INTEGRATIVE TESTING

In contrast to discrete-point testing which assumes that language can be broken down into its component parts and each element should be tested at a time, item by item (Brown, 2004; Hughes, 2003), the supporters of integrative testing believe that language processing cannot be fragmented into elements (Sulistyo, 2007). In support to this, Oller (1979) argued that language competence is a unified set of interacting abilities that cannot be tested separately. Sulistyo (2007) maintains that all systems constituting language of forms and meaning- work together to produce language. Based on the underlying view of this approach, this approach is also known as the Unitary Competence Hypothesis. Thus, In integrative tests candidates need to use anumber of language elements at the same time in completing the test tasks. This approach also recognizes that language cannot be separated from its social context of use. Thusm testing a language requires not just language elements and skills, but also contents to be conveyed (Sulistyo, 2007). Therefore, another name of this testing practice is pragmatic testing.

Charcateristics of Integrative Testing 1. Integrative tests developed from cognitive oriented theories which believes that language is unitary and cannot be fragmented into elements 2. It involves pragmatic knowledge. Therefore, this kind of testing requires not just language elements and skills but also content to be conveyed. Thats why this kind of testing is also called as pragmatic testing. 3. Integrative tests combine different language sub skills. They measure a greater variety of language abilities. 4. It tends to be direct testing which requires students to perform the skill to be measured. Examples of Integrative Testing

One most well known type of integrative test is cloze test. In completing a cloze test, the test takers perform a number of abilities that are basic in language competence, they are knowledge of vocabulary, grammatical structure, discourse structure, reading skills and strategies, and an internalized expectancy grammar (Brown, 2004). Cloze tests measure the test takers ability to decode interrupted or mutilated messages by making the most

acceptable substitutions from all the contextual clues available (Heaton, 1988). Every nth word is deleted in a text and students have to complete each gap in the text using the most appropriate word. The example of cloze test as follows:
Site activity information. We keep {1}______ of some of the actions {2}______ take on Facebook, such as {3}______ connections (including joining a group {4}______ adding a friend), creating a {5}______ album, sending a gift, poking {6}______ user, indicating you like a {7}______, attending an event, or connecting {8}______ an application. In some cases {9}______ are also taking an action {10}______ you provide information or content {11}______ us. For example, if you {12}______ a video, in addition to {13}______ the actual content you uploaded, {14}______ might log the fact that {15}______ shared it.

Research studies have shown that performance on cloze tests correlates highly with the listening, writing and speaking abilities. In other words, cloze testing is a good indicator of general linguistic ability (Heaton, 1988). As a result of such research findings, cloze tests are now used not only in general achievement and proficiency tests, but also in some classroom placement tests and diagnostic tests. However, the critics on this type of test pointed out that results of cloze tests were affected according to the number of deleted items and where the deletions began. Another major type of integrative test is dictation. The integrated skills involved in test of dictation include the auditory discrimination, the auditory memory span, spelling, the recognition of sound segments, a familiarity with the grammatical and lexical patterning of the language, and overall textual comprehension (Heaton, 1988). In dictation, students listen to a passage of 100 to 150 words read aloud by the administrator (or audiotape) and hear what they hear, using correct spelling. The listening usually conducted in three stages: an oral reading without pauses, an oral reading with long pauses between every phrase, and at last reading at normal speed to give test takers a chance to check what they wrote (Brown, 2004). Dictation tests can prove good predictors of global language ability even though some recent research has found that dictation tends to measure lower-order language skills such as straightforward comprehension rather than the higher-order skills such as inference. Other types of integrative tests are oral interview, composition writing and translation.

Advantage of Integrative Testing It is potential for revealing several abilities (e.g., language abilities, knowledge of world and text structures in Cloze test).

 It focuses on meaning and total communication effect of textual discourse Disadvantage of Integrative Testing It is low in face validity The context is used as medium for language background knowledge to be processed, not for real and purposeful orientation such as found in verbal communication. It tested knowledge of how the language worked rather than an ability to use it. It does not allow for spontaneous production by the candidate and rely on the examiner for the language input

References: Brown, H.D. 2004. Language Assessment: Principles and Classroom Practices. New York: Pearson. Heaton, J.B. 1988. Writing English Language Testing. London: Longman. Hughes. 2003. Testing for Language Teachers (2nd Ed). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Sulistyo, G.H. 2007. Test, Assessment, and Measurement in English as a Second Language at School. Malang: State University of Malang
Oller, J. W. Jr. 1979. Language Tests at School: A Pragmatic Approach. London: Longman.