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    27 views114 pages

    TechniquesinTesting MadsenH.S.

    Uploaded by

    Roberto sybil

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 114
    cnetoneny ren nn olraorselss Oxford Avencan Engin “TEAGHING TEGHNIGUES IN ENGLISH ASA SECOND LWGUAGE Sets Edo Rus, Campbel and Wan € Rute TECHNIQUES IN TESTING Harold S. Madsen OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS+ tet ate Prt Satecoms cor Eagind ‘Rie Bead Beg Hogar Dany ‘Sin oteanesas gat Cerri 193 ty tr end Prt ec pobied 1983 Pan ah: 2919 18 17S WB eau peneorinte Nth mre Ne ef i actin may een ed ‘eka em cement ‘ceo, mean, pepe, ing ces bat ‘Spor con prin of Oe aes Pe “Te eo in mje he oon a al eb a fede ‘ebro ay ied yo oer cies wer ‘Sepa pect ay fon oe tn (a adeno i pre et mi nig Pra haa Ueno Mido ty Ott tse fo Ty Mat 2 Te Wr Li yn en 17. Spr NCTE Reandy mine Se per ase ae," Big i Maw Yr Ts, Oe 8, 197 (Sim rae New Yo Tin Couper Rep prion. cain “Dt a” te by pein ‘Nei Deinr Nagas Star ‘hom Heatran, Te pi Sen {SSC emer Be eae pp Pepe renal ‘ean Set, “Hon Cn Mom tod De De Tht Ma Spi ay eld md tp 9 7,194 9 fe Ligaen ite A, Vane Caco i Bi, ‘Three, la Dayo Ro Cea G pet fon, Pte ne Coin 16, byte Do epee ee “et Pin Dae Lie Corenig BS Sans 9.18. Ser Rite cee Te wens, iy parents, and my ehitaren TEDITORS’ PREFACE: thas been apparent for some time that litle stention has been ‘iven tothe aces of practicing and student weachers of English teachers want are useful ideas, suggetions, demonstrations, and ‘examples of teaching techniques that have proven sucessful in the clasoom—techniques tha are consistent with esublished ‘theoretical principles and that others in our profesion have {ound tobe expedient, practical, and relevant othe rable cir ‘cumstances in Which mom teachers work. ‘Tewas in recognition ofthis need that we began our earch {or scholars in our field who had distinguished thersevesin par ticular instructional aspects of second language teaching. We sought out those who had been especially succesful in com rmuniating to their colleagues the characteristics of language teaching and testing techniques that have been found 10 be “appropiate for sudents rom elementary schol through college ‘and adult education programs. We also sought in those same ‘ta hive and in cen these, we bee chosen se "Beh ra Sued Langage ES) ore agi ns {nthe Unie Sane (art ond Imps) at wl = Eo acing nether eu (afore gangs) late the essence of a theory into practical applications for the classroom. ‘Our search has been successful. For this volume, a¢ well for others in this series, we have chosen a colleague who is extraordinarily competent and exceedingly wiling o share with practicing teachers the considerable knowledge that he has fined from many years of experience in many parts of the world. DD. Madsen's book is devoted entirely 1 the presentation and exemplifctionof practical testing techniques. Each chap of his book contin, in addition to dewiled consideration of « ‘wide variety of techniques, a number of sctivities that teachers an perform tha tie the content ofthe book diectly othe teach er responsbiles in their classes, With this volume then a crit- ‘cal need inthe language teaching fed hasbeen me. ‘We are extremely pleased 10 join with the authors inthis series and with Oxford University Press in making these books available to our fellow teachers. We ate confident that the books ‘ill enable language teachers around the world to increase their ‘effectiveness while at the same time making their tak an easier and moe enjoyable one Russ N. Campbell Willi E. Rutherford aor’ Note: Aplogie a made oth enricfemi: Pop erp We fo are Se eo rf, a poi Wee atte he he her ‘Stic hy maybe patty speaing. ae confng “ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: would like to acknowledge the helpful insights from Series ei- tors Russell N. Campbell and William B. Rutherford, the initial ‘encouragement from Marilyn Rosenthal of Oxford University ress, the valuable assistance of editors Debra Sistino and Susan Klick the careful reading and excellent suggestions of Randall Jones aswel a the useful comments of students in my testing lames. HSM, -CONTENTS- ‘Chapter One «Introduction +3 PART 1. TESTING LANGUAGE SUBSKILLS «11 (Chapter Two « Vocabulary Tests «12 (Chapter Three « Grammar Tests 34 (Chaput Four -Proauncaton Tests «57 PART II TESTING COMMUNICATION SKILLS. 75 (Chapter Fives Reading Tests «76 (Chapter Six Writing Tests 101 (Chapter Seven «Listening Tess «127 (Chapter Eight «Speaking Test» 147 ‘Chapter Nine «Evaluating Test «178 ‘Appendix «189 ‘Notes + 207 Inder 210 TECHNIQUES IN TESTING “CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ‘Testing ian important part of every teaching and learning expe- fence. This book on testing has been prepared for both exper ‘enced and inexperienced teachers of English asx Second Lan- guage (ESL) who feel a need to improve their skis in ‘constructing and administering clasroom test at the middle and sacondary school levels or in ESL. courses for adult students, ‘We begin in this introductory chapter with a bret look at ‘the history of language testing and then consider the current sta- ‘English language features including vocabulary, grammer, and ‘pronunciation tet Ta Part I we consider west of language we inching reading, writin, speaking ad listening. The Appen- clits vome ofthe et ved around the world today to mearure ‘ovecall language proficiency suchas the Test of English ata For- ign Language (TOEFL, and the Michigan Test at well sets to meaure language dominance, ‘THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING