Task 1 B.

Language Testing and Evaluation

II. Purpose Of Testing

Testing is an unavoidable part of teaching and learning process. After certain period of learning, a test has to be conducted. In language testing, test is used as a measurement tool to find out someones ability in language learning. For the test makers, test can be an evaluation to see the teachers ability in teaching whether teaching system or continue their method. they should change their

The most common use of language tests is to identify strengths and weaknesses in students abilities. For example, through testing we can discover that a student has excellent oral abilities but a relatively low level of reading comprehension. Information gleaned from tests also assists us in deciding who should be allowed to participate in a particular course or program area. Another common use of tests is to provide information about the effectiveness of programs of instruction. A useful test which can measure someones ability must provide reliable and valid measurement for a variety purposes.

1. Diagnosis and feedback Diagnosis test is used to determine a person's strengths and weaknesses in order to improve performance. This test is either theory or syllabus based. Language teachers always know that diagnosing their students strengths and weaknesses early in classes so that they can decide how to gear the instruction to be most appropriate for the students in that class or at least help them plan class activities appropriate for the general skill levels of the class as a whole.

Diagnostic approaches: Identify strengths and weaknesses in a learners knowledge or use of language Have a focus on weaknesses that leads to remediation in further instruction Enable detailed analysis and a report of responses to items or tasks Provide feedback that can be acted upon Are based on content covered in instructionor content soon-to-be covered Are less likely to be authentic then are proficiency tests; more likely to be discrete-point,

2. Screening and Selection In function of a test is to help test maker to make decision of whether someone is allowed to participate in one institution or not. The selection decision is made by determining who will be the most benefit from instruction, to reach mastery of language and to become the useful practitioner to the testers ability.

Screening is a method of collecting data for determining how each student is performing in a given area. Screening reveals the low and high performing students. In the area of language testing, a common screening instrument is named as aptitude test. It is used to predict the success or failure of students prospective in a language learning program. . 3. Placement Tests are used to identify a particular performance level of the student and to place him or her at an appropriate level of instruction. The test content may be based on either a theory of language proficiency or on the learning objectives of the syllabus to be taken. Students of similar ability levels are placed in the same group(homogeneous ability levels).
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Placement tests also designed to place students in an appropriate course for their English language level due to the students may have previous qualifications in English. This information helps the teachers to decide on their teaching focus. For example, when students enter a given institution from outside: the students may have previous qualifications in English, but the institution wishes to make its own assessment of their ability based on the levels/classes offered in the institution. 4. Program Evaluation Another important use of tests especially achievement test, is to find out the effectiveness of program of an institution. If the results of these tests are used to modify the learning program to better needs of the students. This process is termed formative evaluation .The final examination is administrated as part of the process which is called summative evaluation. 5. Providing research Criteria The score of the test is provide the information as a standard value for another context research. The result of a test to be a research. Then this research will be essential information to other research. Example: i. The Malaysian University English Test (MUET) - Placement
ii.

ujian Inventori Sahsiah Keguruan (INSAK) - Screening and selection

Design an activity for listening and speaking which you can use to test your students listening and speaking skills. ACTIVITY :What's the Question? Level: Level Two ( Year 4)

Type of Activity: listening and speaking

Purpose: review question forms previously studied in class

Procedure: Form two teams among the students. Explain the game, with a few examples of answers in search of questions. Ask, 'What's the question?', and get students to correctly say the corresponding questions for your answer. There two players,one from each team. Both of them come to the front. Style it like a game show if you like, with the students standing side-by-side. If you have access to bells or buzzers, it's even more fun. Next, read an answer to a question and say, 'What's the question?' The fastest player to respond wins a point for her/his team. New contestants come to the front for a new round. Rationale: This game forces the students to think backwards, so they must provide a grammatically perfect question. Usually, they are used to answering rather than asking questions, so this is challenging and useful as review.

Bibliography

Fundamentals of Language Assessment, . Retrived from http://www.christinecoombe.com/admin/downloadable%20modules/Fundamental s%20of%20Language%20Assessment%20Manual%20by%20Coombe%20and% 20Hubley.pdf Desmond Allison,Language testing and evaluation an introductory course, Singapore university press, 1999

Nesmalar Chitravelu, Saratha Sitthamparam,The Soo Choon. (2005) ELT Methodology Principles and Practice 2nd EditionOxford Fajar Sdn.Bhd.Shah Alam.