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Teaching Assessment of
Literature Studies
by: GRETCHEN C. TAJARAN, MAEd
 EL 106

Teaching Assessment of Literature

Studies
(Module 1)

This course develops the ability to use the phonological, lexical, syntactic and semantic
structures of English with ease and explain the form, meaning and use of their elements.

Units/Credit Equivalent: 3

Course Outcomes:

At the end of the term students must have;

1. explored the different definitions of concepts related to language and literature

assessment.
2. identified the types of assessment and evaluation tools.
3. discussed the various language test techniques.
4. described test construction, test items and how they are constructed.
5. explained the meaning of a good tests‘ criteria.
 Lesson 1
Principles and Purposes of
Language Assessment

In creating a quality test, one should consider the characteristics of a good test. A good
test should have a positive effect on learning, and teaching should result in improved habits. Such
a test will aim at locating the specific and precise areas of difficulties experienced by the class or
the individual student so that assistance in the form of additional practice and corrective exercises
can be given. The test should enable the teacher to find out which parts of the language program
cause difficulty for the class (Go & Posecion, 2010).

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this module, students must have:

1. explored the different definitions of concepts related to language and

literature assessment;
2. explained the principles that govern effective assessment and evaluation.
3. discuss the purposes of language testing;
4. identify the functions of language test in education; and
5. acknowledge the value of assessment in the language-teaching learning
process.

KEY CONCEPTS

At the beginning of these modules, it is essential to define terms related to language

assessment that are often confused with another because in some books they are used
interchangeably.

1. Assessment. It is the act of gathering information on a daily basis in order to

understand individual student‘s learning and needs. ―In the context
of language teaching and learning, ‗assessment‘ refers to the act of
collecting information and making judgments about a language learner‘s
knowledge of a specific language and ability to use it (Chapelle & Brindley,
2013).

2. Testing. It refers to a tool technique or a method that is intended to measure

students‘ knowledge or their ability to complete particular tasks. In this
sense, testing can be considered as form of assessment (Rhalmi, 2019).

3. Language Testing. Allen, (2019) explained that it is the practice and study on how to
evaluate the proficiency of an individual in using a language effectively.

4. Measurement. It is the technique of evaluation that uses tests and other procedure and
instrument which is generally precise and objective. This generally results in
quantitative data and characteristically can express its results in numerical
form (Bhat, 2020.)
5. Evaluation, Bhat, (2020) highlighted that it is a process of education that uses gathered
data from the products and the process by means of measurement
technique.

In these Modules, testing, measurement and evaluation shall subsume under assessment.

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION PRINCIPLES

To assists teachers in planning for student assessment and evaluation, the following
principles are considered;

1. Assessment and evaluation are essential components of teaching-learning process. They

should be planned, continuous activities which are derived from curriculum objectives
and consistent with the instructional and learning strategies.

2. A variety of assessment and evaluation techniques should be selected for their

appropriateness to students‘ learning styles and to the intended purposes. Students
should be given opportunities to demonstrate the extent of their knowledge, abilities,
and attitudes in a variety of ways.

3. Teachers should communicate assessment and evaluation strategies and plan in

advance, informing the students of the objectives and the assessment procedures
relative to the objectives. Students should have opportunities for input into the
evaluation process.

4. Assessment and evaluation should be fair and equitable. They should be sensitive to
family; classroom, school and community situations as well as to cultural or gender
requirements; they should be of free of bias.

5. Assessment and evaluation should help students. They should provide positive feedback
and encourage students to participate actively in their own assessment in order to
foster lifelong learning and enable them to transfer knowledge and abilities to their life
experiences.

6. Assessment and evaluation data and results should be communicated to students and
parents/guardians regularly, in meaningful ways.

7. Assessment and evaluation should use a variety of techniques and tools. The teacher
collects assessment information about students‘ language development and their
growth in speaking, listening, writing and reading knowledge and abilities. The data
gathered during assessment becomes the basis for an evaluation. Comparing assessment
information to curriculum objectives allows the teacher to make decision or judgment
regarding the progress of the student‘s learning.

