ASSESSMENT & TESTING

Evaluation

Assessment

Test

All the factors that influence the

learning process: syllabus, objectives,
course design, methodology, materials
,etc.

- The performance and the progress

of students
- Diagnose problems + provide useful
feedback
- A process not a product

- A one-time event
- Part of the assessment process
- Only one of many assessment tools

Assessment

Informal

Formal

Self-

Placement test

Quick to administer and mark

At the start of a new phase /
language course

Diagnostic test

Syllabus-based
Determine students area of strength
and weakness

Achievement test

Proficiency test

At the end of a long period of

learning
Large scale test

Measure students L2 competence.

(FCE, IELTS, TOEIC)

What to
test?

Language
Vocabulary
Grammar
Spelling
Pronunciation

Skill
Reading
Speaking
Listening
Writing

A valid test
actually tests what it intends
to test.
matches course
objectives.
Draw up test specifications
Give each section a percentage
weighting

1.

Which one mainly tests

grammar?
2. Which one mainly tests writing?

Rewrite these sentences, using the

cues provided.
Hes too weak to lift that table. (so that)
Testing
grammar or
writing?

Complete the following open

dialogue.
A
Hello. May I _____, please?
B
Im sorry he ______. Can you
leave ____?
Testing
speaking?

A reliable test

Question Type
True/False

Multiple Choice
Open-ended
questions

Information
transfer

Easy to write and mark

Easy to guess the answer
Test comprehension (not writing)
only
Easy to mark
A small chance of guessing the
answer
Test only comprehension
Difficult to write good MC
questions
Easy to write
Difficult to mark
The level of reliability is not high
Good way to test comprehension
of main points not a complete
understanding of the text.

Common problems with

MCs
Choose the correct answer for the
following question.
1. Only when everyone had left
________________.
A. he felt at peace
B. he feels at peace
C. did he feel at peace
D. does he feel at peace

Inversion and
sequence of
tenses

Avoid testing more than one content

in one question.

Choose the correct answer for the

following question.
I must take this watch to be repaired; it
_____ over twenty minutes a day.
A. increases
B. progresses
C. accelerates
D. gains
Avoid testing the shades of
meanings.

Four options
means to
add

Common problems with the stem

He was badly injured in an _____
yesterday.
A. Traffic jam B. accident C. crash
D. collision.
He was badly injured in a/an _____
yesterday.
A. Traffic jam B. accident C. crash
D.
Hecollision.
is _____________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
He
A.
B.
C.
D.

the
the
the
the

man
man
man
man

Cue for a correct

answer.

whom I talked about

which I talked about
that I talked about
that I talked
Lack of
information
is the man_____________.
whom I talked about
which I talked about
that I talked about
that I talked

All the following sentences, which contain relative

clauses, are correct EXCEPT for
A. The suitcase which my father bought was
Unnecessary
upstairs.
information
B. The suitcase which my father bought was
upstairs.
C. The suitcase bought by my father was
upstairs.
D. The suitcase buying my father bought was
A good stem __:
upstairs.

1. should not provide cues for

answer
2. contains enough information
3. has a clear instruction
4. eliminates unnecessary details.

Common problems with the alternatives

Choose from the preposition marked A, B, C and D the
correct one to fill in the blank by circling the
corresponding letter A, B, C or D.
_________ weekends, John often go fishing with his friend
George.
A. On
B. In
C. At
D. By

Double
Key

Choose one word whose underlined part is pronounced

differently from the others by circling the corresponding letter
No Key
A, B, C or D.
A. celebration
B. certain C. century
D. excellent

Implausibility
Choose the correct answer by circling the corresponding letter
A, B, C or D.
Before ______, they used horse-drawn wooden carts.
A. Farmers have had tractors
B. Tractors owned by farmers
C. Farmers had tractors

Choose the correct answer by circling the corresponding letter

A, B, C or D.
Every atlas has its own legend.
Unparalleled
The word legend in this sentence probably means
alternative
A. Mythical story
B. Famous person
C. A part that explains meaning of symbols
D. Special color

Choose the correct answer by circling the

corresponding letter A, B, C or D.
Not for a moment ___________ I would be
offered the job, so I was amazed when I got it.
A. did I think
B. had I think
C. I thought
D. I had thought

2 for 2 split

1. Choose the word that best defines the italicized word

Many students are resentful of too many rules because they feel they are
being treated as children.
A. discontented with
B. bored by
C. angry about
D. happy with
2. Choose the correct answer by circling the corresponding
letter A, B, C or D.
_________ it would rain he would have brought the umbrella.
A. Had he known
B. Did he know
C. He knew
D. He had known
3. Circle the word in which the sound /l/ is silent.
A. shoulder
B. sailor
C. slow
D. shallow

4. Choose the correct answer by circling the corresponding

letter A, B, C or D.
Usable energy is lost at each level of a food chain in the form of
A. heat
B. chemical energy
C. All of the above
D. None of the above

5. Choose the word that best defines the italicized word.

The elderly are beginning to demand rights for themselves.
A. parents
B. children
C. couples
D. people who are old

Choose the word that best defines the italicized word

Many students are resentful of too many rules because they feel
they are being treated as children.
A. discontented with
Double Key
B. bored by
C. angry about
D. happy with

Choose the correct answer by circling the corresponding letter

A, B, C or D.
_________ it would rain he would have brought the umbrella.
A. Had he known
B. Did he know
C. He knew
2 for 2 split
D. He had known

Circle the word in which the sound /l/ is silent.

A. shoulder
B. sailor
C. slow
D. shallow

No Key
Choose the correct answer by circling the corresponding letter
A, B, C or D.
Usable energy is lost at each level of a food chain in the form of
A. heat
B. chemical energy
Implausibility
C. All of the above
D. None of the above
Choose the word that best defines the italicized word.
The elderly are beginning to demand rights for themselves.
A. parents
B. children
C. couples
Unparalleled
D. people who are old

alternative

assignment