How Testing Helps Students Learning Engish ‘Welhmade tests of English an help students in atleast two way ‘ (taper One Firstof al such zt can lp cane positive atiudes toward your class In the interes of motivaion and efficient insructon, teachers almost universally aim et providing positive clasroom experiences for their student. There are ome important ways ‘tha esting cen contribute o ths alm. One that applies in neatly ‘every clas isa sense of accomplishment. {nthe early 1970s su- dents in an intensive ESL program were being taught from an lunerueured conversition-based teat, These students com> plained that while they had ample opportunity to converse in [Bnglish, they were “not learning anything.” Soon afterwards, ‘however, periodic evaluation provided them with a sense of sccomplishment that ended thei disnisfacon, Tess of appro- priate difficulty, announced well in advance and covering sills Scheduled tobe evaluated, can also contribute to a positive tone ‘by demonrrating your spicitof fur play and consistency with course objectives. ‘A second wy that English xs cam Benefit students is by help- ing them matter the lnguage. They ae helped, of course, when they study for exams and again when exams are returned and. discussed. Where several tests are given, leaning can alo be enhanced by student? growing awareness of your objectives and the areas of empharis inthe course. Tests can foster Jearaing, too, by their diagnostic characteris: They confirm what each erion has mastered, and they point up those language items feeding further atenion, Naturally, 2 beter awareness of course objectives and personal language necds can help your stu- dents adjust ther personal gals. For example, one person might ‘ote your strong tet eraphass on aural comprehension, and he ‘might alo find that he had mised several vocabulary items on a ‘recent test. Oe logical step would befor im to concentrate on the maaning of troublesome words especially in a spoken coo- tex. Learning to spell them or recognize them ina printed con- tem would become a second priority In short, properly made English tess can help create gsi tive attiudes toward instracton by giving students a sense of accomplishment and a feeling that the teacher's evaluation of them matches what he has taught them. Good English tests also pe Ove 5 ‘ap students earn the language by rquiting them 0 sud har emphasing course objeives, and showing them where they bead 1 improve. How Testing Helps Teachers of English ‘Wevho teach English esa Second or Foreign Language are gen- ‘erally expected tobe accountable for the results of our instruc ‘lon, Our tests can help us answer the important question “Fave Teen effective in my teaching?" In other words, we can we ‘them to diagnose our own effors as well as thot of our students “As we record the text cores, we might well ask ourselves thefo- lowing quesons: “Are my lesions on the right eve Or am I ‘aloing my instruction too low or too high?” “Am T teaching some ails effectively but others less effectively?” “What areas do we need more work on? Which points need reviewing?” ‘Should I spend more (or les) time on this material with next year's sade" ‘And tess can provide insights into ways that we can {improve the evaluation proces itl “Were the test instructions len?” “Was everyone able to finish in the alloted time?" “Did the tet cause unnecessary anxiety or resentment?” “Did the test ‘emus reflect accurately how my students have been esponding ‘nla and in thei asgned work” ‘Tem, then, can benefit students teachers, and even admin {nrstorsby confirming progress hat hasbeen made and showing Ihow we can bet redirect our future effort. In addition, good ‘es can sustin of enhance class morale and aid learning. ‘THE STATE OF THE ART IN LANGUAGE TESTING ARecers Historical Trends ‘Language esting toy refecs current interest in teaching gea- ‘ne communication, But it alo reflects eater concerns fr sc- ‘entfcally sound tess. Testing during the lst century and the ‘arly decades of this one was basically nei, or subjective and ‘ependent on the personal impressions of teachers. After the ‘ nie stage, tesing emered a scenic wage, « ti stressed objective evaluation by language specialists. We are now ina communicative sage ime when we emphasie evaluation of language wse rather than language form. ‘During the long intuitive rs, teachers untrained inventing, evaluated students in a variety of ways. Facts about English often, ‘weighed ax heavily at sil in using the language. As a result, students ad to label part of a sentence and memorize lists of language patterns (I am, we are, you ae, hettefit is, ete). ‘Another characteristic ofthese rather subjective tests was abun ddan writing in various forms including translation, essay, dica- tion, précis, and opeavended answers based on reading compre- Ihenion, Some ofthis evaluation was quite sound, especialy for ‘advanced dents. There was also reliance upon knowledge of grammatical information exemplifed by directions such as, “Rewrite the following semencessubsiuting the present perfect continuous form of the verb." ‘The scientific era followed the imuitve sage in testing. ‘During the scientific era, many changes occured. Testing tpe- als with linguistic training entered the sene. Careful lin- ‘gine description suggeted that language mastery could be evaluated “seienifically” bit by bit. Objecive rests were devised ‘that measured performance or recognition of separate sounds, specific grammatical features, or vocabulary items. These tess

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