Language Assessment

TSL3123
Lecture 4

HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

Learning Outcomes
Designing Classroom Tests
Identify the different stages of test
construction
Decribe the features of a test
specification
Draw up a test specification that
reflect both the purpose and the
objectives of the test

Stages of Test Construction

Assessing clear, unambiguous

objectives
Drawing up Test specifications
Item writing
Item moderation
Pre-testing
Analysis
Reporting
HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

Assessing clear, unambiguous objectives

Know what you want to test

Examine the objectives for the
unit you are testing
Objectives stated in terms of
overt performance
Determine appropriate
objectives
HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

Can you .
Write an objective (in terms of
performance) ?
Linguistic domain Speaking
skills

HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

Test Specifications
The writing of test items should be
accompanied with a carefully
prepared set of test specifications.
The function of the specifications is
to describe the achievement domain
being measured and to provide
guidelines for obtaining a
representative sample of test tasks.

HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

Drawing Up Test Specifications

(Brown, 2004)
TS for classroom use simple and
practical ouline of your tes
a) A broad outline of the test
b) What skills you will test
c) What the items will look like

HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

Test Specifications are:

The result of the design process (i.e.
test content and test method
TEST SPECIFICATIONS
A set of instructions for creating the
test
Function to force explicitness about
the design decisions in the test and
to allow new versions to be written in
future.
Length and structure of the test
The type of materials (e.g.
authentic materials)
HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4
The response
format

Item Writing and Moderation

(Hughes, 1989)
Setting of items extremely difficult; some items
rejected, others reworked
To be improved or abandoned- through teamwork
Critical questions that may be asked:
Is the task perfectly clear?

Is there more than on possible correct response?

Can candidates show the desired behaviour (or
arrive at the correct response) without having the
skill supposedly being tested?
Do candidates have enough time to perform the
task(s)?

HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

Guidelines in Writing Test Items

Avoid wording that is ambiguous and
confusing.
Use appropriate vocabulary and
sentence structure.
Keep questions short and to the
point.
Write items that have one correct
answer.
Do not provide clues to the answer.
HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

Pre-testing
Even after careful moderation,
there are likely to be some
problems with every test.
Aim administer it first to a
group as similar as possible to
the target group.
Problems in administration and
scoring are noted
For a number of reasons
pretesting is not feasible. WHY?
HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

Analysis
Statistical analysis
of test results
mean
standard
deviation
histograms

Item analysis
involves the
careful analysis of
score pattern on
each of the test
items
Tells us how well
the item is working
the overall
candidates ability
emerging from the
test

HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

Item analysis 2 kinds of

information
Item facility/
difficulty

Helps us decide
if test items are
at the right level
for the target
group

Allows us to see
Item discrimination
if individual
items are
providing
information on
candidates
abilities
consistent with
that provided by
other items on
the test.

HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

Reporting
Description
Comment
Decisions

HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

Summary
Stages of test construction?
Test specifications ?

HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4

Tutorial #4
Pairwork:
Draw up a table of specifications that
reflect both the purpose and the
objectives of the test
Discuss the importance of test
specifications for the purpose of
assessment.
HHYeoh/TSL3123/Lecture 4