unit 3 activity1 Types of Tests and Testing

Types of Tests

The different kind of tests can be identified taking into account the sort of information they provide. According with Hughes (2003) they can be:
· Proficiency tests
· Achievement tests
· Diagnostic tests
· Placement tests

With a proficiency test a student can be measured in his second language in order to see whether he is capable to cope with a specific situation (like studying abroad) in which he needs to communicate using the L2.
A clear example of this kind of tests is the TOEFL test that is applied to know if a student can follow a curse or semester at a Canadian university for instance.
The achievement tests are base in the syllabus content of a course, directly on the objectives of it. They are divided in final achievement test and progress achievement test, the former is applied to see if the student have achieved those objectives, and the latter as it name says, try to measure the progress the student is making.
An example for the final achievement test could be the final exam the teacher applies at the end of a course in order to know how much his students learned about all the topics covered, and one example for a progress achievement test could be that little quizzes the teacher applies his students about the topic they have seen, thus the teacher could realize if their learning is good enough or well progressing to go to the next topic or unit.
A diagnostic test is used to identify the weaknesses and strengths in the learning skills of a student. Perhaps a student is good in writing but not in speaking or good in reading but not well enough in listening and so on. This sort of test attempt to inquire in what areas the students are more proficient.
A placement test is the one that an institution applies to now the level of the L2 the student has in order to place him in the correct course. These kinds of tests are available for purchase but this doesn’t mean the same test is going to work for every institution. Each school has its own teaching program, learning features they want to work with, different levels of teaching, etc. (This sort of tests are bought, but also can be constructed by each institution.)
One example of this type of test is the one the UABC applies to the people who wants to learn a certain language at the Language Centre. This exam provides information about the L2 level the students has, thus the university could determine the appropriate course for them.

Types of Testing

Direct versus indirect testing
The direct testing is when the teacher requires the student to perform a certain skill in order to measure his or her knowledge on that skill, while the indirect testing try to measure the ability the learner has as a deeper base of a productive skill.
Discrete point versus integrative testing
Discrete point testing refers to testing independent language elements, like grammar, vocabulary, spelling, etc. “These can be tested by pure items (usually multiple- choice recognition tasks.)” (Lado, 1961.)
Integrative testing requests the student to combine those language elements, like taking a dictation or writing a composition for instance.
Norm-referenced versus criterion- referenced testing
The norm-referenced testing relates one student’s performance to that other student. The criterion- referenced tests uses meaningful criteria to see if the student is able to perform some tasks satisfactorily.
Objective testing versus subjective testing
The distinction between both is the methods of scoring used. When there is no judgment we are talking about objective testing (scoring of a multiple choice test) in contrast with the subjective testing when the teacher should give a score of a composition for example.
Computer adaptive testing
In this kind of testing the information gathered of student’s ability offers efficiency. The students are tested with an average of difficulty and then increase it or decrease on difficult language elements depending on the responses of the student in order to go to the apparent level of the students.
Communicative testing
This is centered in measuring the ability of communication and the best way to use the language including reading and listening.

Claudia V. Castro Méndez.
Zenia López Lares.
Ericka Zamorano Zúñiga.