Test and Testing

Types of test and testing


Proficiency test
In this kind of test we measure the abilities of a person in the target language. For example if we need a translator for the Embassy, we will test the proficiency of the language of the person, excluding if the person has taken any classes of the target language or not.
This test usually are being design to measure the knowledge of the teacher in order to know if the teacher qualifies. These test are based on specific abilities. For example TOEFL test, which it was design to measure English abilities. For this test exist previously schooling in where students are taught the essentials to take the test. This schools don't have any connection we the people of TOEFL to make the test fair for everyone.


Achievement Test
This kind of test let us see how the students improved in the language learned. These test are mainly prepared by the teacher or any other institutional educator and exist two kinds: final achievement test and progress achievement test.
The final achievement test must seek the knowledge obtained trough the course and the objectives of the course.
The progress achievement test are mainly design to measure the progress of the students during the course. In this kind if test is suggested to make the test based on short term objectives.
For example, the test that a teacher makes to see if the students reach the goal of learning the material taught during the course time.


Diagnostic test
The purpose of this test is to measure the weaknesses and strengths of the student. For example, the test given at the beginning of the course to see where the students are in accordance of the course.



Placement test
This test is use to place students in their levels of understanding. This test can be made by the teachers of the institution to fit their necessities. For example, UABC placement test. This test is design to give a place to the student according with the knowledge of the target language.

Direct versus indirect test
Direct test is when an student does an specific skill learn in the course, for example if we want the student to show how a perfect tense is made, we need to teach them the elements that are part of the perfect tense. Direct test is an easy tool when we talk about reading and speaking.
Indirect test attempts to measure the abilities shown in the skills acquired. For example if the student understood the perfect tense, then he/she needs to identify the mistakes in a sentences per-say.

Discrete point versus interrogative testing
In discrete point we test each item individually in order to see if the item was learn correctly,
and in the interrogative testing we test the items combined. For example, the parts of speech. The student must right a paper using a well structure sentence.

Norm-reference versus criterion-reference testing
Norm-reference test gives the percentage of the knowledge acquired between students. In this test we give a detail information about the development of the student's learning in an specific area. For example, we give one student a story to read and we can start testing how fast he/she were reading, if it was well read (intonation, fluency), etc.
Criterion-reference, in this test we test how the student is doing in the language. For example if he/she is able to understand instructions or follow directions, or being able to have a conversation with someone else in the target language.




Objective testing versus subjective testing
Objective testing is when a judgment is not require. Subjective when a judgment is require.

Computer adaptive testing
In this test the computer gives the student a test according to their level. For example, the students is taking a test on perfect tense, the computer will ask him/her a difficult question if the student response correctly it will continue with the hard test, if the student is not able to answer correctly it will give him/her an easier level in the same subject.

Communicative language testing
In this case we will use a unique test that involves all the test seen already.

Techniques for Self-assessment
21/nov/2010.

Our team decided to choose “Rating”. For us is the easiest way to self-assessment in order to help to teacher to focus on exactly what he/she wants to know about students’ progress and feelings. Students can choose on rating scales with questions, adjectives or graphics without problems, takes short time to answer (depends on the number of questions) and teacher can make a specific format for specific group; on the other hand, this technique should be a superficial way to asses your pupils, but for our team, rating is one of the most functional, productive, attractive and simple way for self-assessment students and teachers.

Omar, Daniela, Felipe and J

Good idea Omar and team!

Omar Cervantes Cumpeán.

752.

Self-assessment of the course

Regarding Assignments

3- Did all the assignments.

(I did all the assignments, but I didnt post two of them on time.)

2- Did between 75 & 50 % of all the assignments.

1- Did less than half of the assignments.

Regarding Classroom sessions

2- Always there. (I didnt missed any classroom session.)

1- Only missed one or two classroom sessions.

0- Missed more than two sessions.

Regarding Classmates comments

2- Did you respond to your classmates when ask to? Yes I did respond to the comments of my classmates.

1- Did you respond most of the times when ask to?

0- Did you respond very little or none at all?

2- Did you respond cordially? Yes, every time when they asked me.

1- Did you respond in a not so cordial manner?

0- Did you respond in a rude way?

1- Did you respond by giving good comments, defending your/the classmate point of view, or by giving insight?

I did respond with good comments,and deffending my own point of view.

0- Did you respond just because you needed to respond something?

Total: 9 points (because I didnt post two participations on time).

Self-assessment of the course

Felipe Dominguez Garcia.

The Technique is questionnaires; ranking preferences and short answer questions.