PURPOSES OF ASSESSMENT

1. Assessment for learning

It focuses on the gap between where a learner is in his learning process, where he
needs to meet the desired goals which can be achieved through sharing criteria with
peers, effective questioning and feedback.

The teacher must understand that learners learn best when; they can comprehend
clearly; they receive feedback; they receive advice; and they are fully involved.

2. Assessment as learning
It is about reflecting in evidence of learning. This is part of the cycle of assessment
where students and teachers set learning goals, share learning intentions and success
criteria to evaluate their learning through dialogue and self & peer assessment. Through
 this, learners become more aware of what they learn, how they learn and what helps
them learn.

Learners are able to build knowledge of themselves as learners and become

metacognitive. In other words, they become aware of how they learn. It also helps
them to make more responsibility for their learning and participate more in the process
of learning.

3. Assessment of learning
This involves working with range of available evidence that enables staff and the
wider assessment community to check on student‘s progress and using this information
in a number of ways.

Assessment of learning provides an arena for the management and planning of

assessment for the teachers to work collaboratively with the evidence. It connects
assessment with the curriculum.

Judgments about students‘ learning need to be dependable. This means that:

 based on sound criteria, they are valid,
 based on accuracy of assessment and practice, they are reliable,
 can stand up when compared to judgments in other departments or
schools which means that, they are comparable.

FUNCTIONS OF LANGUAGE TESTS

Tests are essential parts of assessment, thus it is important that their functions are
clearly identified.

In learning, tests are used to measure students‘ language ability to discover how much
they have been learning, to diagnose students‘ strengths and weaknesses and to motivate
students in learning. Sometimes, language teachers choose test students through periodic
quizzes and tests of achievements.

In teaching, tests are used as a means to ensure effective teaching in order to improve
teaching quality, to obtain feedback on student learning place or in a course.

In research, language tests have a potentially important role in virtually all research, both
basic and applied, that is related to the nature of language proficiency, language
processing, language acquisition, language attrition and language teaching.

Discussion Points

Direction: In your own words (not less than 200 words per item) answer the following,
Write the answers on your notebook.

1. Differentiate testing, assessment, evaluation and measurement.

2. What essential principles about assessment and evaluation should educators,

especially teachers, bear in mind?

3. What are the roles of assessment in teaching, in learning and in research?

4. What are the functions of language test?

Post-Discussion Activity
1. Take a short video of yourself (not less than 4 minutes) while discussing the functions
and importance of tests.

OR

2. Elaborate the functions and importance of tests in person. (Oral test)

 Lesson 2

TYPES OF LANGUAGE ASESSMENT

Language is a complicated thing to measure. Consequently, there are many types of
language testing, each type measuring different skills for different reasons. For example, one test
might ask you to read a passage out loud, while another asks you to answer questions about the
passage (Antonette, 2018).

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this module, students must have:

1. identified the types of assessment and evaluation;

2. explained the different types of assessment tool;
3. used guidelines for the use of each tool;
4. prepared samples of each tool discussed;
5. differentiated the different kinds of tests and testing;
6. explained the use of each kind of tests and testing; and
7. appreciated the value of knowing the various types of Assessment
tools in teaching.

KINDS OF ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

There are three kinds of assessment and evaluation that occur regularly throughout the school
year: diagnostic, formative and summative.

1. Diagnostic assessment and evaluation is a form of pre-assessment where teachers can

evaluate students‘ strengths, weaknesses, knowledge and skills before their instruction. An
identical assessment may be given post-instruction to identify if students have met a
course‘s required learning objectives. With this form of assessment, teachers can plan
meaningful and efficient instruction and can provide students with an individualized
learning experience. Written by students, the diagnostic assessment is a tool for teachers to
better understand what students already know about a topic when submitted before the
start of a course.

A diagnostic assessment refers to an assignment written at the beginning and end

of a course. Post-course assessments can be compared with pre-course assessments and can
show students‘ potential improvement in certain areas. These assessments allow the
instructor to adjust the curriculum to meet the needs of current—and future—students.

