DESCRIBING LANGUAGE ABILITY:

Language Use in Language Tests

 LANGUAGE USE
Generally, it can be defined as the creation
or interpretation of intended meaning in discourse
by an individual, or as the dynamic and
interactive negotiation of intended meanings
between two or more individuals in a particular
situation.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIVIDUALS
These are the individual characteristics we need to
consider before we design, develop, and use language tests.
1. Personal characteristics, such as age, sex and native
language,
2. the topical knowledge that test takers bring to language
test takers bring to the language testing situation,
3. their affective schemata, and
4. language ability.
 PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
These are individual characteristics that are not part of the test
takers’ language ability but may still influence their performance on
language tests. These are the following:
1. Age
2. Sex
3. Nationality
4. Resident Status
5. Native Language
6. Level and type of general education
7. Type and amount of preparation or prior experience with a given test
 TOPICAL KNOWLEDGE
Sometimes referred to as knowledge
schemata, can be loosely thought of as knowledge
structures in long-term memory. This needs to be
considered in a description of knowledge use
because this provides the information base that
enables them to use language with reference to the
world in which they live.
 AFFECTIVE SCHEMATA
It can be taught of as the effective or
emotional correlates of topical knowledge.
These provide the basis on which language
users assess, consciously or unconsciously, the
characteristics of the language use task and its
setting in terms past and emotional
experiences in similar contexts.