Computer-based

testing for young

learners

“When I met confident nine-year-old Florin, he was

tickled pink: ‘I graduated from Cambridge!’ (rough

translation from Romanian). Taking the Cambridge

English: Young Learners test has certainly made him

feel valuable, by giving him the written evidence that he

is a good student. For young learners, especially for

those who are not among the very best in their class,

passing an internationally recognised examination, such

as Cambridge English: Young Learners, is a proof of

success.”

Catalina Cocan

Winner of Dr Peter Hargreaves Scholarship, 2014

The Cambridge English:

Young Learners test ...

• ‘made him feel valuable’

• gave ‘evidence that he is a good

student’

• ‘is a proof of success’

Overview

• pedagogical changes in education and

assessment

• skills needed by young learners today

• positive impact of assessment and testing

on young learners

• how Cambridge English: Young Learners

tests meet changing needs

The pedagogical changes

in education and

assessment

Education in the past

Education today

Education today

• students learn from a variety of sources:

• textbooks

• online resources

• interactive whiteboard

• video, etc.

• classroom layout

• students learn through inquiry

• communicative approach

Learning and assessment

can take place anywhere

Assessment has

changed in schools

Extract from UK Government Assessment for Learning Strategy:

• learning objectives made explicit and shared with pupils

• peer and self-assessment used

• pupils engaged in their learning and

given immediate feedback

Is this similar in your country?

Assessment for

learning

Skills needed by young

learners today

CEFR Can Do statements

Speaking (A2)

In social and travel contexts, users at this level

can ask for goods in shops where goods are on display,

and order a meal in a restaurant if dishes are either

displayed or illustrated on the menu. They can

book a hotel room (face-to-face) and ask simple

questions of a host family.

Skills needed by

young learners today

CEFR Can Do statements

Listening & Speaking (A2/Flyers)

CAN make and respond to invitations,

suggestions, apologies and requests.

CAN arrange with friends to do

something or play together.

Piaget’s four stages

of cognitive

development

A: sensorimotor sensory experiences – physical

actions

birth to 2

years

B: pre-

operational

beginning to represent the world

in words and images, moving

towards symbolic thinking

AGE?

C: concrete

operational

logical reasoning about concrete

events begins; child can classify

objects into sets

D: formal

operational

abstract reasoning and logic;

hypothetical thought

Piaget’s four stages

of cognitive

development

A: sensorimotor sensory experiences – physical

actions

birth to 2

years

B: pre-

operational

beginning to represent the world

in words and images, moving

towards symbolic thinking

2–7 years

C: concrete

operational

logical reasoning about concrete

events begins; child can classify

objects into sets

AGE?

D: formal

operational

abstract reasoning and logic;

hypothetical thought

Piaget’s four stages

of cognitive

development

A: sensorimotor sensory experiences – physical

actions

birth to 2

years

B: pre-

operational

beginning to represent the world

in words and images, moving

towards symbolic thinking

2–7 years

C: concrete

operational

logical reasoning about concrete

events begins; child can classify

objects into sets

7–11 years

D: formal

operational

abstract reasoning and logic;

hypothetical thought

AGE?

Piaget’s four stages

of cognitive

development

A: sensorimotor sensory experiences – physical

actions

birth to 2

years

B: pre-

operational

beginning to represent the world

in words and images, moving

towards symbolic thinking

2–7 years

C: concrete

operational

logical reasoning about concrete

events begins; child can classify

objects into sets

7–11 years

D: formal

operational

abstract reasoning and logic;

hypothetical thought

11 years

onwards

Cambridge English: Young

Learners tests

Test design

• current approaches to curriculum design

and pedagogy for young learners

Test design

• current approaches to curriculum design

and pedagogy for young learners

• children’s cognitive and first language

development

Test design

• current approaches to curriculum design

and pedagogy for young learners

• children’s cognitive and first language

development

• potential influence of test methods

Test design

• current approaches to curriculum design

and pedagogy for young learners

• children’s cognitive and first language

development

• potential influence of test methods

• probable variation between different

first language

Paper-based vs.

computer-based

A. test content

B. task types

C. number of questions and tasks

D. overall timing of papers

E. marking

F. level of difficulty

G. results

H. purpose

What’s different?

• navigation: arrows and light bulbs

• test functionality:

• adjustable sound volume

• on-screen keyboard

• enlargeable graphics

• on-screen timer

• simplified device-neutral rubrics

Graphics

Test Format –what’s new?

• response mechanisms

Test Format –what’s new?

• response mechanisms

Test Format –what’s new?

• response mechanisms

Test Format –what’s new?

Test Format –what’s new?

Test Format –what’s new?

Test Format –what’s new?

Test Format –what’s new?

Test Format –what’s new?

Test Format –what’s new?

Test Format –what’s new?

Computer-based or

face-to-face

Speaking test

• same 1:1 ratio

• same examiner script

• same visual prompts

• same timings

What do pupils think?

Candidate feedback

Cambridge English: Flyers

Hong Kong

‘I enjoyed taking the test on the computer

because it was easy to use.’ (Taylor Holly Nor Chen)

‘I liked the Speaking test the most.’ (Adam Chris Wong)

‘Yes, because I can use the computer to do the

test which I think it’s not bored.’ (Cheuk Long Ngan)

Candidate feedback

Cambridge English: Flyers

Hong Kong

‘Speaking – It’s fun/special – I can say to the

computer.’

‘I enjoyed taking the test because it was easy

and fun and helped my english.’

‘Yes, because it is not easy and not too hard, it

just right.’

‘Because I learnd new things.’

Candidate feedback

Cambridge English: Starters

Hong Kong

Computer

• very funny

• I like compewter

• relax using computer,

real human nervous

Observer comment

‘They seemed really eager

and keen in speaking to the

computer – spoke freely and

followed instructions well.’

Jose Daniel Hurtado Bravo,

Cambridge English: Flyers trial

candidate, age 12, Mexico

Natalia Moreno Trejo, Cambridge

English: Flyers trial candidate, age 12,

Mexico

Candidate feedback

Cambridge English:

Movers/Flyers, Mexico

A positive impact

‘I graduated from Cambridge!’

A positive impact

‘I graduated from Cambridge!’

Stoneman (2006) finds that the commitment of students to language learning and test preparation is influenced by their perception of the status of the exam. An exam with little perceived status or usefulness is less likely to effect changes upon the students’ approach to language learning or their test preparation.

Further information

University of Cambridge

Cambridge English Language Assessment

1 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB1 2EU, UK

Tel: +44 (0)1223 553997

Fax: +44 (0)1223 553621

Email: helpdesk@cambridgeenglish.org

Keep up to date with what’s new via the

Cambridge English Language Assessment website: www.cambridgeenglish.org

For information on Cambridge English webinars for teachers:

www.cambridgeenglish.org/webinars

Teacher Professional Development

27 and 29 April 2015