Teaching English

One Response to “What are the characteristics of good test in method of teaching English Subjects?”

1. vilgessuola Says:
   October 15th, 2009 at 4:17 pm

   Testing should create a positive wash-back effect, i.e., the test should positively affect teaching. This is achieved by making sure that the test actually tests what has been taught, and does not omit to test anything important. For example, if a language test does not have an oral component, teachers will probably not test pronunciation and learners will not see pronunciation as important.

   Don’t use any question type (true/false, multiple choice, comprehension questions, essay) that is not familiar to the candidates.

   Make sure that any objectively scored questions (T/F, MCQ) are 100% unambiguous. This is usually best done by having two or three colleagues check the test before it is administered.

   Make sure subjectively scored questions (essays) have a clear set of marking criteria: ‘Candidates will demonstrate knowledge of / ability to do A, B and C’ so that all markers know what every answer must contain. Set a reasonable word limit for the time available to candidates.

   If you use multiple choice, all the choices for a question should be of the same length and with similar phrasing, as candidates will often go for the option that stands out from the others rather than the correct one.

   If you use comprehension questions about a text, make sure candidates cannot answer them simply by quoting directly from the text.

   Exam papers should have ‘face validity’, i.e., the papers should look professionally produced, be easy to read, no smudges or typing errors, have clear instructions and an example for each section. Otherwise candidates are faced with problems not connected with the subject being tested.

   I hope I interpreted your question correctly. vilgessuola

Leave a Reply