Module 2: Practicality
Scenario - Secondary and Post-secondary Education

Ms. Park is a high school French teacher in charge of selecting an end-of-year proficiency test.  The test will be administered to all students, from the first to the fourth years of study.  She has some concerns about timing and available staff for test administration for the 312 students, since class periods are 50 minutes and the school has three French teachers total.  However, she does have access to the school’s new computer lab with 30 computers, and two of the teachers have been trained to rate simulated oral proficiency interviews.  She has a set budget each year to cover test expenses.

 

Get out a sheet of paper.  Using the chart below, guide Ms. Park in test selection. Then click to reveal sample answers with rationale.

 

Considerations for Test Administration
1.  Giving the test

            Individually-administered?
            Group-administered?

2.  Directions, examples, questions, and prompts

            In English?
            In the target language?
            Spoken?
            Written?

3.  Student answers and responses

            In English?
            In the target language?
            Spoken?
            Written?

Considerations for Scoring Tests
4.  Method of scoring

            Counting the number correct?
            A holistic approach (one overall score)?
            An analytic approach (separate scores for             separate aspects of the performance)?

5.  People and steps involved in scoring

            Hand-scored?
            Machine or computer-scored?

6.  Location for scoring

            Local/On-site?
            Central/Off-site?

 

 

 


Positive Washback

The results from this test can be used to inform the curriculum.  Are students performing poorly on the writing portion?  If so, teachers can include more writing activities.  The results empower teachers to take an evidence-based approach to lesson planning.