Task-based Language Assessment in JH schools Kwesting Lu Beijing Institute, Central China Normal...

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  • Task-based Language Assessmentin JH schoolsKwesting Lu

    Beijing Institute, Central China Normal University

  • Which is more lovely?Xi Shi, the first beauty in the 5000-year history of ChinaLiu Yifei, the one millionth beauty in the 5000-year history of China

  • Life brings soul to her.

  • Tasks bring soul to tests.

  • So, task-based assessment.TBA is the best way to assess the learners abilities for language use and learning outcomes from task-based instruction.

  • Language Use

  • Major researchesSkinner, B.F., 1957, Verbal BehaviorAustin, J., 1962, How to do things with wordsSearle, J. R., 1969, Speech ActsHymes, D., 1972, On Communicative CompetenceWiddowson, H.G., 1983, Learning Purposes and Language UseChomsky, N., 1992, Explaining Language UseSkehan, P., 1995, Analysability, accessibility, and ability for useSegerdahl, P., 1996, Language UseBachman, L. F., and A. S. Palmer, Language Testing in PracticeCouncil of Europe, 2001, A Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

  • Widdowsons definitionWe are generally required to use our knowledge of the language system in order to achieve some kind of communicative purpose. That is to say, we are generally called upon to produce instances of language use: we do not simply manifest the abstract system of the language, we at the same time realize it as meaningful communicative behaviour.Usage, then, is one aspect of performance, that aspect which makes evident the extent to which the language user demonstrates his knowledge of linguistic rules.Use is another aspect of performance: that which makes evident the extent to which the language user demonstrates his ability to use his knowledge of linguistic rules for effective communication. H. G. Widdowson, 1978:3

  • Backmans definitionIn general, language use can be defined as the creation or interpretation of intended meanings in discourse by an individual, or as the dynamic and interactive negotiation of intended meanings between two or more individuals in a particular situation.

    Bachman and Palmer, 199661-62

  • Language use involves complex and multiple interactions among the various individual characteristics of language users, on the one hand, and between these characteristics and the characteristics of the language use or testing situation, on the other hand.

    Bachman and Palmer, 199662

  • The view of language use we present here thus focuses on the interactions among areas of language ability (language knowledge and strategic competence, or metacognitive strategies), topical knowledge and affective schemata, on the one hand, and how these interact with the characteristics of the language use situation, or test task, on the other.The components that are within the smaller, bold circle (topical knowledge, language knowledge, personal characteristics, strategic competence, and affect) represent characteristics of individual language users, while the outer circle includes characteristics in the task or setting with which the language user interacts. The double-headed arrows indicate interactions.

    Bachman and Palmer, 199662

  • Council of Europes DefinitionLanguage use, embracing language learning, comprises the actions performed by persons who as individuals and as social agents develop a range of competences, both general and in particular communicative language competences.

    ( Council of Europe2001:9)

  • Council of Europes DefinitionThey draw on the competences at their disposal in various contexts under various conditions and under various constraints to engage in language activities involving language processes to produce and/or receive texts in relation to themes in specific domains, activating those strategies which seem most appropriate for carrying out the tasks to be accomplished. The monitoring of these actions by the participants leads to the reinforcing of modification of their competences.

  • Types of Language Use1Acts of communication: acts in the personal domain, the public domain, the occupational domain, the educational domain2Ludic Uses: social language games, individual activities, verbal joking3Aesthetic uses: singing, retelling and rewriting stories

    Council of Europe, 20015356

  • Characteristics of individualsLanguage use is affected by a large number of individual characteristics These individual characteristics include the following:personal characteristics, such as age, sex, and native language,the topical knowledge that test takers bring to the language testing situation,their affective schemata, andtheir language ability.

  • Personal characteristicsAgeSexNationalityResidence statusNative languageLevel and type of general educationType and amount of preparation or prior experience with a given test

  • Topical knowledgeWhat we will call topical knowledge (sometimes referred to as knowledge schemata or real-world knowledge) can be loosely thought of as knowledge structures in long-term memory.

  • Affective schemataAffective schemata can be thought of as the effective or emotional correlates of topical knowledge.

  • Language abilityThe model of language ability that we adopt in this book is essentially that proposed by Bachman (1990), who defines language ability as involving two components: language competence, or what we will call language knowledge, and strategic competence, which we will describe as a set of metacognitive strategies.

  • Language knowledgeLanguage knowledge includes two broad categories: organizational knowledge(how utterances or sentences and texts are organized)pragmatic knowledge(how utterances or sentences and texts are related to the communicative goals of the language user and to the features of the language use setting)

  • Organizational knowledgeGrammatical knowledge(how individual utterances or sentences are organized)Knowledge of vocabularyKnowledge of syntaxKnowledge of

    Textual knowledge(how utterances or sentences are organized to form texts)Knowledge of cohesionKnowledge of rhetorical or conversational organization

  • Grammatical knowledge is involved in producing or comprehending formally accurate utterances or sentences. This includes knowledge of vocabulary, syntax, phonology and graphology.Textual knowledge is involved in producing or comprehending texts which are units of language spoken or writtenthat consists of two or more utterances or sentences.

