5. Учебно-информационные ресурсы

A framework for viewing the role of language testing

Within an instructional program, language teachers and course designers need to determine the best balance of three elements:

1. the needs of the reamers
2. the materials and activities to meet those needs
3. the testing procedures to determine if the program is meeting the needs of the learners and thus meeting its goals

A language test should support the program by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the language learners. Both the language teaching program and the testing program should be based on the instructional needs of the reamers. A "curriculum triangle" developed by Carroll (1980) identifies the relationship among these variables.

A framework for viewing the role of language testing (Carroll, 1980)

The triad in the figure above indicates the interactive relationship which leads to effective we of resources within a language program. When designed and implemented in this manner, the instructional program and the testing program will work in harmony to meet the needs of the language learners. When this occurs, beneficial backwash results.

The role of backwash

In a non-technical context, "backwash" is the motion of a receding wave on the shore. In testing, backwash refers to the effect of a test on teaching and reaming. Two types of backwash are frequently addressed in language testing: beneficial backwash. Beneficial backwash results when the objectives of the test are in agreement with the objectives of the instructional program. Negative backwash results when the objectives of testing are not in agreement with the objectives of an instructional program. The concept of backwash simply refers to the relationship between a language instructional program and a language testing program. Whether language learners are preparing for a test or studying a homework assignment, they should be engaged in the activities that the program seeks to develop.

General types of language tests

Test results are used to make decisions about language reamers, language teachers and language instructional programs. Generally, five types of language tests are given to language reamers in order to make decisions: placement tests, diagnostic tests, achievement tests, proficiency tests and aptitude tests.

Placement tests are administered in order to make decisions about where a student should be placed within a language instructional program. In most cases, language reamers with similar language abilities should be grouped together. The instructor can then work with individuals who are at approximately the same level of development in language skills and can help them strengthen those skills.

Diagnostic tests are prepared in order to discover the strengths and weaknesses of language reamers. This information is useful to language instructors in helping the trainees make improvement in their language skills.

Achievement tests are administered in order to provide some indication of whether the instructional goals are being met. Achievement tests are based directly on the instructional content of the course. As mentioned earlier, the objectives of the instructional program and the objectives of the testing should be in harmony with each other, thus leading to beneficial backwash.

Proficiency tests provide an opportunity to test the language skills of the learners when the testing objectives are tied not to the instructional objectives, but to abilities in a language regardless of any specific instruction in it.

Aptitude tests seek to provide some indication of an individual's ability to learn a language. Aptitude tats are used as a screening device to exclude some Individuals from language study or as an initial placement test, thus allowing a language program to group learners scoring high or low on the aptitude test in separate classes. But caution should be used when administering an aptitude test. Some factors, such as language learning strategies, attitude, motivation and personality factors, may not be measured in aptitude tests.