HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

GRADUATE SCHOOL

COURSE OUTLINE
I. General information
1. Course title: LANGUAGE TESTING AND ASSESSMENT
2. Course Code: ENG710
3. Knowledge / Skills:
☐ Foundation S Professional knowledge ☐ Basic knowledge
4. Credits

Total (A) Theory (B) Practice (C) Self – study (D)

3 1.5 1.5 9
5. Trimester: ☐1 ☐2 ☐3
6. Academic year: 2019-2020
7. Mode of delivery: face-to-face
8. Language of instruction: English
9. Lecturer:
Name: Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Tham
Office: Room 113, 97 Vo Văn Tan Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Email: ntham2015@gmail.com
Telephone: +84-28-39300946

II. Course specifications

1. Course overview

This course provides

• a general background in language and academic content assessment issues,
• opportunities to examine assessment instruments,
• practical experience in developing and using formal and informal assessment
measures.

2. Requirement course
Prerequisites:
Prior-course: Advanced methodology for language teaching
Co-requisites: Course design and material development

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3. Course objectives:

This course is designed to:

Course Program learning

Description
objectives outcomes
Knowledge
Foster students’ understanding of current
ELO2.2
CO1 approaches and methods of language testing
and assessment
Skills
Enable students to design different
CO2 ELO4.1, ELO4.2
assessment tasks
Sefl-reflection and resposibility
Develop students’ critical thinking and
CO3 ELO7.1
teamwork skills

4. Course learning outcomes

At the end of the course, learners will be able to:
Course
Course learning outcomes
objectives
Analyse and critically evaluate current approaches to
assessing listening, speaking, reading, and writing of
CLO1
English by ELLs.

Describe how specific learning assessment activities fulfill

CLO2 specific language learning objectives
CO1
Discuss the characteristics and purposes of different types of
CLO3 tests and assessment

Discuss and critically evaluate commercially available

CLO4 language tests for different purposes.

CO2 CLO5 Devise appropriate language tests and assessment tasks for

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 Course
Course learning outcomes
objectives
specific language learning contexts and purposes

Devise appropriate rubrics for formative and summative

CLO6 assessment.

Devise appropriate feedback strategies for students in all

CLO7 four skill areas.

CLO8
Foster critical thinking skills
CO3
CLO9
Develop teamwork skills.

The matrix integrates the learning outcomes of the course (CLO) and the learning
outcomes of the curriculum (ELO).

ELO1 ELO2 ELO3 ELO4 ELO5 ELO6 ELO7 ….

CLO1 X
CLO2 X
CLO3 X
5. Materials and textbooks
5.1. Required textbooks
5.1.1 Brown, H. and Abeywickrama, P. (2010) Language assessment –Principles and
classroom practices. New York: Pearson Longman, 2nd edition

5.1.2. Cheng, L. and Fox, J. (2017) Assessment in the Language Classroom: Teachers
support student learning, UK: Palgrave.

5.1.2 Coombe, C., Davidson, P., O'Sullivan, B., & Stoynoff, S. (Eds.) (2012) The
Cambridge guide to second language assessment, Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.

5.2. References
5.2.1 Bachman, L. F. & Palmer, A. S. (2010). Language Assessment in Practice:
design and developing useful language tests. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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 5.2.2 Fulcher, G. and Davidson, F. (2012) The Routledge Handbook of Language
Testing, London: Routledge.

5.2.3 Fulcher, G. (2010) Practical language testing, London: Hodder Education.

5.2.4 Hughes, A. (2003). Testing for language teachers (2nded.). Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press.

