Classroom Tests

Purposes
• PSA
To place, to check progress or to
measure proficiency.

To determine which macro skills

(NA) require most attention.

To determine how much focus

will be given to (accuracy or
vocabulary development).
 Purposes (II)
• Placement Test
Reading (cloze passages)
Listening (guided note-taking)
Very quickly to mark
Reliable (grouping students and
advising them which classes to
attend.
Writing (validity).
 Purposes (III)
• Progress Tests
to measure mastery of classwork.
• Achievement Tests
to measure mastery of a syllabus.
to take a wider and longer
perspective than progress tests.
Purposes (IV)
• Proficiency Tests
to measure how well students
will perform in their target
language task (ESP principles).
Communicative events and
processes are separated into
micro skills and language items
and then provide practice
(discrete items and as a whole) to
help students learn.
Characteristics of tests

Carroll (1989) Bachman and Palmer (1996)

• C.A.R.E • FAIR VP
comparability fairness
acceptability authenticity
relevance impact
economy reliability
validity
practicality
Crucial factors
• Setting Backwash
• Administering • The test will affect what is
• Marking taught and how it is taught.
• Negative
• Positive
Public Examinations Developed in
the UK
EAP Examinations
• IELTS (International English Language
Testing System)
• UETESOL (University Entrance Test in
English for Speakers of Other
Languages)
• TEEP (Test in English for Educational
Purposes)
Available at centres all over the
world.
They help admission tutors
decide whether an applicant can
cope with the linguistic demands
of a course.
They share a number of
features which reflect current
approaches to testing.
Similarities
• There is no simple pass/fail mark system
• They use band descriptors and provide a separate band level for the 4
language skills.
• Results are not given as a percentage but on a scale.
IELTS  0-9
UETESOL A,B,C,D
TEEP  1,2,3
Similarities (II)
• Each one assess the candidate’s level of
proficiency in different skills.
• The separate band levels for each skill provide
valuable information to candidates, teachers and
admission tutors.
• All the questions are compulsory  to ensure
consistency and fairness.
• Each examination sets multiple tasks  greater
consistency of performance.
• They are offered to candidates of all subject
matters.
EOP Examinations
• PLAB (Professional and Llinguistic • Many EOP tests are Bussiness-
Aassessment Board of the UK General related.
Medical Council).

• Task-based proficiency tests.

• Patient-Doctor interview
(communicative ability and
medical competence) • Similar design and format (the
four skills are separated).
• Occupational English Test
(Australia). • TOEIC (Test Of English for
International Communication)