2. Formative assessment and evaluation refers to a wide variety of methods that

teachers use to conduct in-process evaluations of student comprehension, learning needs,
and academic progress during a lesson, unit, or course. Formative assessments help
teachers identify concepts that students are struggling to understand, skills they are having
difficulty acquiring, or learning standards they have not yet achieved so that adjustments
can be made to lessons, instructional techniques, and academic support.

The general goal of formative assessment is to collect detailed information that can
be used to improve instruction and student learning while it‘s happening. What makes an
assessment ―formative‖ is not the design of a test, technique, or self-evaluation, per se, but
the way it is used—i.e., to inform in-process teaching and learning modifications.
 Formative assessments are commonly contrasted with summative assessments,
which are used to evaluate student learning progress and achievement at the conclusion of
a specific instructional period—usually at the end of a project, unit, course, semester,
program, or school year. In other words, formative assessments are for learning, while
summative assessments are of learning.

Many educators and experts believe that formative assessment is an integral part
of effective teaching. For example, a formative-assessment technique could be as simple
as a teacher asking students to raise their hands if they feel they have understood a newly
introduced concept, or it could be as sophisticated as having students complete a self-
assessment of their own writing (typically using a rubric outlining the criteria) that the
teacher then reviews and comments on.

While the same assessment technique or process could, in theory, be used for
either formative or summative purposes, many summative assessments are unsuitable for
formative purposes because they do not provide useful feedback. For
example, standardized-test scores may not be available to teachers for months after their
students take the test (so the results cannot be used to modify lessons or teaching and
better prepare students), or the assessments may not be specific or fine-grained enough to
give teachers and students the detailed information they need to improve.

3. Summative assessment and evaluation are used to evaluate student learning, skill
acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period—
typically at the end of a project, unit, course, semester, program, or school year. Generally
speaking, summative assessments are defined by three major criteria:

 The tests, assignments, or projects are used to determine whether students have learned
what they were expected to learn. In other words, what makes an assessment
―summative‖ is not the design of the test, assignment, or self-evaluation, per se, but the
way it is used—i.e., to determine whether and to what degree students have learned the
material they have.
 Summative assessments are given at the conclusion of a specific instructional period, and
therefore they are generally evaluative, rather than diagnostic—i.e., they are more
appropriately used to determine learning progress and achievement, evaluate the
effectiveness of educational programs, measure progress toward improvement goals, or
make course-placement decisions, among other possible applications.
 Summative-assessment results are often recorded as scores or grades that are then factored
into a student‘s permanent academic record, whether they end up as letter grades on a
report card or test scores used in the college-admissions process. While summative
assessments are typically a major component of the grading process in most districts,
schools, and courses, not all assessments considered to be summative are graded.

Summative assessments are commonly contrasted with formative assessments, which

collect detailed information that educators can use to improve instruction and student
learning while it‘s happening. In other words, formative assessments are often said to
be for learning, while summative assessments are of learning. Or as assessment expert Paul
Black put it, ―When the cook tastes the soup, that‘s formative assessment; when the customer
tastes the soup that‘s summative assessment.‖ It should be noted, however, that the
distinction between formative and summative is often fuzzy in practice, and educators may
have divergent interpretations and opinions on the subject.

Some of the most well-known and widely discussed examples of summative assessments
are the standardized tests administered by states and testing organizations, usually in math,
reading, writing, and science.
 TYPES OF ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Assessment data can be collected and recorded by both the teacher and the students in a
variety of ways. Through observation of students, and interviews or conferences with
students, teachers can discover much about their students‘ knowledge, abilities, interests and
needs.

When a number of assessment tools are used in conjunction with one another, richer and
more in-depth data collection results.

Whatever method of data collection is used, teachers should: meet with students regularly
to discuss their progress and adjust rating criteria as learners change and progress.

1. Observation Assessment Instrument with so much attention these days focused on the
results of standardized tests, it can be easy to forget one very important fact, stated
Johnnie McKinley, which is that one of the most "reliable sources of information" about
what students know and can do is the classroom teacher.

McKinley, the Seattle Public Schools effectiveness consultant, noted that teachers
see the results of schooling every day in their classrooms. "We have students' products, we
see them working in groups—teachers know a child's capacities," she said, and the
information that can be gathered from such classroom-based observations "is much more
valuable than what can be discerned by a standardized test, which offers only a snapshot.

