Raising awareness Raising awareness of writing items for of writing items for

teststests

Complaints of LearnersComplaints of Learners

• "But you didn't tell us you were giving a "But you didn't tell us you were giving a test today!“test today!“

• ""You said the test would just be on the You said the test would just be on the Civil War. You didn't say anything about Civil War. You didn't say anything about Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln." ."

• ""I study, I think I know the stuff. But I study, I think I know the stuff. But when I get to the tests it's like all of my when I get to the tests it's like all of my ideas fly out of my head and float around ideas fly out of my head and float around the room and go into some other kid's the room and go into some other kid's head." head."

The Importance of The Importance of TestingTesting

1.1. How testing helps students How testing helps students learning English?learning English?

• Creates positive attitudes Creates positive attitudes toward the class.toward the class.

• Emphasizes course objectives.Emphasizes course objectives.• Shows students where they need Shows students where they need

to improve.to improve.

The Importance of The Importance of TestingTesting

2.2. How testing helps teachers teaching How testing helps teachers teaching English?English?

• ““Have I been effective in my Have I been effective in my teaching?”teaching?”

• ““What areas do we need more work What areas do we need more work on?”on?”

• ““Where the test instructions clear?”Where the test instructions clear?”• ““Did the test cause unnecessary Did the test cause unnecessary

anxiety or resentment?”anxiety or resentment?”

Reading Comprehension Reading Comprehension TestTest

1.1. Reading Reading • is a collective activity-an is a collective activity-an

integrative skill in which the integrative skill in which the text is processed as a whole.text is processed as a whole.

• is objective and easy to score.is objective and easy to score.• enhances the understanding of enhances the understanding of

the incoming information from the incoming information from the original sources.the original sources.

Reading SkillsReading Skills

• Distinguishing the main ideas Distinguishing the main ideas from supporting detail.from supporting detail.

• Distinguishing fact from opinion.Distinguishing fact from opinion.• Deducing the use of unfamiliar Deducing the use of unfamiliar

words from context.words from context.• Understanding the relations Understanding the relations

across sentencesacross sentences and paragraphs.and paragraphs.

Choosing the Reading Choosing the Reading PassagePassage

• Authentic -may receive minor Authentic -may receive minor modifications modifications

• Unseen:Unseen:a. removes unfairness on students’ a. removes unfairness on students’

performanceperformanceb. eliminates the possibility of pre-b. eliminates the possibility of pre-

memorizationmemorization

* * In order not to discourage students the In order not to discourage students the topics of the texts should cover the topics topics of the texts should cover the topics that are included in the text book.that are included in the text book.

Test MethodsTest Methods•Multiple Choice (MC) Multiple Choice (MC) •True/FalseTrue/False•MatchingMatching•ClozeCloze

Multiple Choice ItemsMultiple Choice Items

• How much did his mother pay How much did his mother pay for the bicycle?for the bicycle?

a.a. More than 15$More than 15$b.b. About 15$About 15$c.c. Exactly 15$Exactly 15$d.d. Half than 15$Half than 15$

( Factual)( Factual)

Multiple Choice ItemsMultiple Choice Items

• The word The word itit in line 14 refers to in line 14 refers to

a.a. dayday

b.b. pleasurepleasure

c.c. secretsecret

d.d. roomroom

(Referential)(Referential)

Multiple Choice ItemsMultiple Choice Items

• The author mainly discusses hisThe author mainly discusses his

a.a.luckiness.luckiness.

b.b.happiness.happiness.

c.c.friendliness.friendliness.

d.d.helpfulness.helpfulness.

(Inferential)(Inferential)

Multiple Choice (MC)Multiple Choice (MC)

• FactualFactual questions -understanding of questions -understanding of the factual information included in the factual information included in the text. the text.

• ReferentialReferential questions - understanding questions - understanding the relationship among the the relationship among the sentences. sentences.

• InferentialInferential questions - making logical questions - making logical conclusions from the information.conclusions from the information.

