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LECTURE № 7.
Language Testing and Applied linguistics
Key words: language testing, placement tests, diagnostic tests, proficiency tests
I’m going to talk about language testing and its importance in applied linguistics. These days there are many types of language tests: proficiency tests, placement tests, diagnostic tests, etc. These tests often have an important influence on educational and career opportunities. Bearing in mind their impact on people’s lives, we need to think about how we design effective and valid tests. It is really important to be objective and to make sure that the test is valid. This involves ethics.
Language testing is important because it can be thought of as both having an influence on applied linguistics and being influenced by applied linguistics. As we know, developments in applied linguistics often inform language testing: in addition, testing has a direct impact on teaching in some contexts. The relationship is reciprocal. Now another term for the relationship between testing and teaching is backwash. Indeed, as well as the positive influence of test backwash on teaching, we need to think about the possibilityof negative backwash. In other words, we need to be sure that teaching is based on student’s needs not just on the tests they will take. In some cases, teaching to tests can cause serious problems if the tests are not targeted at the appropriate language ability. As you might expect, this can be rally important for the people taking tests, and for companies and universities that give people jobs and places on courses based on test results. Whether you are designing an answer booklet, writing a set of multiple-choice questions or planning a revision class, it is useful to learn more about the testing process.
Now, an important concept in language testing is the notion of “validity”. What do I mean by validity? In linguistic terms, we can define construct validity as the extent to which test scores accurately represent language skills or abilities.
Why is validity so important? Well, the point is that if an examination board makes a test which is not a valid measure of language ability, then the test scores can’t be relied on. Ten out of ten doesn’t really mean a high language level if the questions don’t measure what they say they measure. But people believe numbers, even if they are not arrived at in a valid way. This is why piloting a test or assessment is so important. Good examination boards or schools often employ external examiners to help with this. In this way, problems can be sorted out before the test is used.
Three main arguments exist for using a test specification. Argument 1 supports construct validity. This argument suggests that a test’s construct validity can be improved by using blueprint. This blueprint, known as attest specification, can be divided into different sections. Examples of these sections are reading, writing, listening and speaking – in other words, the different papers in the test. In some specifications, there may be additional subsections, too, if it is necessary to describe the different abilities or constructs which are being focused on.
Making new versions of a test completely from scratch is not very efficient. So, the second argument supports the creation of new test versions. What’s important about new versions of a test is that questions can be created which test language in a similar way to previous versions. This is what happens at the examination board, for example, when a new version of a test is needed, say, once every three months. The specification is used to make sure that the test writers are writing the right sort of questions.
Lastly, there is test evaluation. What’s clear is that in the test evaluation process, it is sometimes necessary to revise items. This is often based on feedback from students and the people who use test scores. With this in mind, the specification can be used to make changes and to make sure that changes fit in with the general aims and the other sections of the test.
Self-control questions:
Whatis language testing?
Why an important concept in language testing is the notion of “validity”?
Explain three main arguments exist for using a test specification.
Suggestions for further reading:
Ирисқулов М.Т. Тилшуносликка кириш. – Т.,2008.
Йўлдошев И., Муҳаммедова С., Шарипова Ў., Маджидова Р. Тилшунослик асослари. – Т.,2007/2013.
Муҳаммедова С., Йўлдошев И., Маджидова Р., Шарипова Ў., Тўхтаматов Х. Тилшунослик асослари. – Электрон дарслик.
Маслов Ю.С. Введение в языкознание. – М.,2007.
Реформатский А. Введение в языкознание. – М.,2006.
William B. McGregor. Linguistics. An introduction. – New York, Bloomsbury Academic Press, 2015. 430p.
Keith Allan. The Oxford Handbook of the History of Linguistics, Oxford University Press London, 2013.
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