About the Assignments:

1. - Did all the assignments = 2

1. Less than 50% 2. 100%

2 - Did your assignments on time (group or individually) = 2, I did all assignments, but two of them was out of time.

1. Less than 50% 2. 75% and up. 3. 100%

3 - Did you respond to the forum on time? = 2

2- I respond all the forums.

1- I respond most of the times.

0- I respond very little or none at all.

4 - Did you respond correctly and cordially? = 1

1- Responded cordially and correctly.

1. Responded in a rude way.

About the team:

5 – In your team you helped to plan, participate, and collaborate in all the assignments? 2

2 – 100% 1 – 75 – 50% 0 - less than 50 %

Total: 9 points

What was difficult to follow?

The assessment and evaluation, there are a lot of “related elements”, and at the beginning we were a little bit confused, we imagined that the course was an easy or simple way of evaluation, like in a test or another printed form, but the purpose of this subject is “to know the correct way, and to know how many possibilities we have to evaluate language students”. We sincerely think that this course is quite complete and useful in order to discover a lot of alternatives to evaluate and analyze the students’ process on language learning.

What worked well?

Everything worked well. From now on, we think we'll be using these techniques.

What could be omitted?

Maybe one or two activities, the course has a lot of activities (one per week). And many of them was to complicated. We had to work so hard.

Did I like the interaction with my classmates and the tutor?

Yes, we enjoyed the interaction between our classmates, and would be better if next time you give us more time to interact with them, and with you. Thanks teacher!

Omar,Daniela, Felipe and J

What was difficult to follow?

The assessment and evaluation, there are a lot of “related elements”, and at the beginning we were a little bit confused, we imagined that the course was an easy or simple way of evaluation, like in a test or another printed form, but the purpose of this subject is “to know the correct way, and to know how many possibilities we have to evaluate language students”. We sincerely think that this course is quite complete and useful in order to discover a lot of alternatives to evaluate and analyze the students’ process on language learning.

validity...

Validity: it is the extent of a test in measuring the skills that were said to be measured. It is necessary that a test is valid in order to interpret and use the results of a test correctly and accurately.
Validity is the evidence of a recorded data. There are several forms of validation.
Content validity: This one validates the content of a test. This test must be made by the material previously taught in the class, if the test contents the right information, it will give us an accurate measure.
Criterion- related validity: This category refers about the assessment of the candidate's ability. There are two kinds: Concurrent validity and predictive validity. Concurrent validity is when the test and the criterion are administered at about the same time, which it will lay on the functions to be test.
Reliability: Consist in coherent results, in other words, the results shown by a test should be similar when it is applied to different students with the same level in the use of a language in different occasions.

Practicality: A test has to be practical,it has to be economical and easy for both, teacher and student, but without stopping being effective.

Backwash effects: It is how students see the test and how they are going to work with it. This perspective of the test will depend on how the teacher manage the instructions and the use of the test with the students; if they feel the test is just another tool for learning, or improve learning, they probably will acquire a positive idea or concept of a test, if not, the results could be the other way around.

Unit 6 activity 2 by Yesnia Garcia Tellez

Comment on self-assessment
Be aware of what you are integrating and developing within yourself. And that is exactly how a questionnaire works; by making specific questions to make the student analyze his/her own development.

unit 6 by Yesenia Garcia Tellez

Self-assessment of the course
Regarding Assignments
3- Did all the assignments.

Regarding Classroom sessions
2- Always there.

Regarding Classmates comments
2- Did you respond to your classmates when ask to?
2- Did you respond cordially?
1- Did you respond by giving good comments, defending your/the classmate point of view, or by giving insight?

Total: 9 points (because I didnt post couple participations on time).
What was missing?
The assessment and evaluation has a lot of “related elements”, we imagine before the course, an easy or simple way of evaluation; like a test or another printed form, but the purpose of this subject is “the correct ways to evaluate students language proficiency”, we sincerely think this course it was quite complete and useful in order to discover many different alternatives to evaluate or analyzing the students’ progress on a language learning.
What worked well?
Everything worked well. Our new homework is applying these kinds of evaluation.
What could be omitted?
Maybe one or two activities, the course has lot activities (one per week)
Did I like the interaction with my classmates and the tutor?
Of course yes, thanks teacher.
Advantages
Self-assessment encourages student responsibility and involvement into the class. It focus on the development on learner's judgment skills. Helps students think about their own progress.


