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QUESTION 1
A test is defined as a systematic procedure for measuring a sample of behavior by posing a set of
questions in a unified manner (Linn & Gronlund, 1995:6).
Briefly explain the term systematic procedure.
[1 mark]
Systematic procedure -
QUESTION 2
Compare assessment and measurement.
[1 mark]
Assessment
Measurement
QUESTION 3
Provide ONE (1) reason why the relationship between curriculum specifications, instruction, and testing
is not always a linear process in reality.
[1 mark]
QUESTION 4
There are six (6) levels to Blooms Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
(Cognitive Domain). Name the lowest level and the highest level
[1 mark]
Lowest
Highest
knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
1
QUESTION 5
Briefly define validity.
[1 mark]
Validity refers to the evidence base that can provided about appropriateness
of the inferences
QUESTION 6
Explain why a test can be reliable but not valid.
[1 mark]
QUESTION 7
Name ONE (1) way how a teacher can try to achieve positive backwash.
[1 mark]
QUESTION 8
Briefly explain the term alternative assessment.
[1 mark]
Alternative Assessment
Are assessment procedures that differ from the traditional notions and practise of tests
with respect to format, performance or implimentation.
Found its root in writing assessment because of the need to provide continuous
assessment rather than a single impromptu evaluation.
QUESTION 9
Name TWO (2) ways in which peer assessment can be beneficial to students.
[1 mark]
QUESTION 10
What are TWO (2) advantages of portfolio assessment for the teacher?
[1 mark]
Read up
1. Basic principles:
- Validity
Reliability
Is the degree to which an assessment tool produces stable and consistent results.
Practicality
Refers to the degree to which equally competent scorers obtain the same results.
It is not expensive
The time is appropriate
Does nit exceed available materials resources
Washback effect
Autheticity
The degree of correspondance of the characteristic of a given language test task to the
features of a target language task.
Language learners are motivated to perform when they are faced with tasks that reflect real
world situation and contexts.
Developing a StandardizedTest
1. Determine the purpose and objectives of the test
-
2. Design Test Specifications (The specs act as the blueprint in determining the number and types
of items to be created)
- identify a set of constructs underlying the test (construct validation) e.g. construct of language
proficiency. Language competence can be broken down into subsets of listening, speaking,
reading and writing.
- Each can be examined on a continuum of linguistic units: phonology (pronunciation),
orthography (spelling), words (lexicon), sentences (grammar), discourse (beyond sentence
level), and pragmatic (sociolinguistic, contextual)
- Oral production test conversational fluency, pronunciation
- Listening comprehension test listening for general meaning
- Reading test comprehension of long or short passages, sentences, phrases, words
- Writing test - open-ended form with free composition, structured to elicit correct spelling to
discourse-level competence