Assessing Language Proficiency: Test Items

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Questions and Answers

Which type of writing task requires candidates to respond to a job advertisement?

Transactional letter (correct)

Newspaper article

Information leaflet

Set of instructions

What activity is NOT mentioned as part of decision-making tests?

Role-play in a job interview (correct)

Comparing and contrasting different items

Ordering photos of best and worst dressed

Finding similarities and differences without seeing each other’s materials

What is an example of a reading test item that focuses on comprehension?

Inserting sentences provided by the examiner

Wringing a theatre to book tickets

Transferring written information to charts

Summarizing a paragraph (correct)

Which listening activity helps candidates understand factual information?

Completing charts with facts and figures Signup and view all the answers

In a writing test, which task requires candidates to provide instructions?

Drafting a set of instructions Signup and view all the answers

Which type of listening test activity involves following directions?

Following directions on a map Signup and view all the answers

Which method is NOT suggested to maintain reliability in listening tests?

Allowing varied speaking speeds and tones Signup and view all the answers

Which task is designed for candidates to practice their conversational skills?

Performing role-play activities Signup and view all the answers

What does the reliability of the doze technique depend on?

The context from which words are deleted Signup and view all the answers

What issue is highlighted regarding the traditional doze procedure?

It does not account for the recovery of meaning from context Signup and view all the answers

Why are modified doze procedures considered beneficial for placement tests?

They adapt to the expected abilities of students Signup and view all the answers

In the example of sentence transformation, which grammatical structure is primarily tested?

Verb and clause patterns Signup and view all the answers

What does supplying the correct word in a doze test imply about a student's understanding?

An understanding of context and word usage Signup and view all the answers

What approach does a modified doze technique utilize in selecting words to delete?

Choosing words based on their relation to nearby words Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a test item that measures knowledge of verb patterns?

Rewrite sentences to change their tense Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of using traditional doze techniques in testing?

It often leaves the context ambiguous Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important for tests to replicate real-life interaction?

To measure both receptive and productive skills effectively. Signup and view all the answers

What type of test item is less likely to replicate real-life interaction?

A general essay question. Signup and view all the answers

How should tests of reading and listening be designed?

To reflect realistic situations as much as possible. Signup and view all the answers

Which assessment task is suggested to provide genuine interaction?

Participating in a simulated interview. Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic should test items ideally possess?

They should resemble real reading and listening tasks. Signup and view all the answers

What does sentence re-ordering primarily assess in students?

Their underlying knowledge of syntax and lexico-grammatical elements Signup and view all the answers

Which is NOT mentioned as a type of indirect testing technique?

Multiple-choice questions Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to create a 'level playing field' in written tests?

To prevent unfair advantages based on prior knowledge Signup and view all the answers

What might undermine receptive ability testing?

The inclusion of writing and speaking requirements Signup and view all the answers

Which example is considered to have a more equitable essay prompt?

Do you support the ban on smoking in public places? Why or why not? Signup and view all the answers

What do direct test items aim to achieve?

They should ensure reliability and validity in assessment Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following elements is NOT part of the sentence re-ordering exercise?

Identifying grammatical errors in completed sentences Signup and view all the answers

What is one characteristic of effective receptive skill testing?

Focusing on reading comprehension questions Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant issue with multiple choice questions?

Incorrect choices may create misconceptions. Signup and view all the answers

How can multiple choice question performance be misleading?

Scores may depend on familiarity with MCQ techniques. Signup and view all the answers

What is one advantage of cloze procedures over multiple choice questions?

They can randomly test various aspects of language knowledge. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'validity' refer to in the context of testing?

The degree to which a test measures what it claims to measure. Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of cloze testing?

It avoids specific test designer biases. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect does cloze testing effectively measure?

Various language abilities like collocation and phrases. Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of multiple choice questions mentioned in the content?

They may not enhance actual language skills. Signup and view all the answers

In what way are cloze procedures considered a cost-effective testing method?

They require little material for preparation. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Test Item Types

There are a number of different types of test items that can be used to assess language proficiency.
Direct test items are tests that require the candidate to demonstrate their ability to perform the task or skill being tested.
Indirect test items are tests that measure the candidate's knowledge of the language system, without requiring them to actually perform the task or skill being assessed.

Direct Test Item Types

Speaking:
- Interviews to assess fluency and accuracy
- information gap activities that require students to communicate with each other to achieve a common goal.
Writing:
- Composition and story writing
- Transactional letters such as job applications and complaints
- Leaflet writing
- Set of instructions
- Newspaper articles

Indirect Test Item Types

Reading:
- Multiple choice questions to test comprehension of a text
- Matching written descriptions with pictures
- Transferring written information to charts and graphs
- Choosing the best summary of a text
- Matching jumbled headings with paragraphs
- Inserting sentences in the correct place within a text
Listening:
- Completing charts with facts and figures heard in a listening text.
- Identifying objects or pictures described in a listening text.
- Identifying the speaker who made a particular statement.
- Identifying the emotion of a speaker.
- Following directions on a map and identifying the correct location.
Cloze procedure: a method where every nth word is deleted from a text, requiring the student to fill in the blanks.
- The cloze procedure is often used to assess a student's overall knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary.
- The cloze procedure is sometimes criticized for being unreliable and producing test items that are too difficult.

Test Item Construction & Reliability

Multiple choice questions (MCQ)
- MCQs are widely used in language testing because they are easy to mark.
- MCQs can be unreliable if distractors are not well-designed.
- Test training may increase scores but not necessarily English proficiency.
Transformations and Paraphrases:
- These test items assess a candidate's knowledge of different grammatical structures and their ability to rewrite sentences without changing their meaning.
Sentence Reordering:
- These test items assess a candidate's knowledge of sentence structure and syntax.
Sentence Fill-Ins:
- These test items assess a candidate's knowledge of lexico-grammatical elements.

Creating a "Level Playing Field" for Direct Test Items

Direct test items must be designed to ensure that all candidates have a fair chance of success.
Test items should:
- Avoid requiring specialized knowledge that is not related to the skill being assessed.
- Replicate real-life situations.
- Use authentic or realistic texts.

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Description

Explore the different types of test items used for assessing language proficiency. This quiz covers both direct test items, such as speaking and writing tasks, and indirect test items like reading comprehension tasks. Test your understanding of effective assessment methods.