Disadvantages
Self assessment may content information that the students doesn't feel familiar or comfortable with. Can also be time consuming; besides some students do not feel comfortable by grading themselves, or be tempted to cheat during revision.


Comment on self-assessment
Be aware of what you are integrating and developing within yourself. And that is exactly how a questionnaire works; by making specific questions to make the student analyze his/her own development.


Métodos y Técnicas de Evaluación Educativa


Can not do it / Not know it
0
Can do it / I know little
1
Can do it well / I know it well
2
Can do it very well / I know it very well
3



Do you know what a portfolio is? 3
Can you define assessment and testing and their relationship with teaching and learning? 3
Can you develop a assessment audit for your classes? 3
Can you design an assessment plan for your class? 3
Can you defined informal assessment? 3
Can you defined the techniques used for informal assessment? 3
Can you defined the types for formal and informal assessment? 3
Can you analyzed different types of test? 1
Can you develop a test? 3
Can you defined self-assessment? 2
Can you self-asses? 3


Reading
1- Did all the reading?
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%


Comments
1- Did I comment on my classmates work?
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

Work on time
1- Did I turn in my work on time?
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
Knowledge
1- Did I understood most of the material in the course?
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

Doubts resolved
2- Did the teacher give me feedback?
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

3- Did the feedback helped me?
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

self assessment (Yesenia García Téllez)

Tipo de self-assessment
questionary

self assessment (Yesenia García Téllez)

Métodos y Técnicas de Evaluación Educativa


Can not do it / Not know it
0
Can do it / I know little
1
Can do it well / I know it well
2
Can do it very well / I know it very well
3



Do you know what a portfolio is? 3
Can you define assessment and testing and their relationship with teaching and learning? 3
Can you develop a assessment audit for your classes? 3
Can you design an assessment plan for your class? 3
Can you defined informal assessment? 3
Can you defined the techniques used for informal assessment? 3
Can you defined the types for formal and informal assessment? 3
Can you analyzed different types of test? 1
Can you develop a test? 3
Can you defined self-assessment? 2
Can you self-asses? 3


Reading
1- Did all the reading?
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%


Comments
1- Did I comment on my classmates work?
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

Work on time
1- Did I turn in my work on time?
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
Knowledge
1- Did I understood most of the material in the course?
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

Doubts resolved
2- Did the teacher give me feedback?
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

3- Did the feedback helped me?
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

Sorry, bu we have been trying to post our comments through this blog, but sometimes it doesn' t work!!! I'm so disappointment.

Universidad Autónoma de Baja California

Level 1 Beginners

Name _____________________________ Group __________ Date __________

Speaking test 12.5%

Instructions:

• Choose a picture
• Tell me what do you see in this picture?
• What color is ti?
• What shape is it?
• Is he/she tall,short, fat, thin, old, young, strong, happy, sad ? Etc.

Example:

What do you see in this picture?

Answer: I can see a circle

What color is it?

It is a blue circle. It's blue.

Grammar 12.5%

Instructions: Make the next adjectives to comparatives and superlatives adjectives.

Adjectives	Comparatives	Superlatives
Pretty
fast
bad
good
intelligent
important
tall

Vocabulary 12.5%

Instructions:Fill in the blank the following sentences with the words from the table.

Tall ü

Thin

Fat

Pretty

Smart

Old

Example: The boy in that is wearing a blue jeans is really thin,

• My brother is to _____ for his age.
• Maria is ___________.
• The _________ women walks slow.
• The big __________ cat is lazy.
• I am ________ .

Listening test 12.5%

Instructions: Listen to two conversations about people appearance . Put a T if it is true or a f if it is false.

Example:

1. tall T short _____

.

Conversation 1

1. ___young 4 ___ old

2. ___pretty 5 ___ ugly

3. ___thin 6 ___ fat

Conversation 2

1. ___ strong 4 ___ weak

2. ___ tall 5 ___ short

3. ___blue eyes 6 ___ brown eyes

Reading Test 25%

Instructions: Read the following paragraph, place in order the descriptive adjectives and correct them under the sentence. You can use a dictionary.

