What is test? How many types of test are there?Discuss the qualities of a good test.

 Discuss
the difference between test and assessment.

Test is an inevitable element of learning process and plays a significant role especially in language learning.  It
is a reliable way by which a teacher can evaluate his or her students' knowledge of something which he/she has
taught them. The students also get a chance to prove their skill or competence of what they have learnt. So it is
significant for both the learner and the teacher.

Definition of test:
The very term ‘Test’, in ELT, refers to a process of measuring learners’ knowledge or skill in a particular issue
through some oral or written procedures. It is a means to show both the students and the teacher how much the
learners have learnt during a course.Tests could be used to display the strength and weaknesses of the teaching
process and help the teacher improve it. Now we will look into what the test is.
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines test as:
“…an examination of somebody's knowledge or ability, consisting of questions for them to answer or activities
for them to perform”
Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary describes test as:
“…a way of discovering, by questions or practical activities, what someone knows, or what someone or
something can do or is like”

Types of Test:
According to some scholars like Thompson, 2001; Hughes, 1989; Alderson, 1996; Heaton, 1990; Underhill,
1991, there are four main reasons for testing which give rise to four traditional categories of tests.

1. Placement tests:
Placement tests, as their name suggests, are intended to provide information that will help to place students at
the stage of the teaching programme most appropriate to their abilities. Typically they are used to assign
students to classes at different levels.The term “placement test” does not refer to what a test contains or how it
is constructed, but to the purpose for which it is used. “Longman Dictionary of LTAL” defines ‘placement test
as:
“…a test that is designed to place test takers at an appropriate level in a programme or course.”
Various types of test or testing procedure such as dictation, an inter-view, a grammar test can be used for
placement purposes.
2.Diagnostic Tests:
Diagnostic testsareused to spot the learners’ strengths and weakness. Heaton (1990:13) compares such type of
test with a diagnosis of a patient, and the teacher with a doctor who states the diagnosis. “Longman Dictionary
of LTAL” defines ‘diagnostic tests’ as:
“…a test that is designed to provide information about L2 learners’ strengths and weaknesses.”
Underhill (1991:14.) adds that a diagnostic test provides the student with a variety of language elements, which
will help the teacher to determine what the student knows or does not know. Thus, when the teacher identifies
what the learners’ problems are, he can do something about them.

3.Progress or achievement tests:

Progress or achievement tests aim to measure what has been learnt over a longer period of time. Jeremy
Harmer in his “The Practice of English Language Teaching” writes:
“These tests are designed to measure learners' language and skill progress in relation to the syllabus they have
been following.”
 Here the progress is significant and, therefore, is the main point which is tested.Achievement tests at the end of
a term should reflect progress, not failure. They should reinforce the learning that has taken place, not go out of
their way to expose weaknesses. They can also help teacher to decide on changes to future teaching programs
where students do significantly worse in the test than expectation.
4. Proficiency Tests:
Proficiency tests give a general picture of a student's knowledge and ability rather than measure
progress. Longman Dictionary of LTAL suggests:
“A proficiency test is not linked to a particular course of instruction, but measures the learner’s general level of
language mastery.”
The examples of such tests could be the TOEFL that is used to measures the learners’ general knowledge of
English in order to allow them to enter any high educational establishments or to take up a job in the USA.
Types of test item:
There are two types of test item which we are going to discuss bellow.
1. Direct test item:
A test item is direct if it asks candidates to perform the communicative skill which is being tested. Direct test
items also try to “replicate real-life interaction” as much as possible. In direct test item types, candidates usually
face an essay type question on such a topic which creates a “level playing field” for all. It means that all
candidates have the same chance of success to answer the question such as:
“Some businesses now say that no one can smoke cigarettes in their offices. Some governments have
bannedsmoking in all public places - whether outside or inside. This is a good idea but it also takes away some
of our freedom. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer.”
2. Indirect test items
Indirect test items, unlike direct test item, try to measure a student's knowledge and ability by getting at what
lies beneath their receptive and productive skills.Indirect items also try to find out about a student's language
knowledge through more controlled items, such as multiple choice questions or grammar transformation items
etc.
Discrete-point testing and integrative testing:
Whereas discrete-point testing only tests one thing at a time such as asking students to choose the correct tense
of a verb, integrative test items expect students to use a variety of language at any one given time - as they will
have to do when writing a composition or doing a conversational oral test.

