Assessment:A guide to testing

Young Learners

2. Do you enjoy giving tests ?

4 Questions

1. Do you enjoy taking tests ?

3. Do your students enjoy tests ?4. So why do we have tests ?

It is required by the school

It helps students see their weaknessesIt helps the teacher ( diagnostic )External AssessmentMotivation – evidence of progressClassroom ManagementTesting as a teaching technique

Problems in teaching exam classes

Rigid course structure; no room for creativity

Teaching to test, not real-life

Catering for weak students

Knowledge of exam requirements

Need to map whole course in advance

Lots of marking!

Benefits of teaching exam classes

A BAD Test

At the ………………(1) of the road, there was a small sweetshop which looked ………..…..(2) though it had been there for years. Few ………………………….(3) went in or out, ………….….. (4) the children on their way ….…….…..…(5) school. The owner was a small, ……………………(6) woman. When business was slow, as it ……………….… .(7) was, she …………………..(8) sit outside the shop on a wooden ……………(9).

end/foot/top/side as

people / children / customers

except / except for

to/from/out of /intoalmost any adjective

often/usually/sometimes would/used to

chair / bench / horse.

The BIG question

What makes a ‘good’ test ?

A test for you

a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?

b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?

c) What is ‘backwash’?

d) What is the difference between a ‘norm-referenced’ and a ‘criteria-referenced’ test ? e) Can you give an example of a ‘discrete-point’ test ?

f) What is an ‘integrative’ test ?

g) Are the above questions examples of ‘objective’ or ‘subjective’ test items? What are the advantages of each?

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A test for you

a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?

A test for you

a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?

b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?

A test for you

a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?

b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?

c) What is ‘backwash’?

You teach it because…

a)it’s important in their future life

b)Because it’s on the test!

A test for you

a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?

b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?

c) What is ‘backwash’?

d) What is the difference between a ‘norm-referenced’ and a ‘criteria-referenced’ test ?

Your Test Result

65%Are you

happy?

Test Scores Test Scores –– Norm Referenced Norm Referenced(the top 3 (the top 3 ‘‘passpass’’))

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90

Your success depends on how other students perform.

Test Scores – Criterion Referenced

( scores over 70% ‘pass’)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

PASSFAIL

A test for you

a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?

b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?

c) What is ‘backwash’?

d) What is the difference between a ‘norm-referenced’ and a ‘criteria-referenced’ test ? e) Can you give an example of a ‘discrete-point’ test ?

Q1: How many people are there in this room?

A test for you

a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?

b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?

c) What is ‘backwash’?

d) What is the difference between a ‘norm-referenced’ and a ‘criteria-referenced’ test ? e) Can you give an example of a ‘discrete-point’ test ?

f) What is an ‘integrative’ test ?

Q1: Can you describe the people in this room?

Test AComplete this sentence with a suitable word or phrase

A: “Did you hear that John got a fine from the traffic police.?”

B: “Well, it’s his own fault. He ……………….…… slower.”

Test BRead the extract from the letter below and follow the instructions.

“My English friend, Robert, had his first date with a Thai girl last Saturday. He played football in the afternoon and then went to a pub, so he didn’t have time to have a bath. He just brushed his teeth, changed his clothes and rushed to the cinema. He was half an hour late. The film he had chosen had lots of sex scenes, and after five minutes the girl asked to leave. Robert had an argument with her in the cinema. He made so much noise that the manager came and asked them to leave. It was still early so they went to a restaurant, and at the end of the meal Robert told her that she should pay half of the bill. In the taxi on the way home he tried to kiss her and she started crying. He called her yesterday but she said she never wanted to see him again.”

Although it is too late now, what advice would you give Robert about last Saturday?

Comparing tests

What do these 2 tests have in common?

Which one demands more of the student in terms of language skills?

Which one would be easier to mark?

Which one is closer to what happens with language in real life?

So which one is better?

A test for you

a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?

b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?

c) What is ‘backwash’?

d) What is the difference between a ‘norm-referenced’ and a ‘criteria-referenced’ test ? e) Can you give an example of a ‘discrete-point’ test ?

f) What is an ‘integrative’ test ?

g) Are the above questions examples of ‘objective’ or ‘subjective’ test items? What are the advantages of each?

Objective Subjective

One correct answer (reliable)Easy to mark

More reflective of real-life language use

The BIG question

What makes a ‘good’ test ?

• Reliable

• Valid

• Familiar Question Types

• Norm Referenced or Criteria Referenced ?

• Have Communicative Value

• Easy Instructions

Example Young Learner Questions

This is a flower

Look and read. Put a tick (✔) or a cross (✗) in the box. Here is an example.

✔

This is a goat ✘

This is a fly ✘

This is a pineapple

✔

Example Young Learner Questions

Look at the pictures. Look at the letters. Write the words.

s r s e dd r e s s

_ _ _ _ _ _

aektjc

b o n n e t t n o b n e

j a c k e t_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _

Transformations

e.g., He’s a fast runner. He runs ……………..

e.g., Change the word in capitals to fit the sentence given. There were a lot of ………………… for the job. (APPLY)e.g., Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the first. “I’m hungry” John said. John said ……………………

Insertion

e.g., Put the word in capitals into the right place in the sentence: She lives in an old farmhouse. (BIG)

Sentence completion

e.g., My room would be all right if ……………

e.g., He’ll be a good footballer if ………………

Split-Sentence Matchinge.g., Match the halves of sentences below: Would you mind my… to open the window?

Would you mind if I… opening the window? Would you like ……… open the window?

Skeleton Sentence

e.g., Make a sentence from the words below: This picture / paint / Van Gogh / long time ago

Error Analysis or Recognition

e.g., Which part of the sentence is wrong ? I’m frightened that you’ll feel angry to me A B C D  e.g., Correct the following: Do you like a cigarette ?

Situations

e.g., You want to go to Dusit Zoo (Khao Din). How would you ask:

a)   Your mother ?

b) A friend ?

Testing Speaking Ability

What’s important ?• Pronunciation• Fluency

• Coherence & cohesion

• Vocabulary (range & accuracy)

• Grammar (range & accuracy)

Example Young Learner Speaking QuestionsStarters Speaking

Example Young Learner Speaking Questions

Spot the difference

Example Young Learner Speaking Questions

Continue the Story

Example Young Learner Speaking Questions

Odd One Out

Assessing writing: which one’s best?

You have lost some sunglasses which you borrowed from your English friend, David. Write a note to David. In your note you should

• Apologise to David

• Say how you lost the sunglasses

• Offer to buy David some new ones

Write 35-45 words

Preliminary English Test

A)

Hello, how do you feel? I right you to say that I lost my favourite sunglasses in the bedroom on the small table and I’d like to have some new ones. Thiks a lot.

• Doesn’t apologize.

• Partial offer to buy new ones.

• Message only partly communicated to reader.

Band 2 on PET scale

B)David, I have a bad news for you. I have lost sunglasses that you borrowed me. Yesterday I went to the swimming-pool and when I was swimming someone took your sunglass from my bag. Sorry but I will buy you a new ones. Which is your favourite model? • Content covered appropriately.

• Message clearly communicated to reader.

Band 5 on PET scale

C)Hello David! I writtin to appollogise because I lost your red sunglasses. Sorry I don’t know how lost. Yastorday in the evening after school I go to bay a new ones. Sorry. Bye buy Daved. • All content attempted but the message requires some effort by the reader.

Band 3 on PET scale

medalsmissions

Components of an exam class

Exposure to all question types Practice under real exam conditions Develop strategy for each question type Knowledge of strengths & weaknesses Develop good study habits

Thank you for listening !

Any Questions?