FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE ARTS AND HUMANITIES

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FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE ARTS AND HUMANITIES

BACHELOR OF EDUCATION TEACHING OF ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (TESL)
 MODULE TITLE: LANGUAGE TESTING AND ASSESSMENT

MODULE CODE: BAE 2633

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT – WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT

ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS:

TASK ONE (35 marks)

 Select an ELT syllabus from any grade and curriculum you are familiar with.
 Determine the content to be covered in one semester / term. Attach the document as
ANNEX 1.
 Using the outlined content to be covered, create the Test Specification Table as the initial
step in crafting the term test paper. Designate the answer as 1.1 in the assignment.
 Provide a concise explanation for the rationale behind 1.1, considering aspects such as
proportion, question type, mark allocation, and time allocation. [Word Count : 400 -450].
Designate the answer as 1.2 in the assignment.
(15 + 20 = 35 marks)

TASK TWO ( 30 marks)

 Choose an English language examination paper from any secondary grade and curriculum.
Attach the document as ANNEX 2.
 Critically evaluate the examination paper, considering its validity, reliability, and
practicality, and provide recommendations for enhancement if necessary. [Word Count : 1000].
Designate the answer as 2 in the assignment.
(30 marks)

TASK THREE

 Select an appropriate ESL reading text for any grade level you prefer, designed to be
completed within a 30-minute time frame. Attach the document as ANNEX 3.
 Design questions to be administered based on the text , taking into consideration the time
frame and the grade level. Designate the answer as 3.1 in the assignment.
 Write a brief essay elucidating the reasoning behind the subskills they assess. [Word Count :
400 -450]. Designate the answer as 3.2 in the assignment.
(20 + 15 = 35 marks)

PLAGIARISM: MARKS DEDUCTION

Your assignment should be prepared individually. You should not plagiarize another person’s work
as your own. The submitted assignment will automatically undergo a similarity check. If plagiarism
is detected, marks would be deducted as follow:

No. % Similarity Group % Marks

Deduction
1 0%–30% 00
2 30.01% – 50% 05
3 50.01% – 70% 10
4 70.01% – 100% 100

ANSWER
TASK 01
ANNEX 1: Grade 7 ELT Syllabus Content for One Semester

Semester 1 Content
1. Reading Comprehension
● Fiction and non-fiction texts
● Figuring out main ideas and supporting details
● Making educated guesses
● Understanding vocabulary in context

2. Writing
● Writing paragraphs
● Creating narratives
● Describing things
● Persuasive writing

3. Grammar
● Parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs)
● Sentence structure (simple, compound, complex)
● Punctuation (commas, periods, quotation marks)
● Verb tenses (present, past, future)

4. Listening
● Listening to get the main idea
● Listening for specific information
● Listening and responding

5. Speaking
● Having conversations and dialogues
● Giving presentations
● Paying attention to pronunciation and intonation

Test Specification Table

Content Area Question Type Number of Marks per Total Time

Questions Question Marks Allocation

Reading Multiple Choice 5 2 10 15 minutes

Comprehension

Short Answer 3 3 9 15 minutes

Writing Paragraph Writing 1 10 10 20 minutes

 Narrative/ 1 15 15 25 minutes
Descriptive

Grammar Fill-in-the-Blanks 5 2 10 10 minutes

Sentence 5 2 10 10 minutes
Correction

Listening Multiple Choice 5 1 5 10 minutes

Speaking Oral Presentation 1 10 10 10 minutes

Total 26 79 105
minutes

1.2 Rationale Behind the Test Specification Table

The Test Specification Table is designed to give a fair assessment of what students have learned during
the semester. It takes into account several important factors
❖ the proportion of each area
❖ the type of questions
❖ the allocation of marks
❖ the given time.

Proportion
The test covers all the major parts of the syllabus
reading comprehension, writing, grammar, listening, and speaking. The distribution is meant to reflect
the importance of each area in learning English
● Reading Comprehension
24% of the total marks, because understanding different types of texts is crucial.
● Writing
32% of the total marks, to emphasize the ability to express ideas clearly and creatively.
● Grammar
25% of the total marks, since it helps with both writing and speaking.
● Listening
6% of the total marks, to check understanding of spoken English.
● Speaking
13% of the total marks, to assess oral

Time Allocation

The whole test takes about 105 minutes, which is a decent amount of time for a thorough assessment
without making too tired

Reading Comprehension and Grammar

 These tasks are pretty quick, and we'll have around 10-15 minutes for each of them.
Writing Tasks
These ones take a bit longer since we'll need to plan and write their responses.
Listening and Speaking: These tasks are shorter, but they're super important for assessing their language
skills.

This structure ensures a fair and well-rounded evaluation of their abilities in different areas of language,
following what they've learned throughout the semester

TASK 02

2. I chose an English language examination paper for Grade 10 from a standard curriculum for task two.
I will attach this document as ANNEX 2

ANNEX 2: Grade 10 English Language Examination Paper

Examination Paper Structure

1. Reading Comprehension (30 marks)

Passage A: Fictional Text (15 marks)

■ Multiple Choice Questions

■ Short Answer Questions

Passage B: Non-Fictional Text (15 marks)

■ Multiple Choice Questions

■ Short Answer Questions

Writing (30 marks)

● Essay Writing: Choose one out of three topics (30 marks)

Grammar and Vocabulary (20 marks)

● Sentence Completion (10 marks)

● Error Correction (10 marks)
 Listening (10 marks)

● Listening Comprehension: Multiple Choice Questions (10 marks)

Speaking (10 marks)

● Oral Presentation (10 marks)

Evaluation of the Examination Paper

Validity

validity basically means how well an examination measures what it's supposed to measure. Let's take a
look at this examination paper

Content Validity - This exam covers a wide range of language skills like reading, writing, grammar,
vocabulary, listening, and speaking. This means that the exam really tests how good students are at the
language overall.

Construct Validity - Each section of the exam is designed to measure specific skills. For example, the
reading comprehension section checks if you can understand and make sense of texts, while the writing
section looks at how well you can put together a coherent and well-structured essay. However, the
heavy use of multiple-choice questions in the reading and listening sections might not fully capture how
well you understand and analyze things.

Face Validity - The exam seems legit to the people who take it (students) and those who review it
(teachers and administrators). The structure is like other English language exams, so it's familiar to both
students and educators.

Reliability

Reliability means how consistent the exam results are over time and across different groups of students.
Let's see how this exam paper fares:

Internal Reliability

Using multiple-choice questions in the reading and listening sections helps make sure that the scoring is
fair and consistent. However, when it comes to the essay and oral presentation, things can get a bit
subjective, which means different people might score them differently. But don't worry, having clear
guidelines and training for the examiners can help reduce this issue.

Test-Retest Reliability - The consistency of the exam results over time can be affected by how well you
perform on a day-to-day basis. But hey, the exam structure, with different types of questions, helps give
a reliable measure of your abilities.

Inter-Rater Reliability - When it comes to subjective parts like writing and speaking, different examiners
might give different scores. But no worries, having detailed scoring guidelines and meetings to make
sure everyone's on the same page can keep things consistent across different raters.

Practicality

Practicality means how doable and efficient the exam is in terms of administration, scoring, and
resource use. Check this out:

Ease of Administration

The exam is set up in a way that's familiar and easy to handle. Multiple-choice questions and short-
answer sections are a piece of cake to manage in a regular classroom.

Time Management

The exam seems to be well-balanced when it comes to time. Each section has enough time allocated to
it. Reading and grammar sections won't eat up too much time, while the writing and speaking sections
might take a bit longer, but they're important for a complete assessment.

Resource Allocation

To give this exam, we'll need basic stuff like printed papers, audio equipment for the listening sections,
and a quiet room for oral presentations. The better thingis, these things are usually available in mostof
schools, so giving the exam is practical.

Recommendations for Enhancement

Now, let's talk about how we can make this exam even better:

Increase Construct Validity

● Include more varied question types in the reading comprehension section. This way, we can see
if we can analyze the author's intention, figure out the meaning between the lines, and evaluate
the text.
● Add a section that involves creative writing or using language skills in practical ways, like writing
a letter or a report. This will give us a better idea of how well they can write in different
situations.

Enhance Reliability

● Create detailed guidelines for scoring the essay writing and oral presentation sections

Conclusion

Overall, the Grade 10 English Language Examination Paper is a pretty solid tool that covers a bunch of
different language skills. It's got good validity, reliability, and practicality, but there are definitely some
areas where it could be improved. If they mix up the types of questions, make the scoring rubrics more
detailed, and spread out the marks a bit more evenly, the exam could be even better at measuring how
well students know the language. These changes would make the assessment more accurate and fair,
which would ultimately help students learn and develop their English skills.

TASK 03

ANNEX 3: Grade 8 ESL Reading Comprehension Paper

The Amazing World of Dolphins

Dolphins are known for their intelligence, playful behavior, and friendly nature. These fascinating
creatures belong to a group of mammals called cetaceans, which also includes whales and porpoises.
Dolphins can be found in oceans around the world, and some species also live in freshwater rivers.

One of the most remarkable features of dolphins is their sophisticated communication system. They use
a variety of sounds, such as clicks, whistles, and squeaks, to interact with each other. Scientists believe
that dolphins may even have individual names, known as signature whistles, which they use to identify
themselves.
Dolphins are also known for their acrobatic abilities. They can leap out of the water, spin in the air, and
perform complex maneuvers. These behaviors are not only entertaining but also serve important
purposes. For example, jumping out of the water can help dolphins remove parasites from their skin.

Another interesting aspect of dolphin behavior is their use of echolocation. This is a technique that
allows them to locate objects by producing sounds that bounce off objects and return as echoes.
Echolocation helps dolphins navigate, hunt for food, and avoid predators in the often dark and murky
waters of the ocean.

Dolphins have a strong social structure and often live in groups called pods. These pods can consist of a
few individuals or several hundred, depending on the species. Living in pods provides dolphins with
protection, cooperative hunting opportunities, and social interactions.

Despite their many fascinating traits, dolphins face numerous threats in the wild. Pollution, fishing nets,
and habitat destruction are some of the dangers that affect their populations. Conservation efforts are
crucial to ensure that these incredible creatures continue to thrive in their natural habitats.

In conclusion, dolphins are not only captivating animals due to their intelligence and playful behavior
but also play an important role in marine ecosystems. Understanding and protecting them is essential
for maintaining the health and balance of our oceans.

3.1 Questions Based on the Reading Text

Multiple Choice Questions (10 minutes)

1. What is a group of dolphins called?

a) Herd

b) School

c) Pod

d) Flock

2. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a feature of dolphins?

a) Acrobatic abilities

b) Echolocation

c) Complex social structures

d) Ability to breathe underwater

3. What is echolocation used for?

a) Communicating with other dolphins

 b) Identifying individual dolphins

c) Navigating, hunting, and avoiding predators

d) Entertaining tourists

Short Answer Questions (10 minutes)

4. Describe two ways in which dolphins use their acrobatic abilities.

5. Explain what signature whistles are and their purpose.

True or False Questions (5 minutes)

6. Dolphins are a type of fish. (True/False)

7. Echolocation helps dolphins locate objects in murky waters. (True/False)
8. Dolphins always live in groups of several hundred. (True/False)

Vocabulary in Context Questions (5 minutes)

9. What does the word "sophisticated" mean in the context of the text?
10. What does "parasites" refer to in the text?

Reasoning Behind the Sub Skills Assessed

When we created the questions for the reading comprehension exercise, we wanted to make sure we
covered some important sub skills that are crucial for ESL learning. These sub skills include reading
comprehension, inferencing, vocabulary acquisition, and critical thinking.

Reading Comprehension

Our main focus with these questions is to see how well students can understand and interpret the text.
We have multiple choice questions (like questions 1-3) that ask about key details, main ideas, and
factual information directly stated in the text. These questions help us figure out if students can
remember specific information and grasp the main points of the text.

Inferencing

We also have short answer questions (like questions 4-5) that require students to make inferences and
connect ideas from different parts of the text. For example, we might ask them to describe how dolphins
use their acrobatic abilities or explain the purpose of signature whistles. These questions test their
ability to draw conclusions based on their understanding of the text. It's an important skill because it
shows that students can go beyond just surface-level reading and really comprehend the deeper
meaning.
Vocabulary Acquisition

Some of our questions (like questions 9-10) are about vocabulary in context. We want to see if students
can understand and use new words they come across. For instance, we might ask them what
"sophisticated" means in the context of the text or what "parasites" refer to. These questions help
students practice figuring out word meanings from the context, which is a valuable skill for expanding
their vocabulary. Understanding context clues is a key reading strategy that supports overall language
proficiency.