Characteristics of Good Tests:

There are four principles should be taken into consideration in order to judge the effectiveness of any test, as
follows:
1. Reliability: This is the ability of a test to produce consistent results whatever the conditions. A test should give
reliable results for students. For example, If a student takes the same test on two separate occasions, s/he
should get the same marks each time. Similarly, if two students of same level of ability take the test they
should get similar marks, whereas if two students of differing abilities take the test, the better student should
get higher marks. Reliability is particularly important where different students take different versions of the
same test.
How to Make Tests More Reliable!
* Test for enough independent samples of behavior and allow for as many fresh starts as possible *Do not allow
test takers too much freedom. Restrict and specify their range of possible answers. * Write unambiguous items
* Provide clear and explicit instructions * Ensure that tests are well laid out and perfectly legible * Make sure
candidates are familiar with format and test-taking procedures * Provide uniform and non-distracting conditions of
administration * Use items that permit scoring which is objective as possible * Make comparisons between
candidates as direct as possible * Provide a detailed scoring key * Train scorers * Agree on acceptable responses
and appropriate scores at the outset of scoring * Identify test takers by number, not name * Employ multiple,
independent scoring
2.     Validity: A test is valid if it tests what it is supposed to test. Thus it is not valid, for example, to test writing
ability with an essay question that requires specialist knowledge of history or biology - unless it is known that
all students share this knowledge before they do the test.
There are mainly two types of ‘validity’: ‘Content Validity’ and ‘Face Validity’. The content validity means
that the test should cover all the areas to be assessed in suitable proportions. The face validity means that the
test should look, on its 'face', as if it is valid. If the learners feel the test unreasonable for its being too difficult
or irrelevant then it loses its face validity.
3.     Practicality: A test should not be too time-consuming. It should not be too expensive to produce nor should it
take too long to mark. Finally, it should not need equipment which is not usually available. Test should be set
considering time, physical facilities and expense. The contents and questions of test should be kept secret at all
times prior to the day of each test.

4.     Accountability: teachers should be able to provide learners parents, institutions and wider society with
information about the aims of tests and what progress has been made, also about how the test results reflect
students’ achievement. The teachers should be able to explain their rationales and how decisions have been
made about the test content, rather than keeping the information secret.

Kinds of Language Tests

What is testing???
  A test is an assessment intended to measure a test- taker's knowledge, skill, aptitude, physical fitness, or
classification in many other topics . A test may be administered verbally, on paper, on a computer, or in a
confined area that requires a test taker to physically perform a set of skills. In general, testing is finding out
how well something works. Testing tells what level of knowledge or skill has been acquired.
Teaching vs. Testing
Both testing and teaching are so closely interrelated (or the relationship between them is as a partner) The
test is geared to the teaching that has taken place, whereas in the latter case the teaching is often geared to
the test
Functions of Testing
a device to reinforce learning and to motivate the student a mean of assessing the student’s performance in
the language  information tool for teacher to know about where the students are at the moment, to help
decide what to teach next.
information for students to find about what they know, so that they also have an awareness of what they
need to learn or review.
  Diagnoses students’ strengths and weaknesses, to identify what they know and what they don’t know 
Gets students to make an effort (in doing the test itself), which is likely to lead to better results and a feeling
of satisfaction.
 Gives students tasks which themselves may actually provide useful review or practice, as well as testing 
Provides students with a sense of achievement and progress in their learning.
 Five Kinds of Language Tests:
Proficiency Test
Khan Zahidul Islam
Achievement Test
Diagnostic Test Eng-8th Batch CoU
Placement Test
Direct & Indirect Test
 Proficiency Test
Proficiency tests are designed to measure people’s ability in language, regardless any training they may
have in that language. The content of a proficiency test is not based on the content of the objectives of
language courses. It’s based on a specification of what candidates have to be able to do in the language in
order to be considered proficient.

Achievement test
The content of the course in achievement tests are directly related to language course. The purpose is
being able to establish how successful individual students, group 0f students and the course in achieving the
objectives.
There are two kinds of achievement tests:
Final achievement test.
Progress achievement test
Final achievement test:
It’s administered at the end of a course of study The content of the test must be related to the courses with
which they are concerned, but the nature of this relationship is a matter of disagreement amongst language
testers. In the view of some testers, the content of a final achievement test should be based directly on a
detailed course syllabus or the books and other materials used.
Progress Achievement Test: as the name suggests, are intended to measure the progress that students are
making. They contribute to formative assessment. Since 'progress' is towards the achievement of course
objectives, these tests, too, should relate to objectives.
What are the disadvantages of final achievement test???
Disadvantages: If the syllabus, the books and other materials are badly designed, the result of a test can be
very misleading. Successful performance on the test may not truly indicate successful achievement of
course objectives.
For example:
A course may have an objective to develop conversational abilities, but the course and the test require
students only to utter statements about certain topics. A course may aim to develop a reading ability in
German, but the test limits to the vocabulary the students have to meet.
Diagnostic Test
It’s used to identify learners’ strength and weaknesses. It’s intended primarily to ascertain what learning
still needs to take place.
Placement Test
It’s intended to provide information that will help to place students at the stage of the teaching programme
most appropriate to their abilities. Typically it’s used to assign students to classes at different level or
sectioning.

Washback / backwash : is the influence of testing on teaching and learning.-the extent to which a test
influences language teachers and learners to do things they would not necessarily otherwise do that promote
or inhibit language learning.
Negative washback
 ignoring subjects and activities that did not contribute directly to pass the exam
. “teaching to the test” leads to adopted more of a memorization approach, with reduced emphasis on
critical thinking. The test may not touch upon some skills and areas.
Negative washback Students were practicing exam techniques rather than language learning activities.
Tests may fail to reflect the learning principles or the course objectives. Students may not be able to learn
real- life knowledge, but instead learn discrete points of knowledge that are tested.
Positive washback When tests become as teaching- learning activities. Open doors for changes in
methodologies and syllabus. Focusing on the washback helps to find solutions for the negative side.
 Positive washback Tests induce teachers to cover their subjects and complete their syllabi within the
prescribed time limits. Tests motivate students to work harder to have a sense of accomplishment and thus
enhance learning.
We should keep in mind that thequality of the washback effectmight be independent of the qualityof a
test.i.e we may have positivewashback of bad designed test.