5.3. Websites/ Softwares:

• Prof. Glenn Fulcher’s website: http://languagetesting.info/links2.html

• https://www.eric.ed.gov
• http://www.altaanz.org/current-issue.html

6. Assessment
Schedule Learning
Components Assessment forms Percentage %
outcomes
Sessions 3, 40%
Mid-term 4 quizzes (10% 6, 8, & 11
test(s) each)

Three
weeks
Final project after the 60%
course
completion
Total 100%

7. Course contents
Course
Teaching and
learning
Session Contents learning Materials and references
outcome
modes/activities
s
1 - Course - Lecture CLO1, - Brown, H. and
introduction -Group CLO8, Abeywickrama, P.
- Key discussion CLO9 (2010) Chapter 1
concepts of - Further reading: Coombe
language et al. (2012) Chapters 1,

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 Course
Teaching and
learning
Session Contents learning Materials and references
outcome
modes/activities
s
testing and 3,4,10.
assessment
2 - Types and - Lecture CLO3, - Brown, H. and
purposes of - Group CLO4, Abeywickrama, P.
tests discussion CLO8, (2010) Chapters 2
- Principles CLO9 - Coombe et al. (2012)
of language Chapter 9.
assessment - Cheng, L. and Fox, J.
(2017) Chapters 1+5

- Further reading: The

Council of Europe (2002).
Common European
Framework of Reference
for Languages: Learning,
Teaching, Assessment,
chapters 9 + 11.
3. - Aligning - Lecture CLO2,
assessment - Group CLO8, - Coombe et al. (2012)
with course discussion CLO9 Chapters 6+7
learning - Practice - Cheng, L. and Fox, J.
outcomes (2017) Chapters 2+3+4
- Developing
test
specification
s for
language
assessment
-Quiz 1
4. Designing - Lecture CLO5, - Brown, H. and
classroom - Group CLO8, Abeywickrama, P.
language discussion CLO9 (2010) Chapter 3
tests -Practice - Cheng, L. and Fox, J.

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 Course
Teaching and
learning
Session Contents learning Materials and references
outcome
modes/activities
s
(2017) Chapter 4

5. Designing - Lecture CLO5, Lecture notes

classroom CLO8,
language - Practice CLO9
tests (Cont.)
6. Designing CLO5, Lecture notes
classroom - Lecture CLO8,
language - Practice CLO9
tests (Cont.)
- Quiz 2
7. Alternatives CLO5, - Brown, H. and
in - Lecture CLO8, Abeywickrama, P.
assessment - Group CLO9 (2010) Chapter 6.
discussion - Cheng, L. and Fox, J.
(2017) Chapter 3
- Further reading:
Coombe et al. (2012)
Chapter 17.
8. - Assessing - Group CLO5, Coombe et al. (2012)
Vocabulary discussion CLO7, Chapters 28+29.
and - Practice CLO8, - Further reading: Brown,
Grammar CLO9 H. and Abeywickrama, P.
-Quiz 3 (2010) Chapter 11
9. Assessing - Lecture CLO5, Coombe et al. (2012)
the receptive CLO6, Chapters 24+26.
- Practice
skills: CLO7, - Further reading: Brown,
Listening CLO8, H. and Abeywickrama, P.
and Reading CLO9 (2010) Chapters
7+9.
10. Assessing - Group CLO5, Coombe et al. (2012)
the discussion CLO6, Chapters 25+27

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 Course
Teaching and
learning
Session Contents learning Materials and references
outcome
modes/activities
s
productive - Lecture CLO7, - Further reading: Brown,
skills: CLO8, H. and Abeywickrama, P.
- Practice
Speaking CLO9 (2010) Chapters
and Writing 8+10

11. - Marking - Group CLO6, - Coombe et al. (2012)

assessments: discussion CLO7, Chapter 34.
rating scales - Lecture CLO8, - Cheng, L. and Fox, J.
and rubrics - Practice CLO9 (2017) Chapters 6+7
- Quiz 4 - Further reading: Brown,
H. and Abeywickrama, P.
(2010) Chapter 12

8. Course regulations:
The students are expected to:
• attend at least 80% of the sessions in order to pass the course
• be well prepared and take an active role in class discussions
• work collaboratively with their peers in group discussions and project.
• submit their assignments by the due dates. For late submitted work, 5% of the
component grades will be deducted per day.

Failure of the assignment will be imposed as a penalty for cheating and

plagiarism.

Head of Graduate School Lecturer

(Ký và ghi rõ họ tên) (Ký và ghi rõ họ tên)

Nguyen Thi Hong Tham

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