Analyzing Five English Language Tests: Types, Sample Items, and Formats
- Kinds of test (traditional, standardized, standards-based, or teacher-made test)
- Give one sample item of the test
- testsDecide if the sample is T-F, MC, Matching, Short answer, etc.)
1. Traditional Assessment:
Definition: Traditional assessment refers to a conventional or established method of evaluating a student's knowledge or skills. It often involves using common assessment formats that have been used for years, such as multiple-choice questions, true-false questions, and short answer questions.
Example: The sample item in the traditional assessment is the true-false question: "A RIVER is bigger than a STREAM." This question format is a classic example of traditional assessment, using binary choices (True or False) to evaluate a student's knowledge of a basic concept.
2. Standardized Assessment:
Definition: Standardized assessment involves the use of uniform tests or evaluation methods that are administered and scored in a consistent and standardized manner. These assessments are typically developed by a central authority or organization, and they aim to measure a student's knowledge or skills against a predefined set of criteria.
Example: The TOEFL ITP (Test of English as a Foreign Language - Institutional Testing Program) is an example of standardized assessment. It includes multiple-choice questions and follows a standardized format, allowing for consistent evaluation of English language proficiency among test-takers.
3. Standards-based Assessment:
Definition: Standards-based assessment is designed to assess a student's knowledge and skills based on specific educational standards or learning objectives. These assessments are aligned with a curriculum and are meant to determine whether students have achieved the expected learning outcomes.
Example: The sample item asking students to complete sentences about the existence of animals using "there is" and "there are" aligns with specific standards related to giving and asking for information about the existence of people, things, and animals. This assessment is directly linked to the curriculum and educational standards.
4. Teacher-made Test:
Definition: A teacher-made test is an assessment created by a classroom teacher to evaluate students on the material they have been taught. These assessments are typically designed to measure the specific content covered in a particular course or class.
Example: The teacher-made test in this case includes multiple-choice questions about captions and images. The questions are directly related to the material covered in the class and reflect the teacher's specific teaching objectives. Teacher-made tests are often tailored to the classroom's unique learning experiences.
5. Traditional Assessment (second instance):
Definition: In this context, traditional assessment is characterized by using common assessment formats such as multiple-choice questions, true-false questions, and short answer questions. These assessments are typically straightforward and have been widely used for assessing knowledge or skills.
Example: The first sample item, which is a multiple-choice question asking "_____ do me a favor, please? I need you to take me to the station," is a traditional assessment item. It follows a common format of multiple-choice questions, making it a traditional type of assessment.