Achieving Beneficial Backwash / Washback

Test abilities whose development we want fostered.
Sample widely and unpredictably.
Use both direct and indirect testing.
Make testing criterion-referenced.
Base achievement tests on objectives.
Ensure test is known and understood by both teachers and students.
Provide assistance to teachers
Test abilities whose development we want fostered.
For example, if we want to develop “Communicative Competence” than we need to test aspects of
Communicative Competence.  Don’t just test what is easies.
Certain abilities should be given sufficient “weight” in relation to other abilities.

Sample widely and unpredictably

 Tests can normally only measure a sample of the language. Therefore the sample taken should represent as
much as possible the full scope of what is specified. For example, if the TOEFL writing test were to only test
(1) compare and contrast, and (2) problem and solution, then much preparation would be limited to only these
two types of tasks while others would be ignored.
Use both direct and indirect testing
Test the larger skills directly
Test the micro-skills (making up those larger skills) indirectly.
Make testing criterion-referenced
If students know what they have to do and to what degree to succeed, they will have a clear picture of what
they need to do in order to achieve.
They will know that if they perform the tasks at the criterion level, then they will be successful on the test,
regardless of how the other students perform.
Both of the above are motivating for the students.
Also possible to have a series of Criterion-referenced tests, each representing a different level of proficiency.
Students must complete the majority of tasks successfully in order to “pass” the test and move onto the next
level of proficiency.

Base achievement tests on objectives

 Will provide truer picture of what has actually been achieved.
Ensure test is known and understood by students and teachers
 Teachers and students should understand what the test demands.
The test’s rationale, its specifications, and sample items should be made available to everyone concerned with
the preparation for the test. Increases test reliability.

Provide assistance to teachers

 The introduction of a new test can make new demands on teachers
If a long-standing test on grammatical structure and vocabulary is to be replaced with a test of a much more
communicative nature, it is possible that many teachers may feel that they do not know how to teach
communicative skills. Of course, the reason the communicative test may have been introduced in the first place
was to encourage communicative language teaching. Hence, the teachers will also need guidance and training
how (and why) to do this. If these are not given, the test will not achieve its desired effect and will more likely
result in chaos and disaffection.

Washback: The term ‘washback’ or backwash refers The term ‘washback’ or backwash refers to “the effect
of testing on teaching and to “the effect of testing on teaching and learning” (Hughes, 2003, p.1) learning”
(Hughes, 2003, p.1)  For instance, the extent to which For instance, the extent to which assessment affects
a student’s future assessment affects a student’s future language development. Language development. 
Factors that provide beneficial washback Factors that provide beneficial washback in a test (Brown,
2010):in a test (Brown, 2010):  It can positively influence what and how It can positively influence what
and how teachers teach, students learn; teachers teach, students learn;
Washback  offer learners a chance to adequately prepare, offer learners a chance to adequately prepare, 
give learners feedback that enhance their give learners feedback that enhance their language development,
language development,  is more formative in nature than summative, is more formative in nature than
summative,  Provide conditions for peak performance by Provide conditions for peak performance by
learners. Learners.  In large-scale assessment, washback refers to In large-scale assessment, washback
refers to the effects that tests have on instruction in the effects that tests have on instruction in terms of how
students prepare for the terms of how students prepare for the test−e.g., cram courses and teaching to the
test−e.g., cram courses and teaching to the test.
Washback also includes the effects of an Washback also includes the effects of an assessment on teaching
and learning prior to assessment on teaching and learning prior to the assessment itself, i.e. on preparation
forthe assessment itself, i.e. on preparation for the assessment. The assessment.  The challenge to teachers
is to create The challenge to teachers is to create classroom tests that serve as learning classroom tests that
serve as learning devices through which washback is devices through which washback is achieved.
Achieved.  Washback enhances a number of basic Washback enhances a number of basic principles of
learning acquisition: intrinsic principles of learning acquisition: intrinsic motivation, autonomy, self-
confidence, motivation, autonomy, self-confidence,
Ways to improve washback: Ways to improve washback:  To comment generously and specifically on
testTo comment generously and specifically on test performance.
Through a specification of the numerical scores on Through a specification of the numerical scores on the
various subsections of the test.the various subsections of the test.
Formative versus summative tests Formative tests provide washback in the form of Formative tests
provide washback in the form of information to the learner on progress towards information to the learner
on progress towards goals. Goals.  Summative tests provide washback for learners to Summative tests
provide washback for learners to initiate further pursuits, more learning, more goals, initiate further pursuits,
more learning, more goals, and more challenges to face. And more challenges to face.

Md.Zahidul Islam
Eng 8th Batch.
Comilla University.