  • Textual knowledge

    Knowledge of cohesion is involved in producing or comprehending the explicitly marked relationships among sentences in written texts or among utterances in conversations.Knowledge of rhetorical or conversational organization is involved in producing or comprehending organizational development in written texts or in conversations.

  • Pragmatic knowledgeFunctional knowledge(how utterances or sentences and texts are related to the communicative goals of language users)Knowledge of ideational functionsKnowledge of manipulative functionsKnowledge of heuristic functionsKnowledge of imaginative functions

    Sociolinguisitc knowledge(how utterances or sentences and texts are related to features of the language use setting)Knowledge of dialects/varietiesKnowledge of registersKnowledge of natural or idiomatic expressionsKnowledge of cultural references and figures of speech

  • Functional knowledge, or what Bachman(1990) calls illocutionary competence, enables us to interpret relationships between utterances or sentences and texts and the intentions of language users. Functional knowledge includes knowledge of four categories of language functions: ideational, manipulative, instrumental, and imaginative.

  • Knowledge of ideational functions enables us to express or interpret meaning in terms of our experiences of the real world. These functions include the use of language to express or exchange information about ideas, knowledge, or feelings. Descriptions, classifications, explanations, and expressions of sorrow or anger are examples of utterances that perform ideational functions. Knowledge of manipulative functions enables us to use language to affect the world around us.

  • Knowledge of manipulative functions instrumental functions, which are performed to get other people to do things for us (examples include requests, suggestions, commands, and warnings);regulatory functions, which are used to control what other people do (examples include rules, regulations, and laws); andinterpersonal functions, which are used to establish, maintain, and change interpersonal relationships (examples include greetings and leave-takings, compliments, insults, and apologies).

  • Knowledge of heuristic functions enables us to use language to extend our knowledge of the world around us, such as when we use language for teaching and learning, for problem-solving, and for the retention of information.Knowledge of imaginative functions enables us to use language to create an imaginary world or extend the world around us for humorous or esthetic purposes; examples include jokes and the use of figurative language and poetry.

  • Sociolinguistic knowledge enables us to create or interpret language that is appropriate to a particular language use setting.

  • My researchThe range of language use for English learners in China covers six dimensions:1. communicative acts: acts in the personal domain, the public domain, the occupational domain, the educational domain2. ludic acts: social language games, individual activities, verbal joking, doing word puzzles for killing time to ease the feeling of loneliness 3. aesthetic acts: singing, drama performance, telling and writing stories, poems4. language learning acts: classroom activities5. presentation acts of abilities for language use: reciting a poem for an ice cream

  • Task-based Assessment

  • Features of TBAAbilities for language useCommunicative performanceMeaning focused tasksAuthenticity Real-life outcomesCriteria for assessment and feedbackMatch with teaching approach and curriculum objectives

  • Assessment Tasks devices for eliciting and evaluating communicative performances from learners in the context of language use that is meaning-focused and directed towards some specific goal. Rod Ellis (2003)

  • Characteristics of tasks in assessmentLearner centred: individual expressionContextualised: meaningful situations, extended discourse Authentic: real life language use and tasks Chalhoub-Delville (2001)

  • My researchA task in assessment is an act of language use in real life.Any language item which can be used in our real life can be tested in a task. So that task-based assessment in assessing abilities for English language use is possible and feasible if the task is feasible.The real problem in language testing in China now is that language test policy makers do not wish to implement task-based assessment now.

  • How to design task-based assessment items

  • ProcedureUnderstanding tasks in assessment Writing Task-based Assessment guideline

    Designing TBA syllabus

    Designing TBA tasks

  • Steps1. List the test items (language skills and linguistic items)2. List the real-life uses of the language skills and the linguistic items3. List the real-life contexts in which the assessed often uses the test items4. Design an assessable task which well and appropriately matches with the assessment conditions and the assessment syllabus

  • Listening task (Fuzhou 2008)(15)

  • Listening task (Xiamen 2008)

  • Listening task (Xiamen 2008)

  • Reading task (Fuzhou 2008)

  • Reading task (Quanzhou 2008)(5)

  • Vocabulary taskYou plan to write an article about the environment problems in your area titled as More money needed for better environment. You want to find other choice for money to make the title more attractive. What word is the best choice for you?

    A. attention B. plan C. awareness D. investment

  • Sample Tasks for Junior High School Assessment in the National Curriculum Standards for English in Schools of China(Revised)

  • SummaryThe range of language use has six dimensions: communicative acts; ludic acts; aesthetic acts; language learning acts; presentation acts of abilities for language use; and affective acts.To design a task for assessment, we need fully understand the nature and features of the language use act and then follow the suit.Task-based assessment is possible and feasible in China.

  • If you do love a person with soul instead of stone, please do task-based teaching and assessment.

  • If, please!blog.sina.com.cn/luziwen

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