Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Ting-An Lin
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 will have access to it whenever and wherever
Internet is available in the future. In addition, the layout makes it easier for me to browse or
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, I would like to explain what my view on language testing is after taking
the Language Assessment Seminar this semester.
Test-taking has 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 that I actually liked it. However, it does not
mean that I appreciated the tests themselves. On the contrary, I was very much against test
preparation courses in Taiwan where one learns nothing about using the language, but only
test-taking skills. I used to think that it was 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
Ideas File
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 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 the complete review on the Taiwanese-targeted General English Proficiency Test
(GEPT) by me. Through the process of completing the assignments from this seminar, the test
review and original test in the next subpage, I processed and actually put into use the knowledge
Ideas File
I read from the articles and books and heard in class. As for worldwide recognized tests, I
included, for example, Terra Minollis TOEFL-iBT summary review and Stephen Spanos 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
using statistic software calculating norm-referenced test (NRT) results since most of the language
Ideas File
Ideas File
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
was originated from ancient China. After so many years, the test methods have not changed
much because we are too afraid of trying new things and we 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 bring 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.