Assessment:A guide to testing
Young Learners
2. Do you enjoy giving tests ?
4 Questions
1. Do you enjoy taking tests ?
3. Do your students enjoy tests ?4. So why do we have tests ?
It is required by the school
It helps students see their weaknessesIt helps the teacher ( diagnostic )External AssessmentMotivation – evidence of progressClassroom ManagementTesting as a teaching technique
Problems in teaching exam classes
Rigid course structure; no room for creativity
Teaching to test, not real-life
Catering for weak students
Knowledge of exam requirements
Need to map whole course in advance
Lots of marking!
Benefits of teaching exam classes
A BAD Test
At the ………………(1) of the road, there was a small sweetshop which looked ………..…..(2) though it had been there for years. Few ………………………….(3) went in or out, ………….….. (4) the children on their way ….…….…..…(5) school. The owner was a small, ……………………(6) woman. When business was slow, as it ……………….… .(7) was, she …………………..(8) sit outside the shop on a wooden ……………(9).
end/foot/top/side as
people / children / customers
except / except for
to/from/out of /intoalmost any adjective
often/usually/sometimes would/used to
chair / bench / horse.
The BIG question
What makes a ‘good’ test ?
A test for you
a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?
b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?
c) What is ‘backwash’?
d) What is the difference between a ‘norm-referenced’ and a ‘criteria-referenced’ test ? e) Can you give an example of a ‘discrete-point’ test ?
f) What is an ‘integrative’ test ?
g) Are the above questions examples of ‘objective’ or ‘subjective’ test items? What are the advantages of each?
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A test for you
a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?
A test for you
a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?
b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?
A test for you
a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?
b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?
c) What is ‘backwash’?
You teach it because…
a)it’s important in their future life
b)Because it’s on the test!
A test for you
a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?
b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?
c) What is ‘backwash’?
d) What is the difference between a ‘norm-referenced’ and a ‘criteria-referenced’ test ?
Your Test Result
65%Are you
happy?
Test Scores Test Scores –– Norm Referenced Norm Referenced(the top 3 (the top 3 ‘‘passpass’’))
0
10
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70
80
90
Your success depends on how other students perform.
Test Scores – Criterion Referenced
( scores over 70% ‘pass’)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
PASSFAIL
A test for you
a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?
b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?
c) What is ‘backwash’?
d) What is the difference between a ‘norm-referenced’ and a ‘criteria-referenced’ test ? e) Can you give an example of a ‘discrete-point’ test ?
Q1: How many people are there in this room?
A test for you
a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?
b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?
c) What is ‘backwash’?
d) What is the difference between a ‘norm-referenced’ and a ‘criteria-referenced’ test ? e) Can you give an example of a ‘discrete-point’ test ?
f) What is an ‘integrative’ test ?
Q1: Can you describe the people in this room?
Test AComplete this sentence with a suitable word or phrase
A: “Did you hear that John got a fine from the traffic police.?”
B: “Well, it’s his own fault. He ……………….…… slower.”
Test BRead the extract from the letter below and follow the instructions.
“My English friend, Robert, had his first date with a Thai girl last Saturday. He played football in the afternoon and then went to a pub, so he didn’t have time to have a bath. He just brushed his teeth, changed his clothes and rushed to the cinema. He was half an hour late. The film he had chosen had lots of sex scenes, and after five minutes the girl asked to leave. Robert had an argument with her in the cinema. He made so much noise that the manager came and asked them to leave. It was still early so they went to a restaurant, and at the end of the meal Robert told her that she should pay half of the bill. In the taxi on the way home he tried to kiss her and she started crying. He called her yesterday but she said she never wanted to see him again.”
Although it is too late now, what advice would you give Robert about last Saturday?
Comparing tests
What do these 2 tests have in common?
Which one demands more of the student in terms of language skills?
Which one would be easier to mark?
Which one is closer to what happens with language in real life?
So which one is better?
