A.
Types and objective of assessment
1. Achievement Test
The purpose of
achievement tests is to determine whether course objectives have been met with
skills acquired by the end of a period of instruction. Achievement tests should
be limited to particular material addressed in a curriculum within a particular
time frame. Achievement tests belong to summative because they are administered
at the end on a unit/term of study. It analyzes the extent to which students
have acquired language that have already been taught.
2. Diagnostic Test
The purpose is to
diagnose specific aspects of a language. These tests offer a checklist of
features for the teacher to use in discovering difficulties. Proficiency tests
should elicit information on what students need to work in the future;
therefore the test will typically offer more detailed subcategorized
information on the learner. For example, a writing diagnostic test would first
elicit a writing sample of the students. Then, the teacher would identify the
organization, content, spelling, grammar, or vocabulary of their writing. Based
on that identifying, teacher would know the needs of students that should have
special focus.
3. Placement Test
The purpose of
placement test is to place a student into a particular level or section of a
language curriculum or school. It usually includes a sampling of the material
to be covered in the various courses in a curriculum. A student’s performance
on the test should indicate the point at which the student will find material
neither too easy nor too difficult. Placement tests come in many varieties:
assessing comprehension and production, responding through written and oral
performance, multiple choice, and gap filling formats. One of the examples of
Placement tests is the English as a Second Language Placement Test (ESLPT) at
San Francisco State University.
4. Proficiency Test
The purpose of
proficiency test is to test global competence in a language. It tests overall
ability regardless of any training they previously had in the language.
Proficiency tests have traditionally consisted of standardized multiple-choices
item on grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and listening
comprehension. One of a standardized proficiency test is TOEFL.
5. Language Aptitude
Test
The purpose of language
aptitude test is to predict a person’s success to exposure to the foreign
language. According to John Carrol and Stanley Sapon (the authors of MLAT),
language aptitude tests does not refer to whether or not an individual can
learn a foreign language; but it refers to how well an individual can learn a
foreign language in a given amount of time and under given conditions. In other
words, this test is done to determine how quickly and easily a learner learn
language in language course or language training program. Standardized aptitude
tests have been used in the United States:
The Modern Language
Aptitude Test (MLAT)
The Pimsleur Language
Aptitude Battery (PLAB)
B. Issues in
languge assessment
a.
Differentiation of Assessment
When
it comes to English language students, or ELL, students, there is no
one-size-fits-all approach. However, there are suggested strategies to enhance
their learning experience. One area that requires differentiation is valuation.
When you test an ELL student, you want to get a better understanding of his
knowledge. Lack of English language skills can prevent ELL students from
showing what they know. Let's look at some of the different problems faced by
ELL students when taking assessments, and some strategies for overcoming these
challenges.
b.
Literacy
One
of the biggest problems faced by ELL students is the lack of English literacy,
which means the ability to understand how to read and write certain languages.
Imagine trying to do a test about the solar system in a different language. You
may know about the sun, moon and our planets, but how can you get past the
language barrier to prove it? One way to compensate for language barriers is to
read directions, readings, and questions aloud to ELL students. Being able to
hear the language spoken aloud while reading together can dramatically increase
their understanding.
Some
students receive bilingual education, or education in their native language and
English. Sometimes it's better to judge students in their native language. This
will give you more reliable information about their content knowledge. Of
course, this is not always ideal if you really assess language proficiency, and
especially if you are trying to encourage them to speak a new language. Other
accommodation needed is extra time. Giving ELL students additional time to
process tests and formulate their responses can help them show their
understanding of content.
c.
Academic Vocabulary
Academic
vocabulary is a special type of vocabulary that refers to academic assignments.
When a test asks a student to analyze a passage, conclude the meaning, or
summarize the main idea, the verb - analyze, conclude, and summarize - is an
example of an academic language. The problem is that even if an ELL student can
do those things, he might not understand the academic skills needed to
effectively answer that question
C. Hot topic
relating to classroom based on assessment
1.
A Sample Rubric for Grading Student
Writing
By:
Amy Rukea Stempel (2010). All written work should be assessed using a rubric.
Using a set of criteria linked to standards not only allows for uniform
evaluation, but helps students understand what is important about an assignment
and encourages them to reflect on their work.
2.
Literacy Practices Interview
By:
Elizabeth Moje and Nicole Tysvaer (2010). Literacy practices interviews are
informal assessments that elicit information on students' reading and writing
activities, including their free-time reading habits, their access to books,
and their attitudes toward reading and writing. Use the interviews in
one-on-one or small, focus group-like settings.
3.
A Sample Literacy Process Interview
Protocol
By:
Elizabeth Moje and Nicole Tysvaer (2010). Literacy process interviews are
informal assessments designed to gauge how readers and writers think about
their work as they are engaged in it. Participants’ responses aren't scored,
but are used to guide program educators as they teach different literacy skills
and strategies.
4.
From the Lunchroom to the Classroom:
Authentic Assessment and the Brown Bag Exam
By:
Denise Ousley-Exum, PhD (2010). A Brown Bag Exam uses found objects and images
to help students activate prior knowledge and creates a framework for students
to express their understanding. Students work individually and in collaboration
to create concrete connections between the reading and the Brown Bag items.
Unlike traditional assessment, the Brown Bag Exam is an exam filled with
conversation, idea exchange, and learning.
5.
What Should an Assessment System Look
Like?
By:
Leila Morsy , Michael Kieffer and Catherine Snow (2009). The developmental
nature of reading means that diagnosing the reading comprehension ability of
adolescents is more challenging than diagnosing reading comprehension among
third graders. In particular, assessments should not only capture the increased
sophistication of the reading task in the middle and high school years, but should
also capture the specialization of the many tasks that comprise reading
comprehension for older readers. Educators must think carefully not only about
what the assessments they use consider "grade-level" text, but also
how those assessments capture or fail to capture the processes involved in
reading in different content-area classes.
6.
Putting Assessment in the Driver's Seat
By:
National Association of Secondary School Principals (2009).Take the lead to
improve literacy for all students at your school. Implement regular school-wide
monitoring of assessment results and student progress.
7.
A Critical Analysis of Eight Informal
Reading Inventories
By:
International Reading Association (2008). There are a number of current
informal reading inventories — each has its strengths, limitations, and unique
characteristics, which should be considered in order to best fit a teacher's
needs.
8.
Helping Students with LD Pass
High-Stakes Tests
By:
National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) (2006). Students must pass a
high stakes tests to graduate high school. These tests are a major barrier for
students with learning disabilities who often do not test well. Accommodations
can help. Learn how to help children with learning disabilities do well on
these tests.
9.
Integrating Student Progress Monitoring
(SPM) into Your Classroom: The Teacher's Perspective
By:
Kathleen McLane (2006). Is your school planning to implement student progress
monitoring (SPM)? Are you thinking of using it in your classroom? If so,
consider a number of factors to make SPM an integral part of classroom
activities, rather than a series of isolated assessments unconnected to other
parts of the learning experience. This brief offers some suggestions on how to
use SPM in an integrated way.
10.
What Is Scientifically-Based Research on
Progress Monitoring?
By:
Lynn S. Fuchs and Douglas Fuchs (2003). Progress monitoring is an assessment
technique that tells teachers how and when to adjust curriculum so that
students meet benchmark goals by the end of the year. This research shows that
progress monitoring is an effective way to set and meet academic goals.
Refences:
Penilaian dan evaluasi topic terpanas
dalamliterasi remaja. Retrieved from
assessment issues with English
language learners. Retrieved from
kind of test. Retrieved from
