Analysis of Classroom English Test Designed by English Teacher in

Junior High School (SMPN 12 Padang)

A. Introduction
Test is an instrument to measure students in certain skill or ability.
Instead of that, it is an instrument to gather information about students. Through
test, teacher can know how far students understand materials and how far
students are able in certain skills or etc. it means that test is a part of assessment
which can assess students. There are some types of test such as diagnostic test,
achievement test, placement test, proficiency test, and aptitude test. Each test has
different characteristics and of course they also have different purposes. For
example, diagnostic test is used to diagnose students’ strengths and weaknesses.
It can be a prediction for students in the future.
Dealing with test, especially in school, test can be used as a devise or
instrument to measure students’ understanding about their lesson. At the end,
students will get the result of what they have done in test. Of course as a teacher
should design appropriate test for the students. They have to really understand
criteria of good test. Dealing with English, it is close with language test. In
designing classroom language test, there are some criteria such as validity,
reliability, practicality, wash back, efficiency and etc. besides knowing the
criteria of good test, teachers have to do some steps to design a good classroom
language test. In this report, the writer is going to analyze an English test made
by English teacher exactly at eighth grade. Though this analysis, the writer is
going to describe and explain the phenomena in designing and constructing
language test in school. So in this paper, the writer did interview to English
teachers who teaches grade 8 in SMPN 12 Padang. The writer analyzed English
midterm test at grade 8 first semesters 2013. The writer compared the reality
with theories proposed by some experts in designing language test.
 B. Review of Related Literature
Before analyzing the test, the writer is going to expose and explain briefly
about theoretical steps or procedures in designing classroom language test.
Brown (2010:52) claims that there are some critical questions that are
fundamental approach for teacher in designing a classroom language test
namely:
1. What is the purpose of the test? → it means that teachers should know the
purpose of the test, the significance of the test should be clear and
understandable . Establishing the major purpose of test becomes easier to
specify its objective.
2. What are the objectives of tests? It can be understood that teacher establish
appropriate objective.
3. How will the test speciications reflects both purpose and objective? → it
means that objective and purpose are available in table of specification
which are designed by teachers. It’s a complete draft that there are some
components such as how to score, types of test and etc.
4. How will the test item types (task) be selected and separated items arranged?
Test should be practical, valid and reliable. So it has to be authentic and etc
5. In administering the test, what details should I attend to in order to help
students achieve optimal performance? → Students’ need to feel well
prepared before taking test.
6. What kind of scoring, grading and/ or feedback is expected? → designing
appropriate scoring and grading for the test. each result of test should be
reported.

Those questions are critical basic of designing test especially for classroom
language test. For the beginning stage, teachers can predict and formulate what they are
going to design for language test.

Dealing with critical questions above, Brown (2010: 55) also adds some steps in design
classroom language test such as:
a. Determining the purpose of a test
Determining purpose of test is so important because purpose will guide teacher
to the next step, by determining clear purpose, as quoted by Bahman and Palmar
(1996) in Brown (2010:55) argue that the purpose of test is usefulness. It means
that test is useful and effective to measure and know students’ understanding n
ability in given domain. So, teachers need to determine the purpose, what the
aim of the test is made.
b. Designing clear, unambiguous objectives →it means that in designing test,
teachers need to design unambigious objective and make it as clear as possible.
By designing clear and unbigious objectives, it wil be good quality and
understanable.

c. Drawing up test specification

Test specification is similar like an outline in designing test. it means that by
designing table of specification, teachers are trying to make outline or blueprint
of test. n table of specification, teachers put some items such as types of item,
scoring, what skill will be tested, content, and how to report the result to
students. It’s a complete table of specification.

d. Devising test items

After applying some previous steps, teachers need to look back to the what have
been done, so there are some items should be devised and revised and etc.
e. Administering the test
In administering test, teachers should consider how to administer the test,
whether the test is given in certain time, teacher also needs to consider student’s
condition, and other factors that influent the test
 f. Scoring, grading and giving feedback
Scoring, grading and giving feedback are important to be share and informed to
the students after taking test. Why? Because students need to know their result in
test. Scoring usually use some formula to get the score of students. Grading will
show how to grade students’ performance or result in certain grade. Giving
feedback also is very crucial because it will impact on students. Perhaps the
feedback is going to increase student’s motivation higher and etc.

In other resourses as quoted in Bachman (1990:111) claims that language test is

as a means for controlling the context in which language performance take place. It
means that language test is designed to measure students’ ability and performance in
understanding language especially foreign language. dealing with language test,
Bachman categorized that there are 5 major categories of test method facet namely the
testing environment, the test rubric, the nature of the input the test takers receive , the
nature of the expected response to the input, and the relationship between input and
response. Testing environment deals with test administrated and everything relates to
the distribution of test such as time allocation, physical condition and etc. while test
rubrics deals with how to test takers are expected to produced in taking the test. it
includes test organization, time allocation and instructions. Input and expected response
deal with information contained in a given test to which test takers is expected to
response. It means that in test, there is lots of information that available in the test then
test takers need to response it. the point is that language test measure students’
capability in understanding and comprehend language test and how test takers give
response what are in the test