The first step for teachers who want to develop classroom-based observational
assessments is to review district standards and identify learning objectives for students,
McKinley explained. Teachers then need to ask "What information can I collect that will
tell me whether a child can meet a particular standard? What information must I collect to
validate what I see?"

Establishing clear performance criteria for judging student work is the next key
task. Teachers need to "look at what we want kids to create or perform," McKinley said.
"What are kids going to be doing?"

For example, if speaking effectively in front of a group is a learning objective, the

teacher must ask: "What will I see when a student gives an exemplary presentation? What
does exemplary public speaking look like?" The teacher then makes a list of the traits or
characteristics that are expected. And that, McKinley stated, is the list of criteria from
which a checklist or rating scale can be developed.

It's a deceptively simple process, she warned, noting that it's sometimes difficult to
be "very clear" about what students should demonstrate. Teachers often want to include
unobservable value judgments in their lists of criteria, such as the student is motivated or
the student is taking responsibility for her work . "How can you describe those?" McKinley
asked. "If you cannot describe a characteristic so that it's observable and concrete, and
easily understood by anybody—by a person standing at a bus stop, for instance—it's a
characteristic that cannot be observed."

2. Anecdotal Notes are used to record specific observations of individual student

behaviours, skills and attitudes as they relate to the outcomes in the program of studies.
Such notes provide cumulative information on student learning and direction for further
instruction.

Anecdotal notes are often written as the result of ongoing observations during the
lessons but may also be written in response to a product or performance the student has
completed. They are brief, objective and focused on specific outcomes. Notes taken
during or immediately following an activity are generally the most accurate. Anecdotal
notes for a particular student can be periodically shared with that student or be shared at
 the student‘s request. They can also be shared with students and parents at parent–
teacher–student conferences.

The purpose of anecdotal notes is to:

 provide information regarding a student's development over a period of time

 provide ongoing records about individual instructional needs
 capture observations of significant behaviours that might otherwise be lost
 provide ongoing documentation of learning that may be shared with students, parents
and teachers.

Tips for Establishing and Maintaining Anecdotal Notes

1. Keep a binder with a separate page for each student. Record observations using a
clipboard and sticky notes. Write the date and the student‘s name on each sticky note.
Following the note taking, place individual sticky notes on the page reserved for that
student in the binder.
2. Keep a binder with dividers for each student and blank pages to jot down notes. The
pages may be divided into three columns: Date, Observation and Action Plan.

3. Keep a class list in the front of the binder and check off each student's name as anecdotal
notes are added to their section of the binder. This provides a quick reference of the
students you have observed and how frequently you have observed them.
4. Keep notes brief and focused (usually no more than a few sentences or phrases).
5. Note the context and any comments or questions for follow-up.
6. Keep comments objective. Make specific comments about student strengths, especially
after several observations have been recorded and a pattern has been observed.
7. Record as the observations are being made, or as soon after as possible, so recollections
will be accurate.
8. Record comments regularly, if possible.
9. Record at different times and during different activities to develop a balanced profile of
student mathematical learning.
10. Review records frequently to ensure that notes are being made on each student regularly
and summarize information related to trends in students' learning.
11. Share anecdotal notes with students and parents at conferences.

3. Checklists are assessment tools that set out specific criteria, which educators and students
may use to gauge skill development or progress. Generally speaking, checklists consist of a set
of statements that correspond to specific criteria; the answer to each statement is either ―Yes‖
or ―No‖, or ―Done‖ or ―Not Done‖. Checklists can also be used to communicate a student‘s
learning to his/her parents.

A student, a group of students or an entire class may use checklists; they may be ―single
use‖ or designed for multiples usage.

