PAPER

LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT

APIKA PUTRI CAHYA SANDEWA

20140810014

B Class

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LANGUAGE EDUCATION

UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH YOGYAKARTA

2014
 DECLARATION

I certify that the attached material is my original work. No other persons work or
ideas have been used without t acknowledgement. Except where I have clearly stated that I
have used some of this material l elsewhere, I have not presented this for assessment in
another course or unit at this or any other institution. I have retained a copy of this
assignment. I have read and understand the Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta
document Academic Integrity at Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta: Student
guidelines for avoiding plagiarism.

Apika Putri Cahya Sandewa

April, 2016
 INTRODUCTION

A. Background of Study

Language is important in daily life activity because we needed communication with

other person by using language. Languages skill are speaking, reading, writing and
listening. Language learners is student who learning language. Language learning has
a good correlation with language assessment. In language learning we need language
assessment to divided part of skill abilities in the level languages. The level of
languages is beginner, intermediate, and advanced.

Language assessment is an important thing in teaching and learning because in

language learning we need to know the learners skill ability. The basic of language
assessment are test, assessment, and evaluation. Students need test to increase their
abilities in language and know what level they are in level of language. The teacher as
controller in language learning should be knows how to test learners skill ability.

Teacher should have a good technique and knowledge about language assessment.
Teacher should be creative and not plagiarism in design test to learner. Teacher
should make an assessment in their owner ability and make sure that the learners
know what assessment talking about. This paper focused is language assessment not
language testing.

Divided learners ability is not easy. Teacher should to know the criteria of their
learners. Language assessment is help teacher to know the learners abilities in
language learning. Teacher should to read a lot of sources about language assessment
to increase their knowledge about assessment.

TOEFL, TOIC, TEFL is example of language assessment because we will know

which level they are. Language assessment also using to divided the class of
language. Sometimes when you are in English course we will answe red the test and
the teacher will give materials about your level. The author concluded that language
assessment is important in language learning.
B. Purpose of Paper
According to background study, this paper purpose to know more about language
assessment. The purpose is divided in three points:
1. To know definition about test, assessment and evaluation.
2. To know types and characteristic of good test.
3. To know how to test speaking, listening, reading, writing, listening and
grammar.
C. Benefits of Paper
The benefit of this paper is divided to 6 points:
1. Know definition about test, assessment and evaluation.
2. Know types and characteristic of good test.
3. Know how to test speaking, listening, reading, writing, and grammar.
D. Outline of Paper
Cover page
Declaration page
Title page
Writer page
Introduction
Background study
Purpose of paper
Benefit of paper
Outline
Content
Definition test, assessment and Evaluation
Type of test based
How to test Listening and speaking
How to test reading and writing
How to grammar
Principles of good test
Characteristic of good test
Developing test
Conclusion
References
 CONTENT

A. Definition Test, Assessment and Evaluation

Test

According from book of language assessment principle and classroom practice

language is a method to measuring a persons skill ability, knowledge, or
performance in a given area (Brown, 2004). According to oxford dictionary method
is quality of being well planned and organized (Homby, 1985) so test is method or
technique objective in measure persons skill ability or to examine persons skill
abilities in language.

In the other hand test is testing to know what level or skill acquired in language
learning. (Rouse, 2008) Test can also as tools to divide learner level in language
learning. Test can increase persons skill ability and also knowledge.

Test divides into two parts, first is test to teach and teach to test. Test to teach like
Test Semester or need evaluation and teach to test is study first after all the materials
done we get a test example is test TOEFL. We study about TOEFL before we test
TOEFL. It is means that test to teach is test before teach and teach to test is teaching
before test.

According to other theories, author concluded that test is method to examine

someone or persons skill abilities like speaking, listening, writing, reading and
grammar in language learning to divide the learners into level of language or changes
learners in level of language. Score test tells the fluency of learners. High score test
will be changes learner in better language level.

Assessment

Assessment is analysis from test or appreciates from test score or to know the
understanding of learners. It is mean that assessment is analysis the data from test
score to know learners understanding.

