raw scores
obtained by the students varied, i.e. 25, 36, 44, 47 and
so on. (At this point, Mrs. Elin has done
MEASUREMENT). To obtain the value and meaning of
each score, Mrs. Elin converted the raw scores into the
standard scores by following a particular approach. The
results of score conversion are as follows: 25 = 5 (it
means the students do not master the materials well);
score of 36 = 6 (it means the students are capable
enough); score of 44 = 8 (it means the students master
the materials well) and score 47 = 9 (it means the
students have very good mastery on the materials). This

10.  An alternative to the traditional forms
of assessment has been proposed in
recent years. This has come to be
termed as alternative assessment,
authentic assessment, or informal
assessment.
 Authentic forms of assessment such
as portfolios, interviews, journal,
project work, and self-or peer
assessment have become
increasingly common in the ESL
classroom.

11. Testing and Assessment;
How do they relate to each other?
Test
Is an instrument or procedure designed to
elicit performance from learners with the
purpose of measuring their attainment of
specified criteria. It is almost always
identifiable time periods in curriculum. The
learners are usually conscious that their
responses are being measured and
evaluated. Test is the mean to assess the
student’s competence.

12. Testing and Assessment:
How do they relate to each other?
Assessment encompasses a
much wider than tests.
Whenever a student responds
to a question, offers a comment,
or tries out a new word or
structure, the teacher makes an
assessment of the students’
performance

13. ASSESSMENT
 Sommer (1989)
 The process of finding out who the
students are, what their abilities are,
what they need to know, and how they
perceive the learning will affect them.
Assessment places the needs of the
students at the center of the teacher’s
planning.
Testing and Assessment:
How do they relate to each other?

14. The Difference with Traditional
Assessment “( Gracfa  Pearson,
1994,p.357)”
 Alternative assessment is different from
that of traditional testing in that it actually
asks students to show what they can do.
The main goal of alternative assessment is
to “ gather evidence about how students
are approaching, processing and
completing real-life tasks in a particular
domain”.

15. INFORMAL v.s. FORMAL
ASSESSMENT
INFORMAL/FORMATIVE EVALUATION:
involved in all incidental, unplanned
evaluative coaching and feedback on
tasks designed to elicit performance, but
not for the purpose of recording results
and making fixed judgments about a
student’s competence. It implies the
observation of the process of learning

16. INFORMAL v.s. FORMAL
ASSESSMENT
FORMAL ASSESSMENT / SUMMATIVE
TEST: Exercises or experiences
specifically designed to tap into a
storehouse of skills and knowledge,
usually within a relatively short time limit.
They are systematic, planned sampling
techniques constructed to give teacher
and student an appraisal of students
achievement.

17. DEFINITION OF AUTHENTIC
ASSESSMENT
Garcia and Pearson (1994: 335)
 “Efforts that do not adhere to the traditional
criteria of standardization, efficiency, cost-
effectiveness, objectivity, and machine
scorability”
 Authentic Assessment is also called
Performance Assessment, Alternative
Assessment, Portfolio Assessment, Informal
Assessment, Situated Assessment, and
Assessment by Exhibition.

18. 3. Setting Testing Paramaters
 WHY does the evaluation need to administer?;
 WHAT is to be evaluated?;
 WHEN is it to be avaluated?,
 WHO will evaluate?;
 HOW will the evaluation be carried out? What
form will it take? Will it be a pen-and-paper
instrument or be conducted orally? Will it seek
to elicit qualitative or quantitative data, or both?

21. 4. Participants in Testing
The participants in language
testing are the:
Tester
Test taker/the testee
Test user

22. a. Tester
The tester may be:
 A foreign language teacher who designs,
administers, and
interprets tests given to his own learners
 A group of people responsible for developing tests
requirements
 A private or governmental testing agency (PALSO in
Greece;
ETS – the Educational Testing Service in New
Jersey, USA;
CITO in Holland or BSNP in Indonesia.
 Other organizations/ international meetings: the
annual Language Testing Research Colloquium,
The Scientific Commission on Language Tests

23. b. The test taker / the testee
The Test Takers may be:
 Students in schools and universities
 Applicants for positions that require
foreign language abilities
 People seeking certification of
language proficiency for their jobs

24. c. The test user
The test users are the individual or institution that make
use of
 The interpretation of scores e.g. foreign language
teachers (to encourage and monitor learning, for
personal feedback)
 The Ministry of Education and culture uses tests to
ensure that the National Curriculum is followed and to
assess the standards achieved in school work
 Foreign universities (American or British) use language
tests (TOEFL or Cambridge Examination) to assess the
proficiency and predict if applicants can attend
successfully a programme of instruction in English
 Public and private institutions assess the linguistic
competence of those employees who need a foreign
language in their work
 Foreign language teaching schools use tests for

25. 5. The Beneficiaries of Testing
 Diagnostic and placement tests offer advantages of
improved efficiency for learner, teacher, and
educational system
 Admission tests protect admitting institutions and
agencies that offer scholarships from too high a
failure rate
 Certification tests offer advantages to the persons
who pass the test and the agencies that hire them.
They also offer protection to existing professionals
organized in professional organizations who control
access to certain professions
 Testing agencies TOEFL, University of Cambridge,
Local Examination Syndicate, English as a Foreign

26. 6. The overall impact of testing on
students’ motivation
Testing has an impact on
students’ self-esteem.
The students will be more
confident of success
Testing motivates the
students to learn

27. 7. Tips in writing questions

28. 8. How to cope with exam failure