Chapter 1

Principles and Purposes of Language Assessment

5 Key Concepts

1. Assessment

2. Testing

3. Language Testing

4. Measurement

5. Evaluation

Assessment

• It is the act of gathering information on a daily basis in order to understand an individual student's learning and needs.

• In the context of language teaching and learning, this refers to the act of collecting information and making judgments about a language learners' knowledge of a language and ability to use it.

Testing

• It refers to procedures that are based on tests.

• In learning, it is a salient part of assessment.

Language Testing

• It is the practice and study of evaluating the proficiency of an individual in using a particular language effectively.

Measurement

This includes testing and other types of measurement, as well as other types of information that result in quantitative data such as attendance, records, questionnaires, teacher ratings of students, etc.

Evaluation

It is the culminating act of interpreting the information gathered for the purpose of making decisions or judgments about students' learning and needs, often at reporting time.

Assessment and Evaluation 7 Principles

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Assessment and Evaluation are essential components of the teaching and learning process.

A variety of assessment and evaluation techniques should be used.

Teachers should communicate assessment and evaluation strategies and plan in advance, informing the students of the objectives and the assessment procedures relative to the objectives.

Assessment and Evaluation should be fair and equitable. They should be free of bias.

Assessment and Evaluation should help students.

Assessments and Evaluation data and results should be communicated to students and parents/guardians regularly, in meaningful ways.

Assessment and Evaluation should use a variety of techniques and tools.

3 Purposes of Assessment

1. Assessment for Learning

2. Assessment as Learning

3. Assessment of Learning

Assessment for Learning

This purpose focuses on the gap between where the learner is in his/her learning, and where he/she needs to be - the desired goal.

Black and William

They define assessment for learning as “all those activities undertaken by teachers and/or by the students, which provide information to be used as feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged.”

Learners learn best when..

• They understand clearly.

• They are given feedback.

• They are given advice.

• They are fully involved.

Assessment as Learning

This purpose is about reflecting on evidence of learning.

Through this, learners become more aware of:

• What they learn

• How they learn

• What helps them learn

Assessment of Learning

This purpose involves working with the range of available evidence that enables staff and the wider assessment community to check on students’ progress and using this information in a number of ways.

Judgments about students’ learning need to be dependable. This means that;

• They are reliable

• They are comparable

3 Functions of Language Tests

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Language Tests are used to measure students' language ability, to discover how much they have been learning, to diagnose students' strengths and weaknesses, and to motivate students in learning.

Language Tests are used in teaching as a means to ensure effective teaching, to improve teaching quality, to obtain feedback on student learning place on a course.

Language Tests have a potentially important role in virtually all research, both basic and applied, that is related to the nature of language proficiency, language processing, language acquisition, language attrition, and language teaching.

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TYPES OF LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT

● Kinds of Assessment and Evaluation

● Types of Assessment Tests

● Kinds of Language Tests

4 Kinds of Assessment and Evaluation

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Diagnostic Assessment and Evaluation

Occur at the beginning of the school year and before each unit of the study. The purposes are to determine students' knowledge and skills, their learning needs, and their motivational and interests level.