Types and purposes of tests - Approaches to language tests

TYPES AND PURPOSES

This first type is norm-referenced testing is the normative approach in educational testing
generally. In this paradigm individuals are compared to each other
Purpose: discriminate between test takers. A norm-referenced test was seen as a scientific tool
designed to discriminate among test takers in such a way that it placed those with ‘more’ of a
property of interest higher on a scale, and those with ‘less’ of a property lower down on a scale
The second one is that of criterion-referenced testing - related to instructional decisions
Purpose of a criterion-referenced test is to make a decision about whether an individual test
taker has achieved a pre-specified criterion, or standard, that is required for a particular decision
context. Besides, The purpose of this test is not to select the best speakers of English to be air
traffic controllers, but to establish a criterion by which an individual can be classi ed as ‘opera-
tionally proficient’. Sometimes these are also called mastery tests.
APPROACHES
Two major approaches to classroom assessment - Assessment for Learning and Dynamic
Assessment. While these have much in common, they have a different theoretical basis. One is a
highly pragmatic approach to classroom assessment, while the other is driven by sociocultural
theory.
The traditional approach to classroom assessment is sequential (Cumming, 2009: 91). Firstly,
teachers establish educational goals and objectives. Secondly, they construct the activities and
tasks that will move the learners towards those goals and objectives. Thirdly, they evaluate how
well they have succeeded.
The insights that have led to Assessment for Learning and DA (Dynamic Assessment) come
from criterion- referenced testing and assessment (CRT). Whether we decide to use these
integrated approaches to classroom assessment or traditional linear classroom testing, one of
the key features of classroom testing is that test takers are not compared with each other.