jueves, 14 de octubre de 2010

Felipe Domínguez García

Validity has two different classifications in language teaching, Content validity: specific content to measure, and Criterion – related validity: take other areas to measure, and this criterion – related validity is divided in two form of validity: concurrent validity: the criterion is on real or same time, and predictive validity: predict “future performance”, all kind of test must to measure the students knowledge. The test have a positive or negative effect in pupils, in Language teaching, this kind of effect is one the most important thing to care for the successful learning, obviously L2 is, all in all, 100% practical, and students need adequate test to them.

ABOUT WRITING EXAM

Universidad Autónoma de Baja California

Metodología de la Enseñanza de la Lectura y la Escritura
Marisela Acuña

Name: Omar Cervantes Cumpeán

Date: October - 2 ND -_2010

1.- Writing pedagogy focuses students on how to...

Generate ideas, how to organize them coherently, how to discourse markers and rhetorical conventions to put them cohesively into a written text, how to revise text for clearer meaning.

2.- There is an advantage given to students when they were seen as creators of language and were allowed to...

Focus on content and message, and when their own individual intrinsic motives were put at the center of learning.

3.- Process approach to writing instruction:

A)Focus on the process of writing that deals to the final written product.
B)Help student writers to understand their own composing process.
C)Help them to build repertories of strategies for prewriting, drafting and rewriting.
D)Give students time to write and rewrite.
E)Place central importance on the process of revision.
F)Let students discover what they want to say as they write.
G)Give students feedback throughout the composing process.
H)Encourage feedback from both the instructor and peers.
I)Include individual conferences between teacher and student during the process of composition.

4.- Peter Elbow- writing is a two step process...

First, you you figure out your meaning, then you put it into a language.

5.- The current emphasis of process writing must be seen in the perspective of a balance...

between process and balance.

6.- According to Connor, a theory of contrastive rhetoric is influenced by more than first language patterns...

Factors such a linguistic relativity, theory or rhetoric, text linguistics, discourse types and genres, literacy, and translation all contribute toward a comprehensive theory of contrastive rhetoric.

7.- Different between L1 and L2 writing...

Writers do less planning, and they are less fluent, less accurate and less effective in stating goals and organizing material.

8.- Summarize “Authenticity” and English for Academic Purposes.

Real writing and display writing. Real writing: writing when the reader doesn't know the answer and genuinely wants information.

9.- The role of the teacher in writing.

As a facilitator, the teacher offers guidance in helping students to engage in the thinking process of composing but, in a spirit of respect for students opinion, mus not impose his/her own thoughts on student.

10.- Characteristics of the written language:

1.Permanence.
2.Production time.
3.Distance.
4.Orthography.
5.Complexity.
6.Vocabulary.
7.Formality.

11.- Types of classroom writing permanence:

Imitative or writing down.
Intensive or controlled.
Self-writing.
Display-writing.
Real writing: academic, vocational technical, personal.

12.- Principles of writing techniques:

Incorporate practices of “good” writer.
Balance process and product.
Account for cultural/literacy backgrounds.
Connect writing and writing.
Provide as much authentic writing as possible.

13.- Design three writing activities with the proper steps to follow (ESA).
1.- What is the purpose of the teacher Marisela's test?

     We conclude that the main purpose is to measure how much we (students) know about the subject (about writing) the exam covers and measure how much we have learned about the material that was taught, based on the chapter 19 – Teaching Writing from D.J. Brown's book, within the objectives of the first unit. So we agree that it is an Achievement Test or some kind of Final Achievement Test, assuming that it is based directly on the content of the subject about writing.


2.- Does it represent direct of indirect testing (or a mixture of both)?

  The test attempt to measure if we are very skillful to understand and to transfer our knowledge about the role of the teacher of written language; its characteristics; its principles and techniques, etc. in order to encourage students to develop their writing skills. So we considered that the testing is absolutely Direct.

3.- Are the items discrete point or integrative (or a mixture of both)?

      The test is formulated for students who have a complete knowledge of the second language, in this case English, we think that is a mixture of both, since the first one refers to the testing of one element but at the same time refers to a particular grammatical structure, and Integrative testing, involves the combination of many language elements. In order to know if the student has acquired the knowledge of the unit, the requirement to have an excellent grade is to answer the questions with the right grammatical structure and combine as many language elements in the second language.

4.- Which items are objective , and which are subjective? Can you order the subjective items according to degree of subjective?

  All the items are objective because no judgment is required on the part of the scorer, the questions have to be answered according to the chapter and the concepts exactly definition. Since it is not a multiple choice test, we cant order the subjective items according to degree of subjective.

5.- The test norm – reference or criterion – referenced?

      The questions 1 to 12 are norm – reference, the students must to answer correctly based on the chapter or the information which teacher give the student.
     About the question 13, the students have to make three specific activities for writing, this question is evaluated with teacher’s criteria, and each of the students could answer different according your creativity, imagination, knowledge, etc.
For instance the 13 question is criterion – reference.
 
6.- Does the test measure communicative abilities? Would you describe it as a communicative test? Justify your answer.

      This test is for future language teachers, it is about writing and how to teach writing, to consider this kind of specific test for measure “the ability to take part in acts of communication (including reading and listening)” we have to apply in the student – teacher communication, but this kind of exam is for specific people who study this particular subject, not for language students.
As we mention before, could be a communicative test in writing communication teacher –student.


ACTIVITY 3
Omar:

      There are three main concepts related to the content of a test. We must say that if a test measures knowledge of the content domain of which it was planned to measure knowledge, the test has Content validity.  
 
     Criterion-related validity tests are useful for vaticinate or predicting the students behavior in a specific situation. There are two kinds of Criterion-related: in Concurrent validity, the criterion information are collected about or at the same time. Concurrent validation is applicable for tests designed to asses students current situation. In Predictive validity, the criterion information or data are are collected at some later point, and the predictor scores are collected first.
      If it accurately measures a non-observable construct, trait or theoretical, the test has Construct validity.
     A test is reliable if it is free from error and provides information about examinees’ "true" test scores and that it provides repeatable, consistent results.
     If test is effective, then it has Practicality. It stays within appropriate time constraints and it’s easy to deal with. It also has evaluation procedures that were designed to be time-efficient.
      Washback:  the test result will give students the chance to be aware of what their weaknesses must be focused on.


Felipe:

Validity.
The term validity refers = evidence (test) and how this evidence is measurable. Obviously we have a different kind of tests in language teaching, for example: reading ability, control of grammar, etc. For this reason exist the term “construct validity”. The two subordinate forms of validity are:
Content validity: specific content to measure.
Criterion – related validity: take other areas to measure, and this criterion – related validity is divided in two form of validity: concurrent validity: the criterion is on real or same time, and predictive validity: predict “future performance”
 
Reliability.
The test, the results, notes, etc. need to be consistent, and don’t show “big changes”
 
Practicality.
The test is easy to administer, and useful for the teacher.
 
Backwash effect.
The impact in learners and teachers could be positive or negative.


Daniela:

 Validity: A test is said to have validity  if it measure what it is supposed to measure.

Reliability: A test with a reliability coefficient of 1 is one which would give precisely the same result for a particular sets of candidates regardless of when it happened to be administrated.

Practicality: Is a not too long or too short test  that is easy to administer, appropriate and accurate, involves scoring/evaluation procedure.

Backwash: is the effect that test have on learning and teaching, is now seen as a part of the impact a test may have on learners and teachers, on educational systems in general, and on society at large.