Chapter 1: Introduction to language testing Source: Heaton, J.B (1989) Writing English Language Tests Longman & New York 1 Testing & teaching     Testing & Teaching: closely related Tests: - devices to reinforce learning & motivate Ss - means of assessing Ss’ lang performance Tests focusing on daily communication useful effects on learning Good communicative tests+ effects: learning, teaching & learning habits 2 Why test?     Evaluating Ss’ performance (comp & selecting) Locating the precise area of Ss’ difficulty Ascertaining difficult problems in curriculum Measuring Ss’ performance w/o traps effective motivation 3 What should be tested & to what standard?    Analyzing the language tested: important Identifying the purpose of assessment: including aspects /skills tested Before constructing tests: to questions standards 4 Testing the language skills     Listening: short utterances, dialogues, talks & lectures Speaking: interview, picture description, role play, problem-solving tasks (pair/group) Reading: ability to understand gist, key information on specific points Writing: letters, reports, messages…… 5 Testing language areas    Grammar & usage: measuring Ss’ ability to recognize appro gram forms & to manipulate structures Vocabulary: meaning, pattern, collocations Phonology: stress patterns, tunes (↑↓voice) 6 Language skills & language elements    Skills, integrated skills, elements: purpose of tests & level of learners All levels: measuring ability to communicate A good lang test: Ss’ performance in 4 skills used in real life 7 Recognition & production    Recognition: words & language formmultiple-choice forms (easy to examine statistically) Production: measuring learners’ ability to produce or use correct lang forms in real life A good language test: either recognition or production items, or combination of both 8 Problems of sampling     The longer the test the more reliable a measuring instrument The language tested= the one used in the classroom Items based on contrastive analysis: effective for Ss from the same L1 Writing test specifications based on learning tasks included in the syllabus 9 Avoiding traps for the Ss     Never trap Ss in giving incorrect answers Not including items never taught Finding out what Ss know, not trapping them Gaining a deeper insight the language tested & learning process involved ... & to what standard?    Analyzing the language tested: important Identifying the purpose of assessment: including aspects /skills tested Before constructing tests: to questions standards Testing. .. points Writing: letters, reports, messages…… Testing language areas    Grammar & usage: measuring Ss’ ability to recognize appro gram forms & to manipulate structures Vocabulary: meaning,... Recognition: words & language formmultiple-choice forms (easy to examine statistically) Production: measuring learners’ ability to produce or use correct lang forms in real life A good language test: