Language Specific Test Formats

1. The Cloze Test 2. The Dictation Test 3. Tests of Oral Ability

1. The Cloze Test

1. The Cloze Test

Introduction -comes from the word closure -represents the tendency to close any incomplete object Aim -to elicit a respondents language competency by requiring the respondent completing a passage which has been mutilated with blanks

Types of Cloze Tests

2 common types : (a) Fixed deletion cloze test (b) Rational deletion cloze test

Fixed Deletion Cloze Test

Meaning: A cloze passage where every nth word the passage is deleted. Example: a cloze test where n=5 means every 5th after the first sentence is deleted Aim: To help assess overall language proficiency

Rational Deletion Cloze Test

Meaning: Intentionally deletes a certain kind of word Example: Involve the deletion of only verbs Characteristics: (a) number of words deleted may not be the same (b) Passage has been altered so that certain types of words are deleted at consistent intervals

Structure of Cloze Test

Consists of a passage with blanks First sentence is left intact without any blanks. Reasons: (a) to ensure test takers have some context to work/understand with (b) Provide information such as the tense of the passage Long enough to allow for not more than 20 blank spaces

What makes a cloze test difficult?

A passage written in English is often already difficult to read. By deleting some of the words in the passage, the text becomes even more difficult to read. Teachers Role -not making the cloze test so difficult that few students can fill in the blanks accurately

Factors that affect difficulty level of cloze procedure

1. Length of the text -the longer the text, the more difficult the cloze passage 2. Length and complexity of the sentences -the longer and complex the sentences, the more difficult for students to complete the cloze 3. Familiarity with topic and discourse genre -familiarity with topic make it easier 4. Frequency of which blanks are spaced -the closer the blanks, the cloze passage becomes more difficult

Grading A Cloze Test

2 types: (a) only one answer is accepted for each blank (b) accepting any suitable answer 1. One answer only accepted -pros: more objective and more reliable -cons: stifles creativity 2. Accepting any suitable answer -pros: more subjective, not rigid -cons: less reliable, problem in deciding the words that would be acceptable as answers

Variants of the Cloze Test (C-Test)

Meaning: Parts of the words are deleted. Pros: (a) Highly correlated to the cloze test (b) More reliable and objective Cons: (a) Looks complicated, confuse the students (b) Merely tests on spelling

Bachmans (1985) 4 Types of Cloze Test

1. Information located within clause 2. Information spread across clauses but within a single sentence 3. Information distributed across sentences but within the text 4. Extra-textual information Type 1 and Type 4 are more often being used.

2. The Dictation Test

The Dictation Test

Aim: (a) To predict overall language ability (b) To assess ability of listening Procedure 1. Teacher selects an appropriate passage. (a short passage no longer than one paragraph) (appropriate to students ability and cultural background) 2. Teacher proceeds with dictation

Structure of Dictation Test

Usually read out 3 times 1. First time: (a) read out at a normal rate of reading. (b) Students listen and get the gist of the passage 2. Second reading: (a) Read out a little slower with pauses, breaking the passage into meaningful chunks/bursts (b) Students take down what is being read 3. Third reading: (a) Read out (b) Students are expected to check their work, editing it for errors

What makes a dictation test difficult?

1. The length of the phrase or burst ( the longer the burst, the more difficult) 2. The length of the pauses between bursts ( the longer the pause, the easier the test) 3. The content of the dictation passage ( familiar content will make it easier) 4. The syntactic and structural properties of the sentences in the passage ( complex structures make test more difficult) 5. Clarity of voice, expression and pace of tempo ( clarity of voice is important, facial expressions can give cues)

Grading A Dictation Test

2 types: (a) Traditional method (b) Pragmatic method Difference between two: treatment of spelling errors Example: (a) The boy eats rais everyday (spelling mistake) (b) The boy eats rise everyday (another meaningful word but not appropriate in context)

(a) The boy eats rais everyday - Pragmatic method: student will not be penalised (b) The boy eats rise everyday -Pragmatic method: points deducted Reason: - Rais in sentence A is merely a spelling error which at least retains phonetic similarity to the original - Rise in sentence B introduces a new meaningful word which is unacceptable

Variants of Dictation Test

3 common types (a) Graduated dictation (b) Partial dictation (c) Dictocomp

1. Graduated Dictation
Meaning: Dictation passage becomes progressively more difficult How: Gradually increasing the number of words in a burst Burst: The meaning of words the tester dictates between pauses and repeats Dictation may begin with a burst consisting of 2 words Number of words slowly increases until 13 or 14 words in a burst

2. Partial Dictation
Like a listening cloze activity How: 1. Students are provided with the passage with some words or phrases deleted 2. They listen to passage and fill in the words/phrases It is common to have partial dictations in which single words/short phrases are deleted

3. Dictocomp
Meaning: Students use the information they hear to construct a coherent composition instead of taking down the passage exactly as it was dictated How: 1. Teacher will determine the key elements of passage 2. Students has to decide what pieces of information are important and should be included Also tests on writing Reason: students are expected to write cohesive piece based on the passage that was dictated to them

3. Tests of Oral Ability

Brown and Yule (1983) Principles for Testing Speaking

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Elicit speech which has purpose Elicit extended chunks of speech Elicit structured or organised speech Control the input Quantify the notion of communicative effectiveness

Elaboration of Principles
Principle 1: must have a reason to speak. Principle 2: it is impossible to assess speaking ability if only single word utterances or responses is given Principle 3: speech needs to be organized and systematic (avoid hesitations and repetitions) Principle 4: A stimulus/prompt must be carefully thought over Principle 5: notion of communicative effectiveness must be clearly quantified

Issues in Tests of Oral Ability

3 issues by Hughes,2002 (a) Interactivity (b) Authentic conditions for speech (c) Different spoken genres

1st issue: Interactivity

Interaction involves 2 interlocutors Each interlocutor will have an effect on the other Reactions and responses of one person towards the speech and communication of another will determine whether there will be good interaction between the two

2nd issue: Authentic condition

It provides the test designer with an equally daunting challenge Involves micro skills: turn taking, maintaining the conversation, topic nomination and topic change Grading of test must decide whether these micro skills will be assessed

3rd issue: Different spoken genres

Oral test designer must be able to construct tests conditions in which realistic speech genres can be produced Test criteria must match more closely to real speech data

Test Formats for Testing Speaking

1. 2. 3. 4. Verbal essays Oral presentations Free Interview and controlled Interview Information Transfer: Description of a picture sequence and Questions on a single picture 5. Interaction tasks 6. Role play

1. Verbal essays
The candidate is asked to speak for 3 minutes on either one or more specified general topics

2. Oral Presentations
Quite similar to verbal essays BUT Candidate is allowed to prepare for the presentation

3. Free and controlled interview

Involve some form of conversation Examiners elicit spoken responses through question and answer session Free interview: (a)conversation unfolds in an unstructured fashion/style/way (b) Not rigid Controlled interview: (a) The content and structures are set beforehand (b) There is a limit to the conversation (c) Cannot assess ability of control conversation, produce topic initiations, or to assume responsibility for continuance of discourse

4. Information transfer: description of picture sequence and questions on a single picture

Students are allowed to study the picture stimulus in advance Picture is helpful as visual stimulus Candidates rely on their own knowledge and proficiency of language in order to communicate

5. Interaction Tasks
2 types: (a) Information gap: student to student (b) Information gap: student to teacher Student to student: (a) weak student may be paired with proficient student (b) proficient student will find it difficult to express himself/herself (c) Weaker student disadvantaged if conversation is monopolized by proficient student Student to teacher (a) Common way being proposed (b) Candidates will converse with a common interlocutor

6. Role Play
Candidates are expected to play one of the roles in an interaction which might be reasonably expected of him in the real world Can be either difficult/easy depending on the personality of candidates (a) Reserved candidate: repulsed by the idea of acting/ proficient but introverted students (b) Outgoing candidate: may benefit from role play situations, extrovertedness will help to gain point

Issues in Assessing Oral Ability

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Topic of the interaction Level of formality Number of participants Relative status of the participants Familiarity of the participants to each other Gender of the participants