READING TEST EVALUATION 1.0. Introduction 1.1.

Scope of Work For the course TSL 591 Methodology in Teaching Reading, our lecturer, Madam Norsiah Sirun had assigned us to evaluate a reading test paper from any school in Malaysia. By using Hudsons book, Teaching Second Language Reading as a reference, we are required to analyze the reading test critically based on Barretts taxonomy of reading skills. We are required to analyze the test papers strengths and weaknesses as well as suggesting some ideas on how to improve the test. 1.2.Review of Test Paper The reading test was taken from Sekolah Menengah Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, Sepang, Selangor. It is a PMR trial examination paper for English subject for the year 2003. The examination is answered by Form 3 students. The test consists of 60 questions which are divided into 11 sections. The sections are not categorised to labels like A, B and C, but they are divided through the question numbers like question 1 to 6, question 7 to 11 and so on. But generally all the questions are multiple choice questions where students are given choices of A, B, C and D. Questions 1-6 Question 7-11 Question 12- 18 Question 19-24

These sections are multiple choice questions where students are required to answer questions based on the passages. They answer the questions by choosing from 4 choices of answers.

Questions 25-27 Questions 28-30

These questions are multiple choice questions based on the students literature texts and the text and excerpts are provided for students to refer to answer the questions. The literature texts are Lifes Brief Candle poem and excerpt from How Dalat Got Its Name.

Questions 31-34: A dialogue of a situation is given and students are required complete the conversation by filling in the blanks of the underlined functions by selecting the best answer from options A, B, C and D.

Questions 35-37 Questions 38- 40

A dialogue of a situation is given and the students are required to select the answer which is the closest meaning to the expression underlined in the conversation, from the options A, B, C and D.

Questions 41- 50

Questions 51-60

Cloze procedure (A paragraph of texts for each section is given in which the grammar items are blanked and require students to identify the words which best fit the blanks from the options A, B, C and D

2.0.Question Analysis 2.1.Assessment of skills

CATEGORIES/ QUESTIONS 1 LITERAL 2 REORGANIZATION 3 INFERENTIAL 4 EVALUATION 5 APPRECIATION

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

1.1 1.1 3.1 3.5 3.7 3.8 3.8 1.1 3.8 3.5 3.7 1.1 1.1 2.1 1.1 3.2 3.5 3.6

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42

1.1 1.1 1.1 3.8 1.2 2.1 3.1 3.5 2.1 3.6 3.8 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 1.1 1.1

43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 TOTAL Q.

1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 35 3 22 0 0

Table 1: Division of questions based on Barretts Taxonomy of reading skills

3.0.Conclusion 3.1.Overall analysis There are 35 questions that fall under literal comprehension, 3 questions under reorganization and 22 questions under inferential comprehension. Most of the questions of the test ask the students to identify the details from the passages given. The 22 questions that fall under inferential comprehension mostly ask the students to infer the effects, comparisons, main ideas and supporting details. No question evaluated falls under evaluation and appreciation. 3.2.Judgments There are 60 questions overall from this examination paper. The questions may seem to be a lot but I think by using the technique of putting the questions all into multiple choice questions, it eases students to answer questions because if choices of answers are not given, student will have difficulty in answering the questions because they will need to think of the sentences and 60 questions to answer in 1 hour and 30 minutes will not be enough. The questions may seem to be in one type which is multiple choice questions but they vary in the sense that all the sections use different types of texts and the techniques are different. This means that a few sections use the technique of providing schedules and conversations where students will have to answer by identifying the details from the texts. While other sections take excerpts from the students literature texts. While there are also sections that require students to apply their grammar skills in order to answer the questions which is by filling in blanks. For questions that require them to compete the conversation

according to the underlined functions require the students to guess which expression and which sentences are appropriate according to the purpose of communicating.

3.3.Recommendations The examination paper contains a variation of types of questions that will not bore the students. In fact, students are more eager to answer questions that give choices of answers. However, students proficiency is not challenged enough because they can choose any answer that they feel confident with. If the test paper also includes short-answered questions then the students will be more challenged to answer them. The questions should not require students to write essays because it could increase their anxiety, but they should be asked to give opinions especially at the literature section and also the passages that can require them to make wise choices and state the reasons of choosing it. For instance in questions 1-6 one or two questions on their opinions and their own choice could be asked. They should state a few reasons why they choose it. The examination paper only covers the 3 levels of Barretts taxonomy of reading skills which are literal comprehension, reorganization and inferential comprehension. It can be said that the test is not holistic because their appreciation and evaluation skills are not tested. Therefore short answered questions should be included in the test paper. The examination papers difficulty level is organized well because the beginning parts of the questions are easy because students only need to identify the answers from the passages. Then the difficulty moves to harder where they need to select the correct expression
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according to purpose of speaking in conversations and interpreting meanings of phrases that are figurative. Then the last part tests students grammar skills. However, the interpreting meaning part in my opinion is a bit too difficult for weak students thus I think more simpler phrases should be provided. Hence I think this examination paper is effective to test students reading skills and their proficiency in English, but other techniques and types of questions should be included in it so that it covers all the levels in Barretts taxonomy of reading skills. In a nutshell, I am glad that I chose to evaluate this examination paper because it is interesting and effective for students to challenge their reading skills. I hope in the future I will get the chance to construct this kind of test paper but it contains all of the categories.

4.0.Bibliography Hudson, T. (2007). Teaching Second Language Reading. England. Oxford University Press.