A Friendly Clown

¹On one corner of my dresser sits a smiling toy clown on a unicycle tiny. A gift I

Tiny unicycle

received last Christmas from a close friend. ²The clown's hair short yellow, made of yarn,

covers its ears but is parted above the eyes. ³The eyes blue are outlined in black with thin,

dark lashes flowing from the brows. ⁴It has cherry-red cheeks, nose, and lips, and its broad

grin disappears into the wide, white ruffle around its neck. ⁵The clown wears a nylon, two

tone fluffy costume. ⁶The left side of the outfit is light blue, and the right side is red. ⁷The two

colors merge in a dark line that runs down the center of the small outfit. ⁸Surrounding its

ankles and disguising its black long shoes are big pink bows. ⁹The white spokes on the

wheels of the unicycle gather in the center and expand to the black tire so that the wheel

somewhat resembles the inner half of a grapefruit. ¹⁰The clown and unicycle together stand

about a foot high. ¹¹As a cherished gift from my good friend Oscar, this colorful figure greets

me with a smile every time I enter my room.

Writing Test 25%

Instructions: Read the following sentences and fill in the blanks in the correct order the descriptive adjectives, remembering that opinion adjectives come first, then the descriptive.

Example:

• Maria is wearing a blue shirt, white skirt and black shoes.
• White, black, blue.

1 - Claudia has ______ ________ _________ ________ hair. 5%

• thick, false, black, beautiful

2 - He saw the _______ ________ ________ chair this morning. 5%

• square, wooden, most ugly

3 - She looks so elegant in her ________ _______ ________ coat. 5%

• wool, French, long

4 -That is the _________ ________ _________ sculpture in this museum. 5%

• metal, most unusual, modern

5 - They bought a lot of ________ ________ ________ furniture on the trip. 5%

• antique, Italian, interesting.

Answer key

Speaking

Answer key

1)What color is it? It is blue 2)What shape is it? It is a circle	9)What does he/she looks like? He is an old man 10)What is he wearing? He is wearing a blue pair of pyjamas.
3)What color is it? It is red 4)What shape is it? It is a rectangle	13)What does he/she looks like? She is thin and pretty 14)What is she wearing? She is wearing a pink dress.
5)What color is it? It is yellow 6)What shape is it? It is a square	15)What does he/she looks like? He is a fat boy. 16)What is he wearing? He is wearing a blue and white shirt and blue pants.
7)What color is it? It is green 8)What shape is it? It is a diamond

Grammar

Adjectives	Comparatives	Superlatives
Pretty	prettier	prettiest
fast	faster	fastest
bad	worse	worst
good	better	best
intelligent	More intelligent	Most intelligent
important	More important	Most important
tall	Taller	tallest

Vocabulary

• My brother is to tall for his age.
• Maria is pretty.
• The old women walks slow.
• The big fat cat is lazy.
• I am smart.

Reading

Answers

¹tiny unicycle, ²short yellow hair, ³blue eyes, ⁵fluffy, two-tone nylon, ⁸long black.

Writing

This is the correct order of these categories of descriptive adjectives: size, age, shape, color, nationality, material.

Answers

• beautiful, thick, black, false; 2. most ugly square wooden; 3, long French wool; 4. most unusual modern metal; 5. interesting antique Italian.

Listening

Conversation 1

1. T young 4 F old

2. T pretty 5 F ugly

3. F thin 6 F fat

Conversation 2

1. T strong 4 T weak

2. T tall 5 F short

3. T blue eyes 6 T brown eyes

Grading

Speaking

Each card (set of 4 cards) will be compose of these questions: What color is it? And What shape is it? and What does he/she look like? & and What is he/she wearing?

• 14 -13 correct answers 12.5%
• 12-11 correct answers 10.7%
• 10-9 correct answers 8.9%
• 8-7 correct answers 7.1%
• 6-5 correct answers 5.4%
• 4-3 correct answers 3.6%
• 2-0 correct answers 1.8%

Grammar

• 14 -13 correct answers 12.5%
• 12-11 correct answers 10.7%
• 10-9 correct answers 8.9%
• 8-7 correct answers 7.1%
• 6-5 correct answers 5.4%
• 4-3 correct answers 3.6%
• 2-0 correct answers 1.8%

Writing

· 5 correct answers 25%

· 4 correct answers 20%

· 3 correct answers 15%

· 2 correct answers 10%

· 1 correct answers 5%

· 0 correct answers 0%

Vocabulary

· 5 correct answers 12.5%

· 4 correct answers 10.0%

· 3 correct answers 7.5%

· 2 correct answers 5.0%

· 1 correct answers 2.5%

· 0 correct answers 0.0%

Listening

6 correct answers 12.5%

5 correct answers 10.4%

4 correct answers 8.3%

3 correct answers 6.3%

2 correct answers 4.2%

1 correct answers 2.1%

0 correct answers 0.0%

Reading

8-7 correct answers 25%

6-5 correct answers 15%

4-3 correct answers 7%

2-0 correct answers 3%

Introduction

This test was created with the intention of proving that the beginners students had acquired the knowledge for the descriptive adjectives unit.