A test for you
a) What is a ‘valid’ test ?
b) What is a ‘reliable’ test ?
c) What is ‘backwash’?
d) What is the difference between a ‘norm-referenced’ and a ‘criteria-referenced’ test ? e) Can you give an example of a ‘discrete-point’ test ?
f) What is an ‘integrative’ test ?
g) Are the above questions examples of ‘objective’ or ‘subjective’ test items? What are the advantages of each?
Objective Subjective
One correct answer (reliable)Easy to mark
More reflective of real-life language use
The BIG question
What makes a ‘good’ test ?
• Reliable
• Valid
• Familiar Question Types
• Norm Referenced or Criteria Referenced ?
• Have Communicative Value
• Easy Instructions
Example Young Learner Questions
This is a flower
Look and read. Put a tick (✔) or a cross (✗) in the box. Here is an example.
✔
This is a goat ✘
This is a fly ✘
This is a pineapple
✔
Example Young Learner Questions
Look at the pictures. Look at the letters. Write the words.
s r s e dd r e s s
_ _ _ _ _ _
aektjc
b o n n e t t n o b n e
j a c k e t_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
Transformations
e.g., He’s a fast runner. He runs ……………..
e.g., Change the word in capitals to fit the sentence given. There were a lot of ………………… for the job. (APPLY)e.g., Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the first. “I’m hungry” John said. John said ……………………
Insertion
e.g., Put the word in capitals into the right place in the sentence: She lives in an old farmhouse. (BIG)
Sentence completion
e.g., My room would be all right if ……………
e.g., He’ll be a good footballer if ………………
Split-Sentence Matchinge.g., Match the halves of sentences below: Would you mind my… to open the window?
Would you mind if I… opening the window? Would you like ……… open the window?
Skeleton Sentence
e.g., Make a sentence from the words below: This picture / paint / Van Gogh / long time ago
Error Analysis or Recognition
e.g., Which part of the sentence is wrong ? I’m frightened that you’ll feel angry to me A B C D e.g., Correct the following: Do you like a cigarette ?
Situations
e.g., You want to go to Dusit Zoo (Khao Din). How would you ask:
a) Your mother ?
b) A friend ?
Testing Speaking Ability
What’s important ?• Pronunciation• Fluency
• Coherence & cohesion
• Vocabulary (range & accuracy)
• Grammar (range & accuracy)
Example Young Learner Speaking QuestionsStarters Speaking
Example Young Learner Speaking Questions
Spot the difference
Example Young Learner Speaking Questions
Continue the Story
Example Young Learner Speaking Questions
Odd One Out
Assessing writing: which one’s best?
You have lost some sunglasses which you borrowed from your English friend, David. Write a note to David. In your note you should
• Apologise to David
• Say how you lost the sunglasses
• Offer to buy David some new ones
Write 35-45 words
Preliminary English Test
A)
Hello, how do you feel? I right you to say that I lost my favourite sunglasses in the bedroom on the small table and I’d like to have some new ones. Thiks a lot.
• Doesn’t apologize.
• Partial offer to buy new ones.
• Message only partly communicated to reader.
Band 2 on PET scale
B)David, I have a bad news for you. I have lost sunglasses that you borrowed me. Yesterday I went to the swimming-pool and when I was swimming someone took your sunglass from my bag. Sorry but I will buy you a new ones. Which is your favourite model? • Content covered appropriately.
• Message clearly communicated to reader.
Band 5 on PET scale
C)Hello David! I writtin to appollogise because I lost your red sunglasses. Sorry I don’t know how lost. Yastorday in the evening after school I go to bay a new ones. Sorry. Bye buy Daved. • All content attempted but the message requires some effort by the reader.
Band 3 on PET scale
medalsmissions
Components of an exam class
Exposure to all question types Practice under real exam conditions Develop strategy for each question type Knowledge of strengths & weaknesses Develop good study habits
Thank you for listening !
Any Questions?