Purpose of Checklists

 To provide tools for systematically recording observations;

 To provide students with tools that they can use for self-evaluation;
 To provide examples of criteria for students at the beginning of a project or learning
activity;
 To document the development of the skills, strategies, attitudes, and behaviors that are
necessary for effective learning; and
 To identify students‘ learning needs by summarizing learning to date.
To create checklists, teachers must:

 Take the current learning outcomes and standards for the curriculum and current units of
study into account;
 Ensure that descriptors and indicators are clear, specific, and easy to observe;
 Encourage students to help create appropriate indicators. For example, what are the
indicators for a persuasive text?
 Ensure that checklists, marking schemes, and achievement charts are dated, in order to
document progress during a specific period of time;
 Ensure that checklists provide space for anecdotal comments because interpretation is
often appropriate;
 Use generic models so that the students become accustomed to them and so that criteria
and indicators can be added quickly, based on the activity being assessed.
 Encourage students to create and use their own checklists, so that they can assess
themselves and set learning goals for themselves.

4. Rating Scales and Rubrics Checklists are tools that state specific criteria and allow teachers
and students to gather information and to make judgments about what students know and
can do in relation to the outcomes. They offer systematic ways of collecting data about
specific behaviors, knowledge and skills.

The quality of information acquired through the use of checklists, rating scales and rubrics
is highly dependent on the quality of the descriptors chosen for assessment. Their benefit is
also dependent on students‘ direct involvement in the assessment and understanding of the
feedback provided.

The purpose of checklists, rating scales and rubrics is to:

 provide tools for systematic recording of observations
 provide tools for self-assessment
 provide samples of criteria for students prior to collecting and evaluating data on their
work record the development of specific skills, strategies, attitudes and behaviors
necessary for demonstrating learning
 clarify student‘s instructional needs by presenting a record of current accomplishments.

Checklists usually offer a yes/no format in relation to student demonstration of specific

criteria. This is similar to a light switch; the light is either on or off. They may be used to
record observations of an individual, a group or a whole class.

Rating Scales allow teachers to indicate the degree or frequency of the behaviors, skills
and strategies displayed by the learner. To continue the light switch analogy, a rating scale is
like a dimmer switch that provides for a range of performance levels. Rating scales state the
criteria and provide three or four response selections to describe the quality or frequency of
student work.

Teachers can use rating scales to record observations and students can use them as self-
assessment tools. Teaching students to use descriptive words, such
as always, usually, sometimes and never helps them pinpoint specific strengths and needs.
Rating scales also give students information for setting goals and improving performance. In a
rating scale, the descriptive word is more important than the related number. The more
precise and descriptive the words for each scale point, the more reliable the tool.

Effective rating scales use descriptors with clearly understood measures, such as frequency.
Scales that rely on subjective descriptors of quality, such as fair, good or excellent, are less
effective because the single adjective does not contain enough information on what criteria
are indicated at each of these points on the scale

Rubrics use a set of criteria to evaluate a student's performance. They consist of a fixed
measurement scale and detailed description of the characteristics for each level of
performance. These descriptions focus on the quality of the product or performance and not
the quantity; e.g., not number of paragraphs, examples to support an idea, spelling errors.
Rubrics are commonly used to evaluate student performance with the intention of including
the result in a grade for reporting purposes. Rubrics can increase the consistency and reliability
of scoring.

Rubrics use a set of specific criteria to evaluate student performance. They may be used to
assess individuals or groups and, as with rating scales, may be compared over time.

When developing a rubric, consider the following:

 What are the specific outcomes in the task?

 Do the students have some experience with this or a similar task?
 What does an excellent performance look like? What are the qualities that distinguish an
excellent response from other levels?
 What do other responses along the performance quality continuum look like?
 Is each description qualitatively different from the others? Are there an equal number of
descriptors at each level of quality? Are the differences clear and understandable to
students and others?

Begin by developing criteria to describe the Acceptable level. Then use Bloom's taxonomy
to identify differentiating criteria as you move up the scale. The criteria should not go beyond
the original performance task, but reflect higher order thinking skills that students could
demonstrate within the parameters of the initial task.

When developing the scoring criteria and quality levels of a rubric, consider the following
guidelines.

