Understanding Language Testing

Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Preface
1 Introduction: the rubber ruler
	1.1 Why test language learning?
	1.2 What is a language test?
		1.2.1 What are the properties of measuring devices?
	1.3 The rubber ruler
	1.4 Tests, measurement and evaluation
		1.4.1 Evaluation without measurement
		1.4.2 Measurement without a test
		1.4.3 Tests
	1.5 Ethical uses of language tests
		1.5.1 Reliability
		1.5.2 Validity
	Further reading
	Exercises
2 Measuring language ability and making decisions
	2.1 Measuring language ability
	2.2 Making decisions about learners, teachers, programmes, and policies
	2.3 Contexts of language use
		2.3.1 Contextual features
		2.3.2 Authenticity
	2.4 Making valid interpretations of test performance
		2.4.1 Consistency of measurement
		2.4.2 Validity: evidence for interpretations of test performance
	2.5 Conclusion: bias for best
	Further reading
	Exercises
3 Test development
	3.1 What do I need to test? Needs analysis
		3.1.1 Define the purpose of the test
		3.1.2 Conduct a preliminary investigation
		3.1.3 Collect primary data
		3.1.4 Collect secondary data
		3.1.5 Analyse target language use task and language characteristics
	3.2 How am I going to test language abilities? Turning target language use tasks into test tasks
		3.2.1 Developing a test task
		3.2.2 Developing a blueprint for the test
		3.2.3 Options for test tasks
	3.3 How am I going to give the test? Test administration
		3.3.1 Test environment
		3.3.2 Personnel
		3.3.3 Procedures
		3.3.4 Scoring
	3.4 How can my computer assist me in test development? Computerbased tools
		3.4.1 Hot Potatoes
		3.4.2 Moodle
		3.4.3 WebCT
	3.5 Conclusion
	Further reading
	Exercises
4 Alternatives in assessment
	4.1 Norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests
	4.2 Communicative language tests
	4.3 ‘General’ and ‘specific purpose’ language tests
	4.4 Discrete-point and integrative tests
	4.5 Formative and summative assessment
	4.6 Alternative approaches to assessment
		4.6.1 Conference assessments
		4.6.2 Portfolio assessment
		4.6.3 Self- and peer-assessments
		4.6.4 Task-based and performance assessment
		4.6.5 Dynamic assessment
		4.6.6 Summary
	4.7 Conclusion
	Further reading
	Exercises
5 By the numbers: a statistics mini-course
	5.1 Introduction
	5.2 Normal distribution
	5.3 The average or mean
	5.4 Standard deviation
		5.4.1 Standard deviation as a unit of measurement
	5.5 Correlation
	5.6 Probability and statistical significance
	5.7 The t-test of the difference between two averages
	5.8 Analysis of variance
	5.9 Reliability
		5.9.1 Split-half method
		5.9.2 Internal consistency method
		5.9.3 Standard error of measurement
	5.10 The reliability of human raters
	5.11 Conclusion
	Further reading
	Exercises
6 Technology and language testing
	6.1 Introduction
	6.2 Issues in technology and language testing
		6.2.1 Technology and test taker attitudes
		6.2.2 Language performance and different media
		6.2.3 Technology and the construct to be measured
		6.2.4 Technology and assessment tasks
		6.2.5 The limits of automated scoring
	6.3 Technology and language task types
		6.3.1 Listening tasks
		6.3.2 Integrated listening and speaking tasks
		6.3.3 Writing tasks
		6.3.4 Reading tasks
	6.4 The promise and threats of automated scoring
		6.4.1 Examples of current automated scoring programs
		6.4.2 Concerns about automated scoring
	6.5 Test feedback and reporting
	6.6 Online and computer-based resources for statistics
		6.6.1 Microsoft® Excel
		6.6.2 Online resources
	6.7 Conclusion
	Further reading
	Exercises
Afterword: the rubber ruler revisited
References
Index