English language tests for EU vets too tough

2021 ◽  
Vol 189 (12) ◽  
pp. 454-455
Author(s):  
Josh Loeb
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Language Tests

Test Anxiety in High-Stakes English Language Tests: Beyond the Classroom

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josefina C. Santana ◽  
Arturo Garcca Santillln ◽  
Karen Michelle Ventura Michel ◽  
Teresa Zamora Lobato
Keyword(s):  
Test Anxiety ◽  
English Language ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Language Tests

scholarly journals Students’ Emotive Reaction and Confidence in Doing Language Tests: A Case of Test Takers in EFL Learning in Indonesia

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 610
Author(s):  
Abdul Kamaruddin ◽  
Konder Manurung
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
English Education ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Reading Tests ◽  
Language Tests ◽  
Listening Tests ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Writing Tests ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Efl Learning

It has long been argued that the tests administered to students influence the students' learning motivation. The study aims at investigating the students' emotive reactions and confidence in doing English language tests and its implications for EFL learning. Forty-two students of the Department of English Education, University of Tadulako, Palu, Indonesia participated in the research. The students were programming Speaking Class in the Academic Year 2016/2017. Questionnaire items and focused group discussions were employed to produce the data needed. From the data analysis, it reveals that the use of language tests motivates the students in learning English despite the stressful situations they experience while they are sitting on the tests. Interestingly, the research findings show that the students are delightful