 Level 4 is the Standard of excellence level. Descriptions should indicate that all aspects of
work exceed grade level expectations and show exemplary performance or
understanding. This is a "Wow!"
 Level 3 is the Approaching standard of excellence level. Descriptions should indicate some
aspects of work that exceed grade level expectations and demonstrate solid performance
or understanding. This is a "Yes!"
 Level 2 is the Meets acceptable standard. This level should indicate minimal competencies
acceptable to meet grade level expectations. Performance and understanding are
emerging or developing but there are some errors and mastery is not thorough. This is a
"On the right track, but …".
 Level 1 Does not yet meet acceptable standard. This level indicates what is not adequate
for grade level expectations and indicates that the student has serious errors, omissions or
misconceptions. This is a "No, but …". The teacher needs to make decisions about
appropriate intervention to help the student improve.

Creating Rubrics with Students

Learning increases when students are actively involved in the assessment process. Students
do better when they know the goal, see models and know how their performance compares
to learning outcomes.

Learning outcomes are clarified when students assist in describing the criteria used to
evaluate performance. Use brainstorming and discussion to help students analyze what each
level looks like. Use student-friendly language and encourage students to identify descriptors
that are meaningful to them. For example, a Grade 3 class might describe levels of quality
with phrases such as the following.
 Super!
 Going beyond
 Meets the mark
 Needs more work.
 Use work samples to help students practice and analyze specific criteria for developing a
critical elements list. They can also use samples to practice assigning performance levels and
compare criteria from level to level.

Although rubrics are often used as assessment of learning tools, they can also be used as
assessment for learning tools. Students can benefit from using rubrics as they become more
competent at judging the quality of their work and examining their own progress.

5. Portfolios are purposeful collection of student work samples, student self-assessments and goal
statements that reflect student progress. Students generally choose the work samples to place in
the portfolio, but the teacher may also recommend that specific work samples be included.
Portfolios are powerful tools that allow students to see their academic progress from grade to
grade.

The physical structure of a portfolio refers to the actual arrangement of the work samples,
which can be organized according to chronology, subject area, style or goal area. The conceptual
structure refers to the teacher's goals for student learning. For example, the teacher may have
students complete a self-assessment on a work sample and then set a goal for future learning. The
work sample self-assessment and the goal sheet may be added to the portfolio.
Work samples from all curricular areas can be selected and placed in a portfolio. These
can include stories, tests and reflections about work samples.

Effective portfolios:

 are updated regularly to keep them as current and complete as possible

 help students examine their progress
 help students develop a positive self-concept as learners
 are shared with parents or guardians
 are a planned, organized collection of student-selected work
 tell detailed stories about a variety of student outcomes that would otherwise be difficult
to document
 include self-assessments that describe the student as both a learner and an individual
 serve as a guide for future learning by illustrating a student's present level of achievement
 include a selection of items that are representative of curriculum outcomes, and what the
student knows and can do
 include the criteria against which the student work was evaluated
 support the assessment, evaluation and communication of student learning
 document learning in a variety of ways—process, product, growth and achievement
 include a variety of works—audio recordings, video recordings, photographs, graphic
organizers, first drafts, journals and assignments that feature work from all of the multiple
intelligences.

Encourage students to provide evidence of their learning in their work products. Have
students include evidence of their learning, such as graphic organizers, journals, solved
problems that were challenging, problems that have been solved in multiple ways, problems
that the student has extended. Have them state where they see evidence of strong product or
performance. Periodically have students select a number of pieces of work that they have
analyzed for evidence of understanding and include these work products in a portfolio that
provides evidence of their learning over time.

An essential requirement of portfolios is that students include written reflections that

explain why each sample was selected. The power of the portfolio is derived from the
descriptions, reactions and metacognitive reflections that help students achieve their goals.
Conferencing with parents, peers and/or teachers helps synthesize learning and celebrate
successes. Some students become adept at writing descriptions and personal reflections of
their work without any prompts.
6. Speaking and Listening even though many students have mastered basic listening and
speaking skills, some students are much more effective in their oral communication than other
and those who are more effective communicators experience more success in school and in
other areas of their lives.

The skills that can make the difference between minimal and effective communication can
be taught, practiced, and improved.

The method used for assessing oral communication skills depends on the purpose of the
assessment. A method that is appropriate for giving feedback to students who are learning a
new skill is not appropriate for evaluating students at the end of a course. However, any
assessment method should adhere to the measurement principles of reliability, validity, and
fairness.

