McNamara's Testing, Testing, Testing

Language testing is what we all have to take in our lifetime. There are language tests in school, employment, travel, business, and so on. This chapter covers what makes a language test. There are two methods of tests, and they are: paper and pencil (mostly multiple choice) and performance test. A multiple choice language test isn’t necessarily a language test. Students don’t have to speak and write about the test, where in performance tests, a speech and writing sample are taken in a form of speech.

There are different purposes of language test, which include the achievement and proficiency tests. Achievement tests do not relate the language to the outside of the classroom. Proficiency tests include alternative assessments where the goal aligns the curriculum and the teaching and learning of students. A self-assessment is an alternative assessment where the learners are encouraged to share responsibilities for assessments and it encourages real language. Criterion testing is a language test where a student is tested for ‘real’ life situations on language. What has to be considered is criterion tests are not what will actually be seen when the student experiences the real thing. It is only a test somewhat like a performance test.

About two weeks ago, my students took a multiple-choice test in math. I read it to them since the reading was not the same level to their proficiency. This assessment was on spatial positions using pictures. I was surprised with the number of students who didn’t pass the test, especially for the one whose first language is Yup’ik. Most of the students are very familiar to these terms, and can do the TPR activities without making a mistake. I was very disappointed with the results.