Various Approaches

to Language Testing
1. Essay-translation approach is commonly referred to as
“pre-scientific stage” of language testing. That is, prior
to testing or formulation in scientific terms
or relating to the period before the development of modern
science and its methods. This test consists of essay writing
(composition), translation/transformation (conversion,
paraphrase, alteration, or interpretation) and grammatical
analysis (process of correlating the line sequence of lexemes
(words) of the language with its formal grammar
It is of heavy literary category (fiction and nonfiction) and
cultural bias (the phenomenon of interpreting and judging
phenomena by standards inherent to one's
own culture). E.g., Should the use Filipino language be
intellectualized?
https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=cultural+bias+in+testi
ng&oq=cultural+bias+&aqs=chrome.3.69i57j0l5.9868j0j7&sou
rceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

This approach is plainly subjective in judgment which tends

to be biased and is used for testing any level of examinees
from elementary to tertiary. E.g., What is the importance of
English to you? (elementary); Why speak English in an
English class? (secondary); and Why does English make the
world’s knowledge available and accessible? (tertiary)
2. Structuralist approach is learning the language in a
systematic acquisition (gradual process of learning the
language). Say for example, in the study about linguistics in
English language stresses the significance of constructive
analysis about topics on phonology (sounds), semantics
(vocabulary), and grammar (syntax). Contrastive analysis is
the systematic study of a pair of languages with a view to
identifying their structural differences and similarities.
Historically it has been used to establish language
genealogies (etymology). Reliability (consistency and
stability) and objectivity in a psychometric approach forms
an integral part of structuralist testing
approach. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contrastive_anal
ysis). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychometrics)
3. Integrative approach is testing of the language in context (meaning)
and its total communicative effect as a discourse whether it narrative,
descriptive, expository, or argumentative in form. Thus, it is concerned
with global view of language proficiency. Integrative approach includes
cloze test, dictation, oral interview, translation and essay writing.
A cloze test (also cloze deletion test) is an exercise, test, or assessment
consisting of a portion of language with certain items, words, or signs
removed (cloze text), where the participant is asked to replace the
missing language item. Cloze tests require the ability to understand
context and vocabulary in order to identify the correct language or part
of speech that belongs in the deleted passages. This exercise is
commonly administered for the assessment of native and
second language learning and instruction.
A language teacher may give the following passage to students:
Today, I went to the ________ and bought some milk and eggs. I knew it
was going to rain, but I forgot to take my ________, and ended up
getting wet on the way.

Students would then be required to fill in the blanks with words that
would best complete the passage. Context in language and content terms
is essential in most, if not all, cloze tests. The first blank is preceded by
"the"; therefore, a noun, an adjective or an adverb must follow.
However, a conjunction follows the blank; the sentence would not be
grammatically correct if anything other than a noun were in the blank.
The words "milk and eggs" are important for deciding which noun to put
in the blank; "supermarket" is a possible answer; depending on the
student, however, the first blank could
be store, supermarket, shop, shops, market,
or grocer while umbrella, brolly or raincoat fit the second.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloze_test
4. Communicative approach is concerned primarily how
language is used in communication either in spoken
primarily, and also in reading or writing. While some are
good in writing and not in spoken and vice versa yet few
others may be gifted of both. Say, an ambivert (acts like
extroverts in social situations and introverts when alone).
https://www.today.com/health/winning-personality-
advantages-being-ambivert-t70236.
Communicative language testing approach is used to
measure language learners’ ability to use the target
language in authentic situations.
This language test approach also introduces the concepts of
(1) qualitative modes and (2) quantitative modes of
assessment. Qualitative methods of assessment are ways of
gathering information that yield results that can't easily be
measured by or translated into numbers or don’t yield
numerical results in themselves. They may involve asking
people for “essay” answers about often-complex issues, or
observing interactions in complex situations. When you ask a
lot of people for their reactions to or explanations of a
community issue, you’re likely to get a lot of different
answers.
When you observe a complex situation, you may see a
number of different aspects of it, and a number of ways in
which it could be interpreted. E.g., Discuss and elaborate
the quality standard of Christian education at NLAC.

Quantitative methods are those that express their results in

numbers. They tend to answer questions like “How many?”
or “How much?” or “How often?” E.g., How much did you
learn or to what extent or degree is your learning
comprehension in English?
Conclusion
Qualitative and quantitative methods are, in fact,
complementary. Each has strengths and weaknesses that the other
doesn’t, and together, they can present a clearer picture of the situation
than either would alone. Often, the most accurate information is
obtained when several varieties of each method are used. That’s not
always possible, but when it is, it can yield the best results.

Reference:
Go, Mildred B.; Posecion, Ofelia T. 2010. Language and Literature
Assessment: A Comprehensive Guide. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing,
Inc.