| Why Test? | | | | grade. |
| You know how your learners dread to hear, "Next | | | | In addition, testing, evaluation and assessment in English |
| class we have a test on ..." Why, you can practically | | | | and other foreign language teaching can also serve |
| hear their groans of displeasure even now. Even | | | | the interests of four distinctive groups; teachers, |
| teachers hate tests to some degree. There's preparing | | | | learners, the administration and parents in the case of |
| the test, administering it and then the meager efforts to | | | | young language learners. |
| try to prevent the almost inevitable cheating. It's a | | | | FOR TEACHERS: |
| cat-and-mouse game of "catch-me-if-you-can". Who's | | | | Testing, evaluation and assessment in English and |
| "smarter", the teacher or the learners? So considering | | | | other foreign language teaching can serve the |
| the fear and dread that both the learners and | | | | interests of teachers in at least three major aspects: |
| teachers have of testing, what is really the role of | | | | - Evaluation of teaching and didactic methods |
| testing, evaluation and assessment in English Language | | | | - Evaluation of learner language competencies |
| Teaching? The following are key points in | | | | - Teacher accountability to the administration and |
| consideration of English and other foreign language | | | | parents: i.e., are objectives being met? |
| tests. | | | | FOR LEARNERS: |
| Did you know that:o Students learn more in classes | | | | Testing, evaluation and assessment in English and |
| that use testso The connection between testing and | | | | other foreign language teaching can serve the |
| increased learning is well-proven in researcho Students | | | | interests of learners in three principal aspects: |
| are more motivated in classes that use tests ...o The | | | | - Demonstrate knowledge |
| classes in which students learn most and for which | | | | - Diagnostic to point out areas of weakness or inability |
| they study hardest are ones in which they are | | | | - Promote study |
| frequently and thoroughly tested... (Eggan - Kauchak, | | | | There are five key Assessment categories (ref. |
| 1994)o Students expect to be tested - adult students | | | | Cucchiarelli, Panti, Valenti, 2000): |
| expect and respect formal testing and are challenged | | | | - Placement assessment |
| by it... (M. Thompson, 2001) | | | | - Formative assessment |
| ASSESSMENT means judging learner's performance | | | | - Diagnostic assessment |
| by collecting information about it. | | | | - Summative evaluation |
| There are basically two types of assessment, informal | | | | - Self- assessment |
| and formal. | | | | In the next part of this article series we'll continue and |
| INFORMAL ASSESSMENT is when we observe | | | | consider each of these assessment categories in |
| learners to see how well they are doing and then | | | | more detail. English and other foreign language |
| comment on their performance. | | | | teachers, your personal insights, observations, |
| FORMAL ASSESSMENT is when we assess | | | | questions and comments on this topic will be greatly |
| learners through tests or exams and give them a | | | | appreciated. |