Teacher is need assessment to analysis learner ability to improve teaching in language

learning. So, assessment is analysis from data result to know frequency of
understanding the learner in skill ability.
 Evaluation

Evaluation is conclusion from assessment. Example, lecturer is gave A to his student

because the student was smart, on time, active in the classroom and have a good
attitude. To gave A is needed assessment and test so Evaluation is a way from
assessment. Evaluation is what should be if we do after we get assessment or means
measure after assessment.

B. Type of test based categories

Type is variety. Test has many varieties. Test based categories are depend to
how to score, how real is situation, when to test, what test compared and how much to
test.
1. How Real Situation
According to how real situation is real situation in test. This has two types of test.
There are direct and indirect. is direct if learner to perform the communicative
skill in tested. Indirect try to measure a students ability by getting with their
receptive and productive (Harmer) is mean that direct is test learners
performance like speaking in listening. Indirect is test competence about cognitive
testing skill reading and writing. When teacher test by written that is indirect but
when teacher test by oral is direct.
2. When to Test
Categories of when to test are talking about time testing and outcome from the
test.
a. Summative and Formative test
Summative is final test example of Summative is Ujian Akhir Sekolah,
Ujian Nasional. Formative is test which needs evaluation or process. Example
is Ujian Tengah Semester. Formative do in the middle semester not in the last
semester. Usually, on 3 month before finished the semester.
b. Placement Test
Placing new student in class use of placement test (Harmer). So placement
test is test used to categories learner in level language. It happened in course
of language or classroom in the school. It happened to know learners level.
 c. Proficiency Test
Proficiency test is testing general or global not only one skill both of them. It
is depend what will testing example is TOEFL.
d. Pre-Test and Post-Test
The differences are before and after. This test usually, using when someone
who to know the differences result of sample and using in research.
e. Achievement test
Similar with summative, achievement test is final test or test skill
achievement.
f. Aptitude test
Test learners skill when he or she doing something.
g. Progress test
Progress test are familiar with formative. This is purpose to know skill in the
middle semester.

3. How to Score

Based categories how to score There are subjective and objective test. Subjective
test is score from test-taker and have differences between other test-taker. It is not
transparent, only the test taker know reason give score. Example when test
speaking, three test taker probably will have differences scores to one student.
Objective test is transparent. When testing grammar teacher will take score by final
test and it is clear.

4. How much to Test

How much to test is how type test will be testing in the same time. It is
divided to two types. There are Integrative and Discrete. Integrative test is testing
writing. Discrete test is only testing part of writing. Example is testing past tense.

5. How to Compared Test

How to compared test divide to two types norm-referenced and creation

referenced. Norm referenced is without criteria or secret criteria. Creation
referenced is has a clear criteria.
C. How to test Writing and s peaking
1. How to Test Writing
What to test
a. Content or ideas depend to quantity, quality or level and clarity
b. Language depends to vocabulary, sentence complexity (simple, compound and
complex), syntax and accuracy.
c. Organization depend to appropriate, paragraphing (topic sentence and
supportive sentence)

Resources used in test writing

a. Set questions
b. Short notes
c. Picture series
d. Maps
e. Charts
f. Advertisement
g. Schedules
h. Diary entries

Question type

a. Very structure
b. Partially structure
c. Free writing

2. How to Test Speaking

What to test
a. Content about short or length the content
b. Quality about quality of speaking or talking what are speaking talking about
c. Organization about structure opening, content and closing
d. Language about syntax and vocabulary.

Types of speaking context

a. Interview
 b. Dialogue or conversation
c. Speech or talk about formal and informal
d. Discussion or group pair

D. How to test reading and Listening

1. How to Test Reading
What to test.
Sub skill is about understanding when reading a book or understanding about
content. Sub skill is depends to 5 points.
a. Identify main effect and details : about detailed of book, or what is book or
content talking about
b. Cause & effect: correlation between cause and effect. About why and what.
c. Identify sequence of events : identity step by step the paragraph to know the
main point in the book.
d. Predicting outcomes : predicting the effect or benefit in the feature
e. Infering meaning from contextual clues : means of the book. Theme or about
what is book talking about.

