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Communicative Language Testing

Conference Paper · May 2017

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Rafael Sharifovich Akhmedov

Gulistan State University
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 COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TESTING

Akhmedov R.Sh.
Gulistan State University

Characteristic of Communicative Language Test. Brown suggests five

core characteristics for designing a communicative language test. These include
meaningful communication, authentic situation, unpredictable language input,
creative language output, and integrated language skills.
1. First, the purpose of language learning is communication so language
learners’ communicative ability should be measured. In other words, language
tests should be based on communication that is meaningful to students and meets
their personal needs.
2. Authentic situations can help increase meaningful communication. The
usefulness of authentic situations in increasing meaningful communication is
emphasized by Weir when he states that, ‘language cannot be meaningful if it is
devoid of context’.
3. By using ‘unpredicted language input’ and ‘creative language output’,
Brown means that in real situations it is not always possible to predict what
speakers say (unpredictable language input) so learners need to prepare for
replying (creative language output).
4. The last characteristic is integrated language skills. A communicative test
should require test takers to show their ability of combining language skills as in
real life communication situations. These above-mentioned characteristics should
be paid attention to and included in communicative language tests [1].
Tips to Create Communicative Language Tests. The bottom line of
communicative tests is that they should test appropriateness rather than mere
production of (inappropriate) grammatical sentences. In addition, tests have to be
pragmatically relevant [4]. They should revolve around three main areas, namely
grammar, discourse, sociolinguistics and illocutionary competence.
As the result of our project we found four primary criteria for the
construction of communicative tests:
• Starting from somewhere. Knowledge, principles theoretical framework
which is the foundation for devising any communicative tests.
• Concentrating on content. Interesting and motivating content that may
include situations that use context and that are integrative and interactive.
• Biasing for the best. That is tests need to do everything possible to elicit
the very best performance, for example, stress free environment, enough time to
complete the task etc.
• Working for washback. Tests as feedback for further improvement. [2]
Difficulties to Construct Communicative Tests. If teaching is carried out

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 according to the communicative approach, then tests must be designed
accordingly [3]. However a lot of teachers believe that communicative tests are
hard to prepare. In fact various challenging difficulties emerge when teachers
develop communicative tests [5].
1. One crucial concern is the problem of developing useful assessment
instruments which can be employed accurately and efficiently in a range of typical
classroom situations.
2. Another challenge is to develop a framework which is based on
attending to the theoretical requirements of both communicative teaching goals
and test design principles.
3. There are also difficulties associated with the English as a Foreign
Language context. While communicative theory emphasizes the importance of
using authentic materials and of practicing meaningful communication in realistic
social situations, these goals are almost impossible to achieve in EFL settings.
4. The EFL settings make impossible for learners to consolidate and
practice what is learned in the classroom in real world situations which makes it
very difficult to develop communicative tests.
5. The extent to which it is possible to achieve the goal of meaningful
communication remains entirely unclear, given the contextual requirement for
simulating foreign interactions in EFL classrooms.
6. Communicative tests must also reflect contemporary theory concerning
test design principles – validity, reliability, and practicality. I there is a lack of
direct correlation between theory and practice, some specific discrepancies
between test-design principles and efficiency requirements may occur.
7. Some teachers contend that it is inevitable that rating communicative
tests may be subjective as it is difficult to distinguish right from wrong responses
in real life situations [6].

References
1. Brown, H.D. Language Assessment. –New York: Pearson Education, 2004. –pp.3-324.
2. Harsono, M.Y. Developing Communicative Language Test for Senior High School. //
TEFLIN Journal, Vol. 16, #2, 2005. –pp.6-13.
3. Hughes, A. Testing for Language Teachers. –Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
1992. –pp.1-165.
4. Jianda, Liu. Assessing EFL Learners’ Interlanguage Pragmatic Knowledge:
Implications for Testers and Teachers. // ELT Journal, Vol. 5, #1, 2013. –pp.1-22.
5. Rhalmi, M. Communicative Tests. // ELT Journal, Vol 2, #5, 2010. –pp.49-51.
6. Sun, Dongyun. From Communicative Competence to Interactional Competence: A New
Outlook to the Teaching of Spoken English. // Journal of Language Teaching and
Research, Vol. 5, #5, 2014. –pp.1062-1070.

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