Testing and Assessment: Practice at

Taitung’s SchoolsChao-ming Chen

Department of English, NCCU

112/04/19

Teaching, Learning and Testing

Using tests for placement and diagnostic reasons

Using tests to assess students’ proficiency

Using tests for achievement check

Using tests to motivate students’ learning

Using tests

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A Washback Effect

To change instructional programs and teaching practices

To develop students’ autonomous learning abilities

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Types of Tests

Proficiency test

Achievement test

Aptitude test:

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Testing Strategies

Norm-referenced Testing: Proficiency TOEIC, TOEFL, etc. Classifying students by percentile for measuring

either aptitude or proficiency

Criterion-referenced Testing: achievement GEPT, Monthly or term exams, etc. A locally produced achievement test, measures

absolute performance that is compared only with the learning objective

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Steps of developing achievement tests

Setting up learning objectives

Deciding the testing objectives: diagnostics, achievements, or others

Choosing the appropriate testing styles: oral, written, or performative?

Designing the testing formats: multiple choice, matching, blank-filling, writing, or others

Identifying the benchmark (or passing grades)

Pre-testing

Constructing the testing instruments

Anticipating the testing results

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Examples: Testing alphabets

http://www.rachelsenglish.com/alphabet_test

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Examples: testing alphabets

Order the alphabets acfgbed: ____________ becfgad: ____________

Type the alphabets: A ___ C ____ _____ F

Match and Identify: Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee, Ff

See and Remember: A b F f e G c

Hear and Remember: Fe Gg

Alphabet games (fun): Group games

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From tests to assessment

Tests are given at a single point in time while assessments are continuous, ongoing evaluation.

Tests are more formal while assessments are in free and flexible forms

Tests are usually announced so students can prepare for them; assessments are usually unannounced because the purpose is to informally check on students’ progress

Tests are often achievement checks on a unit of instruction; assessment are typically designed to check students’ progress informally (purpose is to see what students need to have re-taught or need to practice more)

Tests are mainly designed to result in a grade or test score; assessments tend to deemphasize the grade or score score.

Tests employ typical test item formats which include multiple choice, correct answers, and other ways of evaluating students; assessments usually use rubrics to evaluate students’ performance in languages

Tests are not contextualized while assessments are usually contextualized.

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Which is more effective in language learning?

Teaching objectives vs. Learning objectives

Diagnostics vs. Achievement

Evaluation vs. motivation

Tests vs. assessments

Assessments vs. worksheets

Questions: Why do we need testing results or scores?

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Worksheets as assessments: Lesson One, the third grade

What’s seven plus five? It’s twelve.

Good! What’s seven plus eleven?

I don’t know. Numbers: six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, etc. t, d. Let’s repeat, let’s sing, let’s write

Teaching objectives: Numbers, adding numbers, pronunciation, spelling

Learning objectives: Counting numbers Recognizing numbers Spelling the numbers

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How to assess?

Teaching practice Oral practice Flash cards Spelling Counting Singing

Worksheets as assessments To design worksheets for different purposes

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Worksheets: Theory and Practice

Review and practice

Diagnostic instrument

Learning control (or teaching control)

Achievement tests

Learning by doing

Situated Learning

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Worksheets and proficiency

Spiral learning model

A pragmatic tool, not a cognitive one

An overall assessment or a task review

Task-oriented learning

Autonomous and ongoing learning

Proficiency, not achievement testing

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Examples: Grammar Focus (Past Tense)

What did you (he, she, they) do yesterday (last Sunday, this morning)? I (He, She, They) had a picnic (swam) yesterday

(last Sunday, this morning).

Worksheet design

Test design

Assessment design

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Practice: Did you collect stamps?

Yes, I did. I collected stamps.

No, I didn’t. I didn’t (did not) collect stamps. Worksheets Tests Assessments

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Questions and Comments!

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