Language testing

Formal assessment. Placement tests. Achievement tests. Diagnostic tests. Proficiency tests. Types of objective tests. Multiple choice. Varieties of cloze procedure. Advice on creating cloze type passages. The C- Test. Dictation. Formal assessment of writing. Specifying all appropriate tasks and selecting a sample. Obtaining samples that properly represent each candidate’s ability. Obtaining reliable scoring of writing. This can be either holistic or analytic. Holistic or analytic? Formal assessment of speaking. Setting the tasks. Specifying all apropriate tasks. Advice on planning and conducting oral tests. Techniques not recommended. Obtaining valid and reliable scoring. Formal assessment of reading. Specifying what the candidate should be able to do. Practical advice on item writing. Formal assessment of listening. Specifying what the candidate should be able to do. Setting the tasks. Possible techniques. Informal assessment. Informal assessment of writing. Informal assessment of speaking. Informal assessment of reading. Informal assessment of listening. Results from informal assessment. Self-assessment. Foundations for self-assessment. Self-assessment of writing. Self-assessment of speaking. Oral self-assessment. Self-assessment of reading and listening. Learner training (reading). Learner trainer (listening). Progress questionnaires. Results from self-assessment. Introduction. Results from the reseach. References (11). Conclusion.