Content:

Descriptive adjectives

• color
• shapes
• physical appearance

Vocabulary: Colors, shapes,and physical appearance.

Writing: Well structure sentences, questions with wh words.

Speaking: Describe people and shapes, ask information about someone using the wh questions.

Unit Objective:

The student will be able to understand and apply the grammatical rules, in a oral and written form the descriptive adjectives using the target language as much as possible.

Test Specifications

Reading

Speaking Objective : Students will be able to describe the pictures in a proper form using the descriptive adjectives and apply the grammatical rules of the well structure sentences during speaking.

Time: 5 to 7 minutes (1 exercise)

Format: individual oral interview

Task: The students will describe a set of pictures using the descriptive adjectives. They must include colors, shapes and physical appearance. These answers can be short answers.

Listening

Listening Objective: Students must be able to understand with accuracy and relevance the tapes play; and be able to identify the correct dialogs.

Time: 10 minutes (1 exercise)

Format: individual oral interview

Task: The students will describe a set of pictures using the descriptive adjectives. They must include colors, shapes and physical appearance. These answers can be short answers.

Reading

Reading Objective: The student must show a comprehending level of a lecture in order to identify the adjectives.

Time:20 min.(1 exercise)

Format: individual items correction.

Task: Write the correct order of the adjectives under the sentence.

Writing

Writing objective: Students must be able to identify the descriptive adjectives while writing well structure sentences.

Time: 15 minutes (1 exercise)

Format: Fill in the blank

Task: choose the best order of the words.

Grammar

Grammar Objective: Identify the comparatives and superlatives.

Time: 10 minutes (1exercise)

Format: Complete the box

Task: Complete the box with the correct comparative and superlative.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary objective: to identify the adjectives.

Time: 5 – 7 minutes (1 exercise)

Format: fill in the blank

Task: Choose the best word to fill in the blank.

Description of Test Items

To test listening, we decided to use a set of 2 conversations and 6 items to look for specific information. We decided to use 6 items where students would show how much they had learned and how are they doing in the comprehending level. These items will be scored objectively using an answer key provided to the teacher where each item scores 12.5% of a 100%

To test speaking, we decided to use a conversation that lasts 5 – 7 minutes. This activity must be done individually to check how well the student is ale to perform in L2. Each student would have the instructions and the situation they would be assessed on. These items will be scored objectively using an answer key provided to the teacher where each item scores 12.5% of a 100%

To test reading we decided to use a narrative text with 197 words. This activity will intent to give the student a opportunity to find out the adjectives. These items will be scored using an answer key provided to the teacher where each item scores 25% of a 100%

To test vocabulary, we chose a fill in the bank exercise, where students have to select the correct word given in a table. Students would prove adequate use and understanding of these types of words in written form. These items will be scored using an answer key provided to the teacher where each item scores 12.5% of a 100%

To test writing, we decided on a fill in the bank where students are being ask to put in order the adjectives. This activity we show if the students understood the correct order of the adjectives. These items will be scored using an answer key provided to the teacher where each item scores 25% of a 100%

To test grammar, we decided to use a complete the box exercise to be able to observe the memorization of the comparatives and superlatives. These items will be scored using an answer key provided to the teacher where each item scores 12.5%of a 100%

The evaluation of the test

We think students will consider a fear test because we are assessing only the most relevant skills and knowledge they should have acquired during this unit. We center our attention on the most frequent and relevant skills and knowledge seen in the classroom especially the new things and the things that were practiced for couple of weeks. We covered only the material previously taught and there is not anything else tested. We want the test to be adequate for our students and for that reason we carefully selected the exercises.

We make sure that the instructions were clear and concise to avoid any confusion.

Comments by moderator.

Our test is in general, adequate to student’s level, grammatically correct, natural, acceptable, and according with specifications, the instructions are shorts, clearly and complete. This a direct test.

On the speaking skill, we taught about beginner level and the difficulties to make a “normal conversation”, using a basic vocabulary knowledge to communicate ideas in the target language, obviously this skill is the most complicated on the first level, and takes more time than the others. Many students are unable to speak in front of the classmates; a lot of factors affect these kinds of activities.

Listening activity was before of the speaking activity; so, the students could take an example to dialogs and try to organize your dialog in correct form.

We must consider these two skills the most complicated (in any level) to evaluate and the most difficult for students. Listening and speaking doesn’t have a concrete factors to evaluate.