Longman Handbooks for Language Teachers Writing English Language Tests New Edition Consultant editors: Jeremy Harmer and Roy Kingsburycongman Group UK Limited Songun House, Bure Mil Harlow, er CM202IE. England ‘Associated Companies throughout the word blishedin the United tates of America Longman ine..New York Longman Group UK Limited 198 light rezered; no port of ths publication maybe reproduced, sored ina rereual ster, ‘iranamited in any form or by any means, electron, mechanical, photocopying, recording. | athernise, without the prior writen permision of th Publishers. ‘es published 1975, hid impression 1980 ‘RITISH LIBRARY CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION DATA ston, B. ‘Wetting English language tests. - New ed, ~ (Longman handbooks for language teacher) 1 English anguage~ Study and teaching ~ Foreign speakers 2. English language ~ Ability testing i Tite S2g.24005 PELIDB.AD SBN 0-582-00237-0 IBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION DATA featon, J.B. Got Brisn) ‘Wiring English language tests (Longin handbooks fr language teachers) Bibliography p. Includes index 1 English language ~ Study and teaching Foreign speakers. 2. English language ~ Laminations Authorship. 3. Englsh language ~ ABilEy testing. Lie. Ul Seve. SIDR AIH 1988 428076) 873273 in Times Roman ‘oduced by Longman Group (FE) Lid “Inted in Hong Kong Iusrated by David Parkins (CKNOWLEDGEMENTS «are grateful tothe following or permission 1 reproduce copyright materi “ye author, John Bright and the University of Cambridge Loca! Examinations Syndicate for mn extract fiom hs eique on specimen examination questions; Harper & Row Publishers ‘clots able ftom p. 140 ESL Composition Profle” from Teaching ESL Composition by ne B. Hughey, Desnaa R. Wormuth, V. Faye Harteld and Holly L. Jacobs (Newbury “ouse) Copyright © 1983 by Newbury House Publishers tne; che author, Rosalind Hawkins, hie! Examines for UCLES Preliminary English Test andthe University of Cambridge Local Taminations Syndicate for extracts from sample tes materials: Hong Kong Education ‘epurtment for extracts from the Hong Kong Eaglsh School Certieate Examination 1968 othe Hong Kong Secondary Schools Earance Examination 1958; Longman Group UK Lid Seentrats ftom Compostion Through Pltures by. B. Heaton, Studying in English by J. B. {catonané Writing Through Pictures by J.B. Heaton; The author, Anthony Tucker for an {iret from his article in he Guardian Sth September 1969; and Se ollowing examination ‘Sas for permission 1o reproduce questions from past examination papers Joie, {hrculation Board: North West Raponal Examinations Board; The Royal Society of Arts Caminatons Board. University of Cambridge Local Examinations Sypdicate: Unversity of ‘Selord Delegay of Local Examinations andthe Ares Examinations Tus.Contents 4 Introduction to janguage testing 1.1 Testing and teaching 1.2 Why test? 1.3 What should be tested and 10 what standard? 1.4 Testing the language skills LS Testing language areas 1.6 Language skills and language elements, 1.7 Recognition and production L.8 Problems of sampling 1.9 Avoiding traps for the students 2. Approaches to language testing 2:1 Background 2.2 The essay-translation approach 3 The structuralist approach 4 The integrative approach ‘The communicative approach 3. Objective testing 3.1 Subjective and objective testing 3.2 Objective tests 3.3 Multiple-choice items: general 3.4 Multiple-choice items: the stem’ the correct optionjthe distractor 4.5. Writing the test 4 Tests of grammar and usage 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Muhtiple-choice grammar items item types 4.3 Constructing multiple-choice items 4.4 Constructing error-recognition multiple-choice items 10 n 2 4 is 15 15 15 16 9 25 25 26 30 3 M4 o a 37 ) 4.5 Constructing rearrangement items 4.6 Constructing completion items 4.7 Constructing transformation items 4.8 Constructing items involving the changing of words 4.9 Constructing ‘broken senténce’ items 4.10 Constructing pairing and matching items 4.11 Constructing combination