DELTA - TESTING AND ASSESSMENT
BACKWASH - ANS-This refers to the effect that the test has on the teaching programme that
leads up to it. For instance, if the end-of-year test only measures writing and grammar, it may
discourage teachers from focusing on oral skills in the classroom. CLOZE-ANS-A test in which
blanks are left for students to fill in after words are removed from a text at regular intervals
(originally every seventh word). CONSTRUCT VALIDITY - ANS-Refers to a test testing what it is
supposed to test and nothing else. For example, if the students do not understand the
instructions and are therefore unable to get the right answer to a test item, you will not have
tested what you intended to. Or, if you want to test their listening abilities, are you certain that
giving them a test based on identifying minimal pairs will provide you with a good idea of their
overall listening ability? CONTENT VALIDITY - ANS-Refers to a test testing what it is supposed
to test. You should make a list of the skills, structures, and other things you want to test when
you make a test. Then devise the test using this list. It's possible that the test won't cover all of
these things, but it should cover a representative sample of them. This helps you avoid testing
things that are easy to test instead of important things. CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT - ANS-A
method of grading in which students are graded on a regular basis rather than just once at the
end of a program. ANSWER: Coaching sessions are meetings between a student or group of
students and their teacher to talk about their work, goals, and/or results. They can also be
referred to as TUTORIALS or APPRAISALS. They are good because the students get involved
in their own learning process and take responsibility for it.
CRITERION REFERENCED TESTS - ANS-The iam is 'to classify people according to whether
or not they are able to perform some task or set of tasks satisfactorily'. (Hughes 2003: 21).
IELTS and FCE DIAGNOSTIC TEST - ANS-This test is used at the beginning of a course to find
out what the students know and what they don't know. It is more finely tuned than a placement
test and the content reflects what the students should know or will need to know at this
particular level. The teacher or course planner can then ensure that the course material is
relevant to the students' needs, or will teach them new information, based on test results.
DIRECT TEST - ANS-A test which is designed to approximate authentic target language use
e.g. write a letter to testing writing skills. (c.f. a writing test where learners correct errors in the
text.)
DISCRETE ITEMS TECHNIQUE - ANS-f We want to determine whether a student can
recognize or produce a particular language item, such as using gap-fills and multiple-choice
tests. The ANS term "face validity" refers to a test that appears to be testing what it is trying to
test. This is not a scientific concept; it refers to how the test appears to the users. For example,
if you aim to test a student's ability to read and understand whole texts, it might appear strange
to do this by giving them a multiple choice grammar test.
FINAL ACHIEVEMENT/ SUMMATIVE TEST - ANS-This test is used at the end of a course to
see if students have achieved the objectives set out in the syllabus. An end of year test, for
example, falls into this category. A lot of information from this type of test is often wasted
because it does not feed back into the learning process.
BACKWASH - ANS-This refers to the effect that the test has on the teaching programme that
leads up to it. For instance, if the end-of-year test only measures writing and grammar, it may
discourage teachers from focusing on oral skills in the classroom. CLOZE-ANS-A test in which
blanks are left for students to fill in after words are removed from a text at regular intervals
(originally every seventh word). CONSTRUCT VALIDITY - ANS-Refers to a test testing what it is
supposed to test and nothing else. For example, if the students do not understand the
instructions and are therefore unable to get the right answer to a test item, you will not have
tested what you intended to. Or, if you want to test their listening abilities, are you certain that
giving them a test based on identifying minimal pairs will provide you with a good idea of their
overall listening ability? CONTENT VALIDITY - ANS-Refers to a test testing what it is supposed
to test. You should make a list of the skills, structures, and other things you want to test when
you make a test. Then devise the test using this list. It's possible that the test won't cover all of
these things, but it should cover a representative sample of them. This helps you avoid testing
things that are easy to test instead of important things. CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT - ANS-A
method of grading in which students are graded on a regular basis rather than just once at the
end of a program. ANSWER: Coaching sessions are meetings between a student or group of
students and their teacher to talk about their work, goals, and/or results. They can also be
referred to as TUTORIALS or APPRAISALS. They are good because the students get involved
in their own learning process and take responsibility for it.
CRITERION REFERENCED TESTS - ANS-The iam is 'to classify people according to whether
or not they are able to perform some task or set of tasks satisfactorily'. (Hughes 2003: 21).
IELTS and FCE DIAGNOSTIC TEST - ANS-This test is used at the beginning of a course to find
out what the students know and what they don't know. It is more finely tuned than a placement
test and the content reflects what the students should know or will need to know at this
particular level. The teacher or course planner can then ensure that the course material is
relevant to the students' needs, or will teach them new information, based on test results.
DIRECT TEST - ANS-A test which is designed to approximate authentic target language use
e.g. write a letter to testing writing skills. (c.f. a writing test where learners correct errors in the
text.)
DISCRETE ITEMS TECHNIQUE - ANS-f We want to determine whether a student can
recognize or produce a particular language item, such as using gap-fills and multiple-choice
tests. The ANS term "face validity" refers to a test that appears to be testing what it is trying to
test. This is not a scientific concept; it refers to how the test appears to the users. For example,
if you aim to test a student's ability to read and understand whole texts, it might appear strange
to do this by giving them a multiple choice grammar test.
FINAL ACHIEVEMENT/ SUMMATIVE TEST - ANS-This test is used at the end of a course to
see if students have achieved the objectives set out in the syllabus. An end of year test, for
example, falls into this category. A lot of information from this type of test is often wasted
because it does not feed back into the learning process.