The instrument must be accurate and consistent, it must represent the abilities we wish to
measure, and it must operate in the same way with a wide range of students. The concerns of
measurement, as they relate to oral communication, are highlighted below. Detailed
discussions of speaking and listening assessment may be found in Powers (1984), Rubin and
Mead (1984), and Stiggins (1981).

Two methods are used for assessing speaking skills. In the observational approach, the
student's behavior is observed and assessed unobtrusively. In the structured approach, the
student is asked to perform one or more specific oral communication tasks. His or her
performance on the task is then evaluated. The task can be administered in a one-on-one
setting -- with the test administrator and one student -- or in a group or class setting. In either
setting, students should feel that they are communicating meaningful content to a real
audience. Tasks should focus on topics that all students can easily talk about, or, if they do
not include such a focus, students should be given an opportunity to collect information on
the topic.

Both observational and structured approaches use a variety of rating systems. A holistic
rating captures a general impression of the student's performance. A primary trait score
assesses the student's ability to achieve a specific communication purpose -- for example, to
persuade the listener to adopt a certain point of view. Analytic scales capture the student's
performance on various aspects of communication, such as delivery, organization, content,
and language. Rating systems may describe varying degrees of competence along a scale or
may indicate the presence or absence of a characteristic.

A major aspect of any rating system is rater objectivity: Is the rater applying the scoring
criteria accurately and consistently to all students across time? The reliability of raters should
be established during their training and checked during administration or scoring of the
assessment. If ratings are made on the spot, two raters will be required for some
administrations. If ratings are recorded for later scoring, double scoring will be needed.

Listening, like reading comprehension, is usually defined as a receptive skill comprising

both a physical process and an interpretive, analytical process. However, this definition is
often expanded to include critical listening skills (higher-order skills such as analysis and
synthesis) and nonverbal listening (comprehending the meaning of tone of voice, facial
expressions, gestures, and other nonverbal cues.) The expanded definition of listening also
emphasizes the relationship between listening and speaking.

Listening tests typically resemble reading comprehension tests except that the student
listens to a passage instead of reading it. The student then answers multiple-choice questions
that address various levels of literal and inferential comprehension. Important elements in all
listening tests are (1) the listening stimuli, (2) the questions, and (3) the test environment.

The listening stimuli should represent typical oral language, and not consist of simply the
oral reading of passages designed to be written material. The material should model the
language that students might typically be expected to hear in the classroom, in various media,
or in conversations. Since listening performance is strongly influenced by motivation and
memory, the passages should be interesting and relatively short. To ensure fairness, topics
should be grounded in experience common to all students, irrespective of sex and geographic,
socioeconomic, or racial/ethnic background.

In regard to questions, multiple-choice items should focus on the most important aspects
of the passage -- not trivial details -- and should measure skills from a particular domain.
Answers designated as correct should be derived from the passage, without reliance on the
student's prior knowledge or experience. Questions and response choices should meet
accepted psychometric standards for multiple-choice questions.

An alternative to the multiple-choice test is a performance test that requires students to

select a picture or actually perform a task based on oral instruction. For example, students
might hear a description of several geometric figures and choose pictures that match the
description, or they might be given a map and instructed to trace a route that is described
orally.

The testing environment for listening assessment should be free of external distractions. If
stimuli are presented from a tape, the sound quality should be excellent. If stimuli are
presented by a test administrator, the material should be presented clearly, with appropriate
volume and rate of speaking.

7. Interviews/Conferences extensive research confirms the value of student-teacher. Sandy

Astin‘s widely acclaimed What Matters in College reports that interaction between student
and faculty has ―significant positive correlations with every academic attainment outcome:
college GPA, degree attainment, graduating with honors, and enrollment in graduate or
professional school‖.

Here are the learning experiences we think interviews support:

Performing: Brief interviews can provide students an opportunity to demonstrate

proficiency. They may be especially appropriate in courses like music, physical education,
science, language, nursing, etc. where mastery of specific skills is an integral requirement of the
course. Brief discussion regarding the student‘s performance may follow, as appropriate.

