ERIC ED365144: Current Developments in Language Testing. Anthology Series 25.

271 Pages·1991·4 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
FL 021 757
ED 365 144
Anivan, Sarinee, Ed.
AUTHOR
Current Developments in Language Testing. Anthology
TITLE
Series 25.
Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization
INSTITUTION
(Singapore). Regional Language Centre.
ISBN-9971-74-037-0; ISSN-0129-8895; RELCP383-91
REPORT NO
PUB DATE
91
271p.; Selected papers presented at the Regional
NOTE
Language Centre Seminar on Language Testing and
Language Programme Evaluation (April 9-12, 1990). For
selected individual papers, see also ED 328 072; ED
350 819, ED 322 725, ED 342 211, ED 317 073, ED 322
729.
Collected Works
General (020)
Collected Works
PUB TYPE
Serials (022)
MF01/PC11 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Communicative Competence (Languages); Comparative
DESCRIPTORS
Analysis; Computer Assisted Testing; Cues; English
(Second Language); Evaluation CriterCa; Instructional
Materials; International Programs; Interviews; Item
Response Theory; Language Aptitude; *Language
Proficiency; Language Research; *Language Tests;
*Second Languages; Simulation; Sociocultural
Patterns; Speech Skills; Teacher Developed Materials;
*Test Format; *Testing; Testing Programs; Test
Validity; Trend Analysis; Writing Evaluation; Writing
Exercise
*Oral Proficiency Testing
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
The selection of papers on language testing includes:
"Language Testing in the 1990s: How Far Have We Come? How Much
Further Have We To Go?" (J. Charles Alderson); "Current
Research/Development in Language Testing" (John W. 011er, Jr.); "The
Difficulties of Difficulty: Prompts in Writing Assessment" (Liz
Hamp-Lyons, Sheila Prochnow); "The Validity of Writing Test Tasks"
(John Read); "Affective Factors in the Assessment of Oral
Interaction: Gender and Status" (Don Porter); "Authenticity in
Foreign Language Testing" (Peter Doye); "Evaluating Communicative
Tests" (Keith Morrow); "Materials-Based Tests: How Well Do They
Work?" (Michael Milanovic); "Defining Language Ability: The Criteria
for Criteria" (Geoff Brindley); "The Role of Item Response Theory in
Language Test Validation" (T. F. McNamara); "The International
English Language Testing System IELTS: Its Nature and Development"
(D. E. Ingram); "A Comparative Analysis of Simulated and Direct Oral
Proficiency Interviews" (Charles W. Stansfield); "Southeast Asian
Languages Proficiency Examinations" (James Dean Brown, H. Gary Cook,
Charles Lockhart, Teresita Ramos); "Continuous Assessment in the Oral
Communication Class: Teacher Constructed Test" (Shanta
Nair-Venugopal); and "What We Can Do with Computerized Adaptive
Testing...And What We Cannot Do!" (Michel Laurier). (MSE)
CURRENT
DEVELOPMENTS
LANGUAGE
IN
TESTING
REGIONAL
LANGUAGE
CENTRE
Edited by
SARINEE ANIVAN
SEAMEO
25
ANTHOLOGY SERIES
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otfrthal
ment do not neCessanly rnpresent
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
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INFORMATION CENTER IERICI-
III
40
..,
CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN
LANGUAGE TESTING
CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN
LANGUAGE TESTING
Edited by Sarin= Anivan
Anthology Series 25
Published by
SEAMEO Regional Language Centre
c.4.
RELCP383-91
se.
1991 by SEAMEO Regional Language Centre
Copyright
30 Orange Grove Road
Singapore 1025
ISBN 9971-74-037-0
ISSN 0129-8895
Printed by Fong & Sow, Printets Pte. 1.td.
()
CONTENTS
Page
iv
Foreword
Introduction
Language Testing in the 1990s: How Far Have
1
We Come? How Much Further Have We To Go?
I Charles Alderson
27
Current Research/Development in Language
Testing
John W 01 ler Jr
58
The Difficulties of Difficulty: Prompts in
Writing Assessment
Liz Hamp-Lyons and Sheila Prochnow
77
The Validity of Writing Test Tasks
John Read
92
Affective Factors in the Assessment of Oral
Interaction: Gender and Status
Don Porter
103
Authenticity in Foreign Language Testing
Peter Dove
111
Evaluating Communicative Tests
Keith Morrow
119
Materials-13a=! Tests: How Well Do They
Work?