While Weir (1990:42) argues that there are some test methods that appropriate to
be used such as : Multiple-choice question. Multiple –choice question test item is
usually set out in such a way that the candidate is required to select the answer from
number of given options, only one of which is correct. It means that students have to
choose the correct answer among some possible answer. Most of test use this method
because there are some advantages of this method namely :
 a. In multiple choice test there is almost complete marker reliability. Candidate’s
marks, unlike those in subjective formats. The marking is simple and more
rapid and often more cot effective than other.
b. Because the item can be pre-tested fairly easy, it is usually possible to estimate
in advance the difficulty level of each item and that of the test a whole.
c. The format of multiple choice test items is such that intentions of the test
compiler are clear and unequivocal. The candidate knows what is required of
them.
d. In more opened-ended formats, candidate has to deploy the skill of writing.
Multiple choice test items avoid this particular difficulty.

In other hand, multiple choice tests also have disadvantages such as:

a. Multiple-choice tests can be difficult and time consuming to write. The

construction of plausible distracters can be especially difficult. The quality of the
test is therefore dependent on the item-writing skill of the instructor.

b. There is a tendency to write items requiring only factual knowledge rather than
higher-level skills and understandings.

c. Performance on MC items can be influenced by student characteristics unrelated

to the subject matter, such as reading ability, deductive reasoning, the use of
context clues and risk-taking.

d. MC items are subject to clueing.

e. MC items do not measure ability to organize and express ideas.

(https://oms.umn.edu/fce/how_to_write/multiplechoice.php)

In short, multiple choice test has disadvantages and advantages, but as a teacher
should be able to minimize the disadvantages and the possibility of cheating during the
exam. So teacher can put some items in random place or etc. Talking with language
test, of course there are requirements how test can be included as good language test.
Bachman (1990: 238) claims that reliability and validation are important requirements.
Validity concerns on identifying the factors that produce the reliable variance in test
scores. It addresses on what specific account for reliable variance in the test score. In
short, validity is measuring what need or supposed to be measured. While reliability is
concerned with answering the question “how much variance in test scores is due to
measurement error?” In other word, reliability deals with measure of the same trait I
different circumstance. Brown (2010: 6) adds that one thing that included as a
requirement of good test is practicality. Practicality refers to be logistical, down to the
earth, administrative issues involved in making, giving, and scoring an assessment
instrument. It means that practicality related to the distribution of the test and ho test is
given to students and etc. those are important requirement of a good test.

C. Developing English Test at Junior high School Year 2, Semester 2 at SMP 12

Padang
The writer conducted an observation and interview in the school with an
English teacher who teaches English at grade 8. Her name is Ratna Marti, S.Pd.
Based on the interview and analysis English test exactly English midterm test. Based
on the interview, the writer asked some questions dealing with constructing English
midterm test in the school, of course the questions related to the Brown’s theory
about how to construct a classroom language test. the teacher explained that before
holding or taking midterm test, as usual, teacher always design daily test after
finishing certain materials. In other word “Ujian Harian”. After finishing some
daily test, students are ready to face midterm test dealing with constructing, the
writer asked the teacher about step or procedure of constructing English midterm
test. The teacher answered that before constructing test; of course teachers determine
the purpose and objective of the test. In midterm test, the objective is students can
comprehend written test such as short functional text, greeting card, invitation and
some genres such as descriptive and recount text. Dealing with the test, the test has
 clear instruction and unambiguous instruction, so students can understand the
instruction before doing the test.
Generally based on comparison the test and syllabus that related to the test.
English midterm test that given to students are appropriate based on materials that
available on the syllabus. It can be said that the test has validity because test is based
on what they have learnt before. In administering the test, teacher said that students
are ready because they have known that the test would be held. As a result, they
prepared their selves to take the test.
Talking about grading and giving feedback, teacher explained that students
need to know the result of the test. So the teacher tells the students about their mark
in report book form. Students also give comment about the progress of students.
Dealing format test, the type of the test is multiple choices and consists of 50
items. Each topic in the syllabus has some items which are spread both in odd and
even number. The purpose is to avoid students cheat during the test. Related to
midterm test, the test is not designed by the teachers of SMP N 12 Padang. But the
midterm test was designed by MKKS SMP NEGERI KOTA PADANG. So, teacher
only follow the test and gave the test to the students. an ideal test actually needs to
have table of specification, to make test is well designed and well structured. But
unfortunately the test does not have table of specification. Because the test is not
designed by the teacher who teaches English at the school. The teacher explained
that each semester test and midterm test are designed by MKKS Kota Padang. It
means that the headmaster chooses one of teacher as representative to design the test
in MKKS. So, the test is designed by some English teachers around Padang. They
work together to design midterm test and semester test.