Reporting: As a supplement to other traditional assessment methods, interviews can

quickly identify what students have done, as well as what they know. In some courses, it may
be appropriate to conduct longer small group interviews (perhaps for team project reports)
which requires a smaller time commitment than individual interviews.

Reporting interviews have worked well for us in several courses, including a software
engineering capstone course where student groups were required to demonstrate and explain
their software as well as in a general education humanities course where individual students
shared what they experienced while completing a self-selected personal development project.

Mentoring: Interviews provide an opportunity for professors to compliment, assist,

correct, address problems and opportunities, and demonstrate interest. All interviews may
include a mentoring component, but they can be conducted exclusively for that purpose.
Unlike testing and reporting interviews which often are scheduled for all students, mentoring
interviews can be set up more selectively with a subset of students—those who‘ve improved a
lot, those who need to improve a lot, or those who‘ve done something exceptional.

8. Project and Presentations challenges students to think beyond the boundaries of the
classroom, helping them develop the skills, behaviors, and confidence necessary for success in
the 21st-century.

Designing learning environments that help students question, analyze, evaluate, and
extrapolate their plans, conclusions, and ideas, leading them to higher–order thinking,
 requires feedback and evaluation that goes beyond a letter or number grade. The term
―authentic assessment‖ is used to describe assessment that evaluates content knowledge as
well as additional skills like creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and innovation.

Authentic assessment documents the learning that occurs during the project-building
process and considers the real-world skills of collaboration, problem solving, decision making,
and communication. Since project work requires students to apply knowledge and skills
throughout the project-building process, you will have many opportunities to assess work
quality, understanding, and participation from the moment students begin working.

For example, your evaluation can include tangible documents like the project vision,
storyboard, and rough draft, verbal behaviors such as participation in group discussions and
sharing of resources and ideas, and non-verbal cognitive tasks such as risk taking and
evaluation of information. You can also capture snapshots of learning throughout the process
by having students complete a project journal, a self-assessment, or by making a discussion of
the process one component of the final presentation.

KINDS OF LANGUAGE TESTS

Tests can be categorized according to the types of information they provide. The four
types of language test are: proficiency, achievement, diagnostic and placement tests.

Proficiency tests provide an opportunity to test the language skills of the learners when
the testing objectives are tied not to the instructional objectives, but to abilities in a language
regardless of any specific instruction in it.

Achievement tests are administered in order to provide some indication of whether the
instructional goals are being met. Achievement tests are based directly on the instructional
content of the course. As mentioned earlier, the objectives of the instructional program and
the objectives of the testing should be in harmony with each other, thus leading to beneficial
backwash.

Diagnostic tests are prepared in order to discover the strengths and weaknesses of
language reamers. This information is useful to language instructors in helping the trainees
make improvement in their language skills.

Placement tests are administered in order to make decisions about where a student should
be placed within a language instructional program. In most cases, language reamers with
similar language abilities should be grouped together. The instructor can then work with
individuals who are at approximately the same level of development in language skills and
can help them strengthen those skills

Discussion Points

Direction: In your own words (not less than 100 words per item) answer the following,
Write the answers on your notebook.

1. What are the significance of the following assessments and evaluation: Diagnostics,
Formative, Summative?

2. What are the various assessment tools? When is each tool utilized?
3. How do language tests measure language performance?
Post-Discussion Activity
Craft a 25-item test. Write them on the test booklet.
Answer the following questions through a short video presentation feat. yourself.

 What problems did you encounter in writing?

 Did you solve the problem? How?
 What goals did you set for yourself in crafting the items?
 How well did you accomplish them?
 References

https://languagetest.com/language-testing/types-of-language-testing/

https://prezi.com/bhgmcvvnks4g/types-of-language-assessment/

https://www.edglossary.org/formative-assessment/

https://www.edglossary.org/summative-assessment/

https://fortresslearning.com.au/cert-iv-content/assess/observation-assessment-instrument/

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mewa/html/assessment/anecdotalnotes.html

https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/educational-assessment/using-student-interviews-to-assess-
and-mentor-students

http://www.nzdl.org/gsdlmod

https://creativeeducator.tech4learning.com/v07/articles/Assessing_Student_Project_Work