Michael Milanovic
139
Defining Language Ability: T ne Criteria
For Criteria
Geoff Brindley
165
The Role of Item Resporse Theory in
Language Test Validation
T F McNamara
185
The International English Language Testing
System 1ELTS: Its Nature and Development
D E Ingrain
199
A Comparative Analysis of Simulated and
Direct Oral Proficiency Interviews
Charles W Stansfield
7
210
Southeast Asian Languages Proficiency
Examinations
James Dean Brown
H Gary Cook
Charles Lockhart
Teresita Ramos
Continuous Assessment in the Oral
230
Communication Class: Teacher
Constructed Test
Shanta Nair-Venugopal
What We Can Do with Computerized Adaptive 244
Testing... And What We Cannot Do!
Michel Laurier
List of Contributors
256
iii
FOREWORD
Considerable interest in current language testing and the evaluation of
language teaching programmes amongst both researchers and language
educators was evidenced by the excellent and wide-ranging attendance at
RELC's Regional Seminar on Language Testing and Language Programme
Evaluation held from 9-12 April 1990. Many well-known personalities in the
field, from within and outside the SEAMEO member colntries, attended and
I am happy that RELC is able to publish selected
gave papers or workshops.
papers that appear in this volume.
The importance of language testing is recognized by virtualiy all
professionals in the field of language education. It is of special importance in
education systems that are highly competitive, as education systems in
Southeast Asia tend to be, as testing is not only an indirect stimulus to
learning, but plays a crucial role in determining the success or failure of an
individual's career, with direct implications for his future earning power.
socio-
Moreover, in countries where education is seen as central to
It is our
economic development, it is important that tests be valid and reliable.
belief that where validity and reliability arc lacking, individuals as well as
educational programmes suffer, and society at large is the loser. Thus, testing
evaluation,
is an important tool in educational research and for programme
and
and may even throw light on both thc nature of language proficiency
language learning.
Although the theme of the 1990 Seminar encompassed both testing and
both areas in one
programme evaluation, it has not been possible to cover
that
anthology, and the present volume deals with papers on testing. Those
volume later.
deal with programme evaluation will be published in a separate
Thc papers presented hcrc are inevitably a selection, limitations of space
However, I am confident that
having forced us to omit a number of papers.
field of
the papers offered all make worthwhile contributions to the important
educators both
language testing, and that thcy will be of interest to language
within and beyond Southeast Asia.
Eatnest Lau
Director, RELC
9
iv
INTRODUCTION
during
The hoped-for developments in language testing did not materialise
that
In spite of rapid growth in the field, many of the problems
the 1980s.
this volume sums
existed a decade ago arc still with us. Alderson in his paper in
"there has been much movement, a lot of it
up the past decade as one in which,
describes areas
sideways and backwards and not much of it ... forwards% He
which are as
where language testing has made progress, but also lists problems
for a wide range of topics on
yet intractable, and includes recommendations
which research can bc target*.ed.
basis of the
Naturally, as in all research, thc approach taken and the
the fundamental
research is crucial to the findings. Oiler points out some of
understanding
problems of research in language testing. He argues for a greater
abilities and processes,
of language proficiency from the point of view of semiotic
of the various people that are involved in the
as well as thc different perspectives
variances that show up in language
test making and test taking processes. The
properly
proficiency tests could thus be correctly identified and their sources
be more secure and
attributed and controlled. The validity of the tests would
then be a "proving
their significance unambiguous. Language testing could
of language
ground" for language theories, and hence hdp to define the nature
proficiency.
of variance in tcst
A number of writers in this collection discuss sources
Hamp-Lyons, experience by
prompts arc discussed by Prochnow and
results-
Hamp-Lyons report that
Read, affective factors by Porter. Prochnow and
selection make a difference in grades.
prompts such as topic assignment and
difference in getting different
Read similarly shows that tcst type makes a
of the interviewer
performance from test takers. Porter argues that the gender
is anothcr source of variance in tcst results.
v