Reading Level is about applied of understanding.

a. Literal comprehension: understanding like memorizing.

b. Recognition: like an introduction something new.
c. Inferential comprehension: make a conclusion or hypothesis
d. Evaluation: analysis good or bad about something
e. Appreciation: give comment

Criteria for Reading Text

a. Ideas depend to complexity, students schemata, culture, language proficiency,

experience.
b. Languages depend to complexity, semantical complexity and lexical
complexity.
c. Accessibility
d. Text length
e. Authentic
 f. Exploitability depend to adaptability and simplification

Question Type

a. True or false
b. Close procedure
c. Rearrangement
d. Structure depend to completion, filling in table and filling in blanks
e. Open-ended
f. MCQ depend to matching, WH question and completion

2. How to Test Listening

Actually about what to test and criterion in the test are same as reading, because
reading and listening are same. They are testing about competence.

What to test.
Sub skill is about understanding when reading a book or understanding about
content. Sub skill is depends to 5 points.
a. Identify main effect and details : about detailed of book, or what is book or
content talking about
b. Cause & effect: correlation between cause and effect. About why and what.
c. Identify sequence of events : identity step by step the paragraph to know the
main point in the book.
d. Predicting outcomes : predicting the effect or benefit in the feature
e. Infering meaning from contextual clues : means of the book. Theme or about
what is book talking about.

Reading Level is about applied of understanding.

a. Literal comprehension: understanding like memorizing.

b. Recognition: like an introduction something new.
c. Inferential comprehension: make a conclusion or hypothesis
d. Evaluation: analysis good or bad about something
e. Appreciation: give comment

Criteria for Reading Text

 a. Ideas depend to complexity, students schemata, culture, language proficiency,
experience.
b. Languages depend to complexity, semantical complexity and lexical
complexity.
c. Accessibility
d. Text length
e. Authentic
f. Exploitability depend to adaptability and simplification

Question Type

a. Sequencing
b. True or false
c. Matching
d. Labeling
e. Fill in the blanks
f. MCQ, with picture and without picture.