D. Problems and Discussion

Based on the explanation above, it can be summarized that the theoretical of
designing classroom language test is not totally applied in reality. Most of teachers
do not designed the test for their students but the test is designed by MKKS Kota
Padang where a group of teachers gather and designed the test based on the syllabus
and designed the appropriate test for students. But in fact, most of teacher do not
create table of specification in designing test. As a result, there are some problems
appear. First, most of students cannot achieve the target or KKM. The cause of their
failure is the level of difficulty of the test. because of the test is designed by some
groups of English teacher from different schools, of course they have different
understanding and level of study. For instance, in SMPN I Padang, they learn about
descriptive test but they have good quality teaching and learning and most of
students take English courses. So, they have higher comprehension and
understanding in learning text and etc. while in other schools which doesn’t have
appropriate and supported aspects will be difficult to understand the test which has
high comprehension. Next, when there are some test items are not clear or
ambiguous, students will be confused and teachers too because the teacher not know
enough about what the test mean. So it will be problem and will disturb student’s
concentration in taking and doing the test. In short, most of students got unsatisfied
mark because the difficulty of test. That’s why most of students at Grade 8 in SMP
12 Padang didn’t get unsatisfied mark in midterm test.
Dealing with the problems that found in the field, ideally as an English teacher
who teaches their students construct and design her own made test for students
because the teacher knows student’s capability. So teacher can measure how far
students can achieve the target and how far students comprehend and understand the
lessons that have been taught. As brown’s et all theories about how to design
language classroom test. Teachers can apply the theories to design good and
appropriate test for their students. Instead teacher can measure his/her ability in
teaching and developing classroom test well. By conducting and designing teacher
made teacher for students is one of good way to know and measure students’
capability. While when the test is made by group of teachers or MKKS, it will be
trouble for students because each school has different. So, ideal and he best way to
know students’ deeply about their understanding is by conducting teacher made test
for them
 Regarding the test and kind of test that they have, in fact most of types of English
test in the school is reading test. Dealing with reading test, there are some parts in
testing or assessing students’ reading namely macroskill and microskill (Brown
2010:227). Based on the analysis of Midterm test that designed by the English
teachers’ association, both macro and micro skills are integrated but based on the
level of students exactly junior high school. For instance micro skills: recognize
grammatical word classes, patterns and system. While in macro skill, for instance:
recognize the communicative function of written texts according to form and
purposes for example recognize generic structure and language feature and social
function of particular genre such as narrative or procedure text. Most of test is in
multiple choice . there are some types of multiple choice test for reading as proposed
by Brown (2010:234) namely
a. multiple choice for form-focused criteria→ test takers chose one of one from
4 possible options. For example
The test item: He’s a teachers. He works in ______
a) In the market b). Office c). School d). rice field
b. contextualized multiple choice vocabulary /grammar tasks, → in this type
test takers are given a context or clue to guess the answer
c. Multiple choice cloze vocabulary/grammar task → in this type, the test takers
should be careful because cloze test usually the test items probably will ask
about grammar or vocabulary.

Dealing with the test made by English teachers in the school, the test consist of 50 items
test, all of them are multiple choice.

E. Conclusion
In summary based on the observation and interview and analysis, the chance of
teacher in designing and constructing a test is decrease because of new regulation
from the government. The government decided that each school has to choose one of
teacher to be a representation in constructing test for midterm test and semester test
for each subject include English. In other word, MKKS has taken the field of the
teachers in developing their chance to create own test. There is positive and negative
side about the problem. Positively, teachers in MKKS can share their capability and
knowledge and information each other. Negatively, students face some difficulties in
taking the test because they may be have different understanding.
In other word, the application of classroom test designed is not applied yet
completely. Instead of that washback of the test will be not good for students.
Related to the test method that given by teachers in the test, multiple choices is one
of good method to test students’ comprehension. But teachers have to be careful
because the possibility of cheating is possible. Teachers have to be anticipated in
placing items to avoid cheating. If cheating happens, so it will not be reliable and it
doesn’t measure the real students’ capability. Actually teacher who teaches the
subject has authority and great chance to measure their students’ comprehension and
ability wholly. Instead of that, test made by teacher is a good measurement for
teachers to develop and know the progress of teachers in teaching their students. in
short, the application of designing classroom language teaching should be applied
completely. Instead teacher also need t develop other test methods that appropriate
for measuring students ability.
In summary, test is one of devices to measure how far students can comprehend
and understand what have been learnt. Good test has validity, reliability and
practicality. Test has to deal with what has been learnt by students and test also needs
consistency. In administering the test also has to be practical and test can decrease
student’s anxiety while doing and taking the test. regarding to the types of test,
perhaps multiple choice is good choice to junior high school students to test their
comprehension, but the teachers should be more selective in selecting some materials
and what kind of multiple choice types they are going to use because in assessing
students’ reading comprehension, teachers can use some various types for example
cloze test, matching, and so on.
F. References

Bachman, Lyle F. 1990. Fundamental Consideration in Language Testing. Oxford:

Oxford University Press

Brown, H. Douglas and Priyanvada Abeywickrama. 2010. Language Assessment:

Principle and Classroom Practices. NY: Pearson Education.

Weir, Cyril.1990. Communicative Language Testing. New York: Prentice Hall

https://oms.umn.edu/fce/how_to_write/multiplechoice.php. retrieved April 10, 2013.