Sample Response – Professional
- FLAD
- Foreign Language Assessment Directory
- Understanding Assessment Tutorial
- Introduction
- Validity
- What do I want to know?
- What skills do I want to measure?
- What is the intended purpose of the test?
- How will I use the test results?
- What information will the test provide?
- Show what you know!
- Puzzle Piece
- Reliability
- What is the relationship between reliability and validity?
- How do I determine if a test is reliable for my situation?
- What could affect reliability?
- Show what you know!
- Puzzle Piece
- Practicality
- Do I have the resources to use this test in my classroom?
- What are the practical considerations for test administration?
- What are the practical considerations in scoring a test?
- Show what you know!
- Puzzle Piece
- Impact
- What are the possible effects of a test?
- What does positive washback look like?
- What does negative washback looks like?
- Who will be affected?
- How will different stakeholders be affected?
- Show what you know!
- Puzzle Piece
- Putting It All Together
- Needs Assessment
- Resources
- Heritage Language Assessment Module
- Introduction
- Linguistic Characteristics and Considerations
- Cultural Characteristics and Considerations
- Factors in Language Development
- Program Types
- Implications for Assessment
- Show What You Know!
- Assessing HLLs: The Why
- Assessing HLLs: The What
- Placement Tests
- Formative Assessment
- Summative Assessment
- Examples of Effective Assessment Tasks
- Summary of Best Practices
- Show What You Know!
- Assessing HLLs: The How
- Needs Assessment
- Selecting Assessments
- Modifying Assessments
- Developing Assessments
- Show What You Know!
- Putting It All Together
- Resources
- Introduction
- Post-Secondary World Language Assessment Module
- Introduction
- Proficiency
- Acquiring Proficiency
- Proficiency Levels
- Proficiency-Based Approach to Assessment: The What
- Proficiency-Based Approach to Assessment: The Why
- Proficiency-Based Approach to Assessment: The How
- Types of Assessments
- Summary of Best Practices
- Show What You Know!
- Placement Testing
- Placement Testing: The Why
- Placement Testing: The How
- Types of Assessment Tools and Approaches for Placement
- Selecting Placement Tests
- Additional Considerations
- Using Placement Test Results
- Summary of Best Practices
- Show What You Know!
- Assessment Plans
- Assessment Plans: The Why
- Assessment Plans: The How
- Aligning Assessment with Instruction
- Performance-based Assessment Tasks
- Designing Performance-based Assessment Tasks
- Scoring Performance-based Assessment Tasks
- Using Integrated Performance Assessments
- Designing Integrated Performance Assessments
- Intercultural Communicative Competence
- Assessing Intercultural Communication
- Assessing Cultures
- Assessment and Program Articulation
- Summary of Best Practices
- Show What You Know!
- Putting It All Together
- Resources
Question A
I heard someone say that the test they took had different questions from mine. It sounds like it was easier. I don’t think that’s fair, and I’d like to take the other test.
- You are correct. Everyone’s test is a little bit different because each person can choose some of the questions they would like to answer. This helps tailor the test to determine your exact proficiency level and makes sure that our assessment is accurate.
Question B
I do not think the grade I got on this test is accurate. Could you please re-score it?
- I appreciate your concern. Having accurate ratings is important to me as a test administrator and to the agency. Last summer, I attended a two-day training session where I learned how to use a rubric to rate test-takers’ responses on this test. I practiced with other administrators in the workshop until we were able to arrive at the same score independently. To make sure I’m consistent, I still refer back to the anchor papers from that training when I’m uncertain.
Question C
I was having a bad day, and I know I did not do as well as I could have on that test. Could I re-take it?
- I’m glad you’re concerned about doing well on this test. However, we can’t let you take it again now. This test gives the same result each time unless you have learned something new since the last time you took it. We don’t have the resources to offer the test again now, but you can take it in six months. This will give you a chance to demonstrate improvements in your language skills.