Critical Thinking

We also have true or false questions (like questions 6-8) that challenge students to think critically about
what they've read. With these questions, students have to evaluate statements based on their reading.
They need to decide if the information is correct or not and use logical reasoning to support their
judgment. This kind of assessment encourages students to engage with the text on a deeper level,
analyzing the information instead of just recalling it.

Time Management

We've designed the questions to be completed within a 30-minute time frame. This way, students can
tackle each question type (multiple choice, short answer, true/false, and vocabulary in context) without
feeling rushed or overwhelmed. Striking this balance is important to keep students focused and to get a
comprehensive assessment of their reading skills within the given time.

Skill Integration

By including different types of questions, our assessment covers multiple aspects of language learning all
at once. We have reading comprehension questions to check if students understand the main ideas and
details, inferencing questions to promote analytical thinking, vocabulary questions to enhance language
acquisition, and true/false questions to develop critical evaluation skills. This integrated approach
reflects the holistic nature of language learning, where different skills are interconnected and contribute
to overall proficiency

Finally, the way the reading comprehension questions are designed for the chosen ESL text is meant to
evaluate a bunch of important skills. These include understanding what students read, making educated
guesses, learning new words, and thinking critically. The questions are made to be challenging but still
doable within 30 minutes, giving a thorough assessment that helps students improve their language
skills and get ready for more advanced levels of English proficiency.
 LINCOLN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE ARTS AND
HUMANITIES

EVALUATION OF COURSEWORK ASSIGNMENT

NAME OF STUDENT: Module: Program: B.Ed.- TESL

Code: Lecturer:
Date / Time
INSTRUCTIONS
The student’s assignment will be evaluated according to the
following criteria

Classificatio Cont Knowledge and Evidence of Referencing Presentation Grammar and F

n ent Understanding Reading and Spelling ull
Bibliography Ma
rk
s
Allocated 40 3 1 6 6 10
Marks 6 2 0
Excellent description Excellent Knowledge and Evidence of reading a Excellent a Excellent presentation, logically
and discussion of depth of understanding of wide range of referencing n structured, using correct grammar
Outstandin appropriate d
main issues and principles and concepts (34- bibliography (6) and spelling (6)
g Work material with 36) supplementary sources
evidence (12)
of critical evaluation (37-40)
Detailed description of (33- Knowledge and depth of Evidence of reading Accurate a Good presentation logically
36) understanding of Appropriate referencing n structured, using correct grammar
Excellent main issues and principles and concepts supplementary sources
bibliography (5)
d
and spelling (5)
Work material with evidence (31-33) (10)
of evaluation
Description of main issues Knowledge and sound Evidence of directed Appropriate referencing Orderly presentation,
and material with occasional understanding of the key reading and some and Bibliography (4) competently structured and
Good evidence of discussion (29- principles and concepts (28-30) supplementary sources acceptable grammar and spelling (4)
Quality 32) (8)
Description of main Basic knowledge of the key Evidence of directed Adequate referencing Adequate a structu
Acceptable n re,
issues and material principles and concepts only reading (6) and bibliography (3) presentation
(25-27) d
only (25-28) acceptable gram (3)
Limited description of main Adequate o k Limited evidence of Limited referencing and Weak presentation and
Adequate f e
issues and material only reading (4) Bibliography (2) structure, acceptable
Work (21-24) knowledge y
grammar and spelling (2)
principles and
concepts only
(22-24)
Fail Omission of some Limited and or inconsistent Evidence of minimal Inadequate referencing Poor presentation, structure,
( Limited relevant material knowledge and understanding reading only (2) and bibliography (1) grammar and
(17-20) of key principles and concepts (1)
Work)
(19-21)
Fail Insufficient and Little or no evidence of Little n evide o Little or no Unacceptable
largely irrelevant knowledge and understanding or o nce f referencing presentation, grammar (0)
(Unacceptab readin
material of the key principles and and
le Work) (0-16) concepts (0-18) g (0) bibliograph
y (0)
Marks
obtain
 Overall
Comment: