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Running head: Ideas File

Language Testing Philosophy and Rationale

Ting-An Lin

EDUC8540: Language Assessment

Dr. Kathleen M. Bailey
Monterey Institute of International Studies
December 11, 2014

Ideas File

This Language Testing Ideas File consists of what I learned in Dr. Baileys Language
Assessment Seminar and my personal philosophy on language assessment. I chose to present the
Ideas File in the form of a website because I can have access to it whenever and wherever
Internet is available. In addition, the layout makes it easier for me to browse and search existing
documents, and to update or add new materials in the future. Before describing how I decided to
include and organize the ideas and how they will assist me as a language instructor and assessor
in the future, I would like to explain what my view on language testing is after taking the
Language Assessment Seminar this semester.
Tests have been a big part of my life as a student in Taiwan. From criterion-referenced
progress tests in English conversation classes to norm-referenced standardized tests like the high
school and university entrance exams, I was so good at it that I actually liked taking them.
However, it does not mean that I like the tests themselves. On the contrary, I was very much
against test preparation courses in Taiwan where one learns nothing about the language, but only
test-taking skills. I used to think that it was very unfair that these grammar-oriented and discrete
items based tests are not able to discriminate good language users from good test takers.
Although I disagree with the idea of teaching to the test, given the prevalent test-driven English
teaching situation in Taiwan, I believe that the adoption of more integrative test methods in the
English entrance exams, namely the tests that incorporate the notion of communicative language
testing (Swain, 1984), will be a highly effective attempt to bring about changes in English
education in Taiwan.
In producing such communication-oriented English tests, I think it is crucial to consider the

Ideas File

notion of communicative competence (Canale and Swain, 1980), which consists of

sociolinguistic competence, discourse competence, linguistic competence, and strategic
competence. There is too much focus paid on the linguistic competence in English tests in
Taiwan. I think there should be assessments stressing the other three to help learners use the
language more appropriately. In addition, I believe that the content of the test should be closely
related to the actual usage of language.
Dr. Bailey expects us to be those teachers who design the tests carefully, pilot them prior to
giving them to the learners and analyze the test results using the statistics procedures we learned
in the program. It would be very difficult to do so in Taiwan since tests are given twice a day, if
not daily. However, I think it is what English teachers need to do to show the students that we
take their performance seriously and we are making effort to help them make progress. Defining
test constructs, writing item types, and interpreting test results are some assessment-related skills
that English teachers in Taiwan need to relearn, recognizing the fact that it is not enough to
solely rely on the practice tests the textbook publishers provide. We are the people who know
and should know our students strengths and weaknesses the best.
As my position changes from a test-taker to a test-developer, I am on my way collecting a
cornucopia of theories, test items, networks, and statistic procedures which will equip me with
the skills required to develop tests that are reliable, valid, practical and have positive effects on
teaching. Thanks to this seminar, my interests in language assessment development and data
analysis grow. In addition to being an English teacher, another possible career path unfolds
before me. I would like to join the testing developing and research centers in Taiwan to

Ideas File

contribute my knowledge to make the tests more cater to the real life use.
In putting this file together, I kept in mind that in the future I will be constantly revisiting
these valuable resources I have gathered through this seminar and will be able to use them to
their fullest potential. Thus, organization is the key. The website includes a front page, an
electronic version of this writing and eight subpages, Frameworks, Test Methods, Commercially
Developed English Tests, Original Test Development Project, Statistics Guidelines, English Tests
in Taiwan, Alternative Assessments and Resources on the Web.
First, I included the three main frameworks I have utilized in both my seminar assignments:
Wesches (1983) four components of tests, Swains (1984) four principles of communicative
language tests, and four traditional criteria for evaluating language tests. These frameworks will
be extremely useful when evaluating and designing English tests. Examining tests from the
theoretical frameworks will give me a firm foundation and strong start on analyzing existing tests
and writing new tests.
Second, a list of test methods compiled in class by everyone and documents on the
techniques writing certain methods are included. This would be very useful when I want to use
something other than multiple-choice questions. Many test methods are not familiar to Taiwanese
students and it would be interesting to try out what are some that can measure their proficiency
and at the same time raise their interests in taking tests.
Third, I compiled summary reviews on commercially developed English tests done by some
colleagues and complete review on the General English Proficiency Test (GEPT) by me.
Through the process of completing the assignments from this seminar, the test review and

Ideas File

original test in the next subpage, I processed and actually put into use the knowledge I read from
the articles and books and heard in class. As for worldwide-recognized tests, I included, for
example, Terras TOEFL-iBT summary review and Stephens IELTS summary review. Their
works will be helpful to me providing appropriate support to my EFL students who are thinking
of studying abroad and must or wish to take these tests.
Fourth, I have included several original tests developed by several colleagues and me,
which will be suitable for students in Taiwan. These are helpful examples when I develop tests
which are targeting at junior high or high school students, assessing not only their language
competence accurately and properly but also having positive effect on students. I hope the
development of such tests will give students appropriate learning motivation to acquire
communicative skills, as opposed to discrete grammar knowledge, which many students
mistaken as success in language learning.
Fifth, allow me to title this section All that Math. I believe many language teachers
choose this profession because we are not good at math. Someone should have warned me about
all these calculation beforehand! From descriptive statistics, histograms, and correlation
coefficients to item analysis, frequency polygons, and standard error of measurement, it is
inevitable to calculate either by hand or on a computer. Thankfully, both Dr. Turners Education
Research Method and Dr. Baileys Language Assessment provided me with lots of tools and
resources we can turn to when we are no longer in the academic environment. After trying out
some of the statistic procedures and formulas with my original test, I found it was actually not
taunting to deal with the numbers. However, I still need to train myself to be more familiar with

Ideas File

using statistic software calculating norm-referenced test (NRT) results since most of the language
assessments produced by many testing centers are large-scaled NRTs.
Sixth, since my mid-long term goal is to return to Taiwan and be involved in English
teaching and testing in the secondary school education, here I included the widely-used GEPT
and English subject of the entrance exams. The high school entrance exam and the college
entrance exam are the high-stakes tests affecting all stakeholders including students, parents,
teachers, administrators, test developers, textbook publishers, Ministry of Education officials, the
media, etc. Currently, the tests are moving toward a more communicative approach by
incorporating a listening subtest. It would be helpful and interesting to track the development,
acceptance and the effects they have on English teaching and learning.
Seventh, in addition to standardized tests, alternative assessments are receiving more
attention now that many young and passionate teachers are trying out the idea of flipped
classroom. They are using more performance tasks and dynamic assessments for evaluation
instead of quizzes and practice tests. Since it is mostly used in elementary schools, the effects it
has on older students worth looking into. However, this new trend of breaking the old habits is
indeed a good sign for both teachers and students since the language should be used as a
communicator, not just the options students fill in for multiple-choice questions.
Eighth, as mentioned previously, I am interested in entering research centers to learn and
help with the projects they are doing. Thus, this section is more for my professional development.
I included centers in both the U.S. and Taiwan so that I can be up-to-date with their test
developments and research projects, and see the similarity and difference in different academic

Ideas File

atmosphere. In addition, links to other useful websites for glossary and reference list are also
stored in this section. I hope this subpage can serve as the search engine for language assessment
where I can find information for general questions quickly. Thus, I think this will be the section
that gets expanded most frequently.
I remember in the video of Barry OSullivans lecture, he mentioned that the testing system
started in ancient China. After so many years, the test methods haven not changed much because
we are too afraid of trying new things and tend to stick to the old and safe way. Fortunately, I
discovered some individuals and organizations are starting to experiment, challenging the old
fashions. Having this Ideas File as a handy resource in my future career, I hope I can be one of
them who brings unconventional testing methods, ideas, and professional skills for test analyses,
as well as alternative assessment tools and language assessment philosophy in the English
education in Taiwan. I hope that my future involvement in the teaching and assessment of
Taiwanese students will have positive washback on their English learning and eventually help
elevate the overall quality of foreign language education.

Reference
Canale, M. & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second
language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1, 1-47.
Swain, M. (1984). Large-scale communicative language testing: A case study. In S. J. Savignon,
& M. Berns (Eds.), Initiatives in communicative language teaching (pp. 185-201). Reading,
MA: Addison-Wesley.
Wesche, M. B. (1983). Communicative testing in a second language. The modern language
journal, 67, 41-55.