PART 3

BACKGROUND
TO
LANGUAGE TEACHING

UNIT 15
ASSESSMENT TYPES

Definitions
+ Assessment
+ Informal assessment
+ Formal assessment

assessment
+ The act of judging learners
performance by collecting information
about it
+ Learners are assessed for different
reasons with different kinds of tests.

informal assessment
+ The act of observing learners to see
how well they are doing and giving
comments on their performance
+ Requires careful observation, notetaking and lots of effort on the part of
the teacher
+ Assessment results may not be
reported to the education institution.

formal assessment
+ The act of assessing learners with
tests, exams or assignment projects
involving marks or grades
+ The tests may belong to many
categories and the assessment process
maybe immediate or gradual.

Key concepts
+ diagnostic test
+ placement test
+ progress test
+ achievement test
+ proficiency test
+ formative assessment
+ summative assessment
+ self-assessment vs. peer assessment

diagnostic test
+ Carried out at the beginning of a
course
+ Used for finding out what learners
know and do not know
=> Determining what to focus on in the
process of teaching and learning

placement test
+ Carried out before the start of a
course
+ Used for placing students
appropriate classes

into

=> Application of the right teaching

methods and techniques

progress test
+ Used for formative assessment
+ Carried out weekly or fortnightly
+ May include many types of tests: 15minute test, 60-minute test, projects,
etc.

achievement test
+ Used for checking how much
knowledge a learner has gained after a
period of time
+ What is taught is what is tested
+ E.g.: mid-term test, final test

proficiency test
+ Used for checking how proficient a
learner has become in a language
+ Does not depend on what and how
much a learner has studied something
+ More prone to checking the general
mastery of a language than what is
taught (unlike the achievement test)

formative assessment
+ Also called gradual assessment
+ Takes place for a long time
+ May include both formal and informal
assessment
+ Can give students more chance to
improve and let them know what to
improve in their performance

summative assessment
+ Takes place at the end of a course
+ May take place in the form of a
course-end test or final project
+ The progress is not measured, only
the eventual result at the time the
assessment occurs.

self-assessment vs. peer-assessment

self-assessment
+ The act of assessing ones own progress
and achievement
+ Influenced by subjectivity => a clear set of
criteria is even more necessary

peer-assessment
+ Done by a friend or classmate
+ More objectivity => mistakes/errors that
may not be seen can be found

ATTENTION TO TEACHERS
+ Assessment can affect what is taught, how
lessons are taught and the motivation of learners.
+ Some tests are easy to design and mark, but
may not reflect the true performance of test
takers (i.e. learners sitting the tests).
+ The content and methods of progress and
achievement tests should reflect the content and
methods of teaching.
+ Informal assessment is often more suitable for
young learners.

What types of test and assessment?

1. A friend gives comments on the
learners essay.
Answer: peer-assessment
2. A test is held before the course starts
to put students in suitable classes.
Answer: placement test
3. After a semester, a final test is held.
Answer: achievement test and summative
assessment

4. There is a test every week.

Answer: progress test + formative
assessment
5. The teacher designs the test to see if her
students may lack knowledge in a grammar
point.
Answer: diagnostic test
6. A learner is listening to a recording of her
friends speech and making comments on it.
Answer: peer-assessment

7. The students can improve their

performance if they do not do well at a
certain time.
Answer: progress test and formative
assessment
8. They can learn and practice what they
want, but they are going to take the same
test.
Answer: proficiency test