some key notes in tests.ppt

Some Key Concepts Measurement 测量 quantify characteristics of a person (both physical and mental), like height, motivation, attitude involve both tests and non-tests Some Key Concepts Test 测试 a procedure designed to obtain a specific sample of an individual’s behavior a measurement instrument Some Key Concepts Evaluation 评估 systematic gathering of information for decision making quantitative: like scores qualitative: recommendation letter Approaches to/Historical Development of language testing I. the essay-translation approach (pre-scientific/traditional stage) also called grammar-translation approach No special skill or expertise in testing is required, based on teachers’ experience and intuition. Approaches to/Historical Development of language testing Subjective test method Test format: essay writing, translation, grammatical analysis Approaches to/Historical Development of language testing II. the structuralist-psychometric approach (modern stage) Early 1950s to late 1960s Approaches to/Historical Development of language testing Statistical considerations: reliability, objectivity Test formats: MCQ: assess one point at a time Each MCQ is independent of each other. Approaches to/Historical Development of language testing Problems --The assumption that knowledge of the elements of a language is equal to knowledge of that language --Test reliability is pursued at the cost of other desirable test qualities like validity. Approaches to/Historical Development of language testing III. the integrative approach 1970s – early 1980s Test of language in context Test format: dictation, cloze, Translation, Oral interviews, Composition writing (p. 16-18) Approaches to/Historical Development of language testing IV. the communicative approach 1980s – now Test format: real life tasks, aims to incorporate tasks which approximate as closely as possible to those facing students in real life. Approaches to/Historical Development of language testi