E. How to test grammar

What to test
a. Tenses in paragraph
b.
F. Principles of a good test
Principle is basic idea (Homby, 1985) talking about principle test also talking about
effectiveness of test. In principle of test good divided to face validity, Content
Validity, Construct Validity, Concurrent validity and predictive validity.
1. Face Validity
Face validity is identity in the test question paper or information about the test. It
should be written in the paper question. Good test is when the test has identities or
information about for who the test administering, purpose of test and also time and
date. Good test have title of test, skills, date and time, lecturer if any. So, if test
question paper does not have information about test in the paper is not good test.
 2. Content Validity
Content validity is mean that the test should have a same content with the
materials which delivered in the classroom or should be same with curriculum,
syllabus in the classroom. Example, the teacher is teaching about Grammar and
past tense. So, the test should be about past tense. If, the content talking about
singular and plural there is not a good test. So, good test is when content on
teaching are same with content in the test.
3. Construct Validity
Construct validity is the way or method or technique using in learning language
are same in the test. Construct validity when teacher using speaking technique in
delivery the material, the test should be using speaking technique. Example, if
teacher talking about narrative text using speaking method like a story telling. The
teacher should be testing using method of speaking not method of writing. So, the
technique using in the classroom should be same in the testing.
4. Concurrent Validity
Concurrent validity is testing with compared with other test in the same time
5. Predictive Validity
Predictive validity is predicting the result of test in the feature. Example, when
someone got a good score of Proficiency in TOEFL he or she will be easy to
speaking with others person and does not have problem about proficiency. But, if
the result test is bad is mean someone does not yet mastering the language. So, the
good test is when the test can be principle of predicting in the feature.
G. Characteristic of good test
The test should have a good characteristic of test. The characteristic of test depend to
validity, reliable, and practically.
1. Validity
The test should be valid, or right. Should be testing what should be test.
According to (Harmer) validity test is supposed to test test is should be valid. If
you want test language the test should be talking about language not mathematics,
the procedure should be same in the test, student should be know the materials of
test.
2. Reliable
Reliable test is test can use in the same time, for any level, and wherever the areas.
Reliable test focused in the score. Example, teacher have a test of grammar first
 she administered the test for class A and in other day, teacher delivered the test to
another class. The result showed no significant different between two class. Is
mean the test can be testing to any level of language learners but if the test have
significant different in other class is mean the test is not good. It is mean when A
Class got a higher score than class B there is not good test.
3. Practically
According to (Brown, 2004) effective test is practical. Practically should be has
a time, cost, administration, and personnel.
a. Time
Time is mean how time test will be testing to learners. The test should be time
in testing learners. Example, when teacher want test speaking by using
interview the teacher should be decided the time of interviewing session and
give the information to learners.
b. Cost
The test should be clear in financial. It is means the learners are paying to the
test. Example is TOEFL, when we would like to test TOEFL the learners
should pay to get TOEFL test. And also, test should have a cost.
c. Administration
The test should have an administration. The test should be knows to who test
will be administering and how to administering.
d. Personnel
The learner who wants test should be balance with the test. Test is not good
when the test learner not balance with question test.
H. Developing test
Developing test is step to make a good test. We know of type of test, how to test
and about good test now developing test is explain about step to making or applied
the test. Developing test divided to 6 steps.
1. Determining purpose of test
We should be knows what is the purpose of the test. Example, the test is to
know students grammar skill ability in Class B English Education
Department at Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta batch 2014.
2. Developing Test Specification
We should make a TOS. Example, we make an about past tense. So, our test
talking about past tense like definition of past tense, vocabularies of past tense
and adverb time of past tense.
3. Designing test
In the designing test we make a question. It can use multiple choice or essay.
Example is multiple choices.

I (go) to Bali yesterday? (Past tense)

a. go c. going
b. goes d. went

4. Piloting
Piloting is trying the test before administering to learners. The purpose of
piloting to know the question is good or clear to learners.
5. Item analysis
After, we piloting the test we should be to analysis item of the test using
formula if and id. The purpose is to know how difficult the test and to know
goodness of the test of bad test we changes the test question. In item analysis
we will analysis one by one the question in test. After, we analysis the item of
question we will know which number is so easy and hard to student.
6. Fine tuning
Fine tuning is the correct test after we analysis the item. Fine tuning is finally
test question and ready to administering to learners because fine tuning test
has a change in item analysis. So, fine tuning is ready test after piloting and
item analysis.
7. Administration Test
Administering test is test delivering to learner. It is a finally test. In this step
test also have a good characteristic because we have to try it before.
8. Marking test
Marking test is scoring the result of test. In marking test we can use grade or
mark. After all of the step this is the last step because the test was delivered in
administration test. After marking test teacher should be give information to
learner about the result of test. In this session, students who get a good score
will good in motivation but sometimes student who get a bad score will de-
motivated.
 CONCLUSION

Language assessment is needed in language learning. Language assessment talking about

how test skills of speaking, writing, listening and reading. Language assessment is talking
about test and evaluation. Teacher should have knowledge about how to test the student.
Language assessment is benefit to know about level language of learner.

In this paper concluded that assessment is needed in language learning and also help teacher
know more about how to test and how to assessment the student ability. Author can
understand about the criteria to make a test using item analysis.

The last, author believed that this paper can help student and teacher easy to understand about
language assessment.
 BIBLIOGRAHY

Brown, H. D. (2004). Language Assessment Principle and Classroom Practice. San

Fransisco: Longman.

Harmer, J. The Practice of English Language Teaching (3 ed.). UK: Longman.

Homby. (1985). Oxford Learner's Pocket Dictionary. new york.

Rouse, M. (2008, April). testing. Retrieved April 22, 2016, from techtarget.com:

http://searchwindevelopment.techtarget.com/definition/testing