and. addition items 5 Testing vocabulary 5.1 Selection of items 5.2. Multiple-choice items (A) 5.3 Multiple-choice items (B) : 54 Sets (associated words) 5.5 Matching items 5.6 More objective items 5.7 Completion items 6 Listening comprehension tests 6.1 General 6.2. Phoneme discrimination tests 6.3 Tests of stress and intonation 6.4 Statements and dialogues 6.5 Testing comprehension through visual matei 6.6 Understanding talks and lectures 7. Oral production tests 7.1 Some difficulties in testing the speaking skills 7.2 Reading aloud 7.3 Conversational exchanges 4l 2 46 49 49 50 31 51 a 58 58 a £2 68 oy n 907.4 Using pictures for assessing oral production 7.5 The oral interview 7.6 Some other techniques for oral examining ‘Testing reading comprehension R.1 The nature of the reading skills 8.2 Initial stages of reading: matching tests 8.3 Intermediate and advanced: stages of reading: matching tests 8.4 True/false reading tests 8.5 Multiple-choice items (A): short texts 8.6 Multiple-choice items (B): longer texts 8.7 Completion items 8.8 Rearrangement items 8,9 Cloze procedure 8,10 Open-ended and miscellaneous 8.11 Cursory reading ‘Testing the writing skills 9.4. The writing skills 9.2 Testing composition writing 4.3 Setting the composition 9.4 Grading the composition 9.5 Treatment of written errors 946 Objective tests: mechanics 9.7 Objective tests: style and register 9.8 Controlled writing Oy 96 102 16 nT 124 129 I 133 133 135 135 136 138 144 149 150 152 154 10. Criteria and types of tests 10.1 Validity 10.2 Reliability 10.3 Reliability versus validity 10.4 Discrimination 10.5 Administration 10.6 Test instructions to the candidate 10.7 Backwash effects 10.8 Types of tests Interpreting test scores TILA Frequency distribution 11.2 Measures of central tendency 11.3 Measures of dispersion 114 Item analysis LL. Moderating 11.6 Item cards and banks Selected bibliography Index 159 159 162 les 165 167 168 170 im 4 178 175 176 178 185 185 38 1911.1 Testing and teaching Introduction to language testing {A large number of examinations in the past have encouraged a tendency separate testing from teaching, Both testing and teaching are so closely interrelated that itis virtually impossible to work in either field without being constantly concerned with the other. Tests may be constructed primarily as devices to reinforce learning and to motivate the student or Primarily as a means of assessing the student’ performance in the Hinguage. In the former case, the test is geared to the teaching that has taken place, whereas in the later case the teaching is often geared largely othe test, Standardised tests and public examinations. in fact, may exert Svch a considerable influence on the average teacher that they are often instrumental in determining the kind of teaching that takes place before the test ‘A language test which seeks to find out what candidates can do with language provides a focus for purposeful, everyday communication activities. Such a test will have a more useful effect on the learning of a particular language than a mechanical test of structure. In the past even good tests of grammar, translation or language manipulation had egative and even harmful effect on teaching, A good communicative test of language, however, should have a much more positive effect on learnin: fand teaching and should generally result in improved learning habits. ‘Compare the effect of the following two types of test items on the teaching of English: 1 You will now hear a short talk. Listen carefully and complete the following paragraph by writing one word on each line: you gato..... ‘on holiday, you may have to wait 8 long time atthe “gs the porters are on... However, it will, hot be as bad as at most... ..-+ (etc) 2 Youwill now hear a short weather and travel report on the radio. Befor’ ‘you listen to the talk, choose one of the places A, B or Cand pute cross tx) in the box next to the place you choose. Place A - Southern Spain (by ait). C1 Place B- Northern France (by car). C) Plece C- Switzerland (by rail. =]