True/False ItemsTrue/False Items

1.1. It happened on the eve of the holiday. It happened on the eve of the holiday.

True/ False/ True/ False/ Doesn’t SayDoesn’t Say

2. The door of his sister’s room was open. 2. The door of his sister’s room was open.

True/ False True/ False /Doesn’t Say/Doesn’t Say

3. He found a nice bicycle in the room. 3. He found a nice bicycle in the room.

True/ False/ True/ False/ Doesn’t SayDoesn’t Say

True/False ItemsTrue/False Items

• Consist of two parts: Consist of two parts: StatementsStatements and and OptionsOptions. .

• More options should be used to More options should be used to decrease the chance factor. decrease the chance factor.

Matching ItemsMatching Items

Statements Statements Options Options

Column AColumn A Column BColumn B

1. It happened in that month.1. It happened in that month. a. a. pinpin

2. She was not in her room.2. She was not in her room. b. bicycleb. bicycle

3. He took it from its hiding place.3. He took it from its hiding place. c. c. moneymoney

d. Decemberd. December

e. presente. present

f. sisterf. sister

MatchingMatching

• Two columns of information.Two columns of information.• Each item in the first column Each item in the first column

matches only one item in the matches only one item in the second one.second one.

• More options than statements .More options than statements .• Options should be shorter.Options should be shorter.• Statements and options should be Statements and options should be

logically related to one central logically related to one central theme.theme.

Summary ClozeSummary Cloze It happened some days before Christmas. My It happened some days before Christmas. My

mother was an unusual person, mother was an unusual person, sheshe could perform could perform miracles. She was not miracles. She was not atat home that day. My sister home that day. My sister was was inin the kitchen and it was then the kitchen and it was then II rushed into rushed into her room without any her room without any permissionpermission. It was the only . It was the only way to way to getget into the room, as I wanted into the room, as I wanted toto get the get the pin. I was stunned pin. I was stunned whenwhen I entered the room, as I I entered the room, as I foundfound a nice big bicycle standing against a nice big bicycle standing against thethe wall. wall. It was the same bicycle It was the same bicycle II had been admiring had been admiring standing at the standing at the BaltimoreBaltimore shop window. I realized shop window. I realized that my that my mothermother had spent enough money to get had spent enough money to get thethe bicycle for me as a Christmas bicycle for me as a Christmas presentpresent. I had an . I had an unusual and an unusual and an excitingexciting feeling. At the same time I feeling. At the same time I feltfelt bad that I had seen the bad that I had seen the bicyclebicycle and would not and would not express myself naturally express myself naturally onon Christmas day. So I Christmas day. So I decided to decided to keepkeep silent till that day. I wanted my silent till that day. I wanted my mother to enjoy the pleasant feeling of giving me mother to enjoy the pleasant feeling of giving me the present.the present.

ClozeCloze

• Cloze is a passage of around 240 Cloze is a passage of around 240 words with every 7th word words with every 7th word deleted.deleted.

• The first and the last sentences The first and the last sentences are left intact.are left intact.

* * There can be many possible answers There can be many possible answers for any one gap and there is always for any one gap and there is always disagreement which item is disagreement which item is acceptable.acceptable.

Certain Indications for Certain Indications for Reading Comprehension Reading Comprehension

TestsTests

1. It should not be limited to one form of 1. It should not be limited to one form of items or texts items or texts

2. The nature of the passage and the 2. The nature of the passage and the proficiency level of the students should proficiency level of the students should be considered important determiners.be considered important determiners.

3. Planning, writing, reviewing, pre-3. Planning, writing, reviewing, pre-testing.testing.

Some Useful TipsSome Useful Tips

• Examples should be included in the test Examples should be included in the test to help students know what is expected.to help students know what is expected.

• The criteria by which students will be The criteria by which students will be assessed, also should be included in assessed, also should be included in the test.the test.

• The instructions in the test should be The instructions in the test should be given both in native and target language.given both in native and target language.

The KeyThe Key•TThink of testshink of tests

as teaching tools,as teaching tools,

not just as a means not just as a means

to evaluate to evaluate learning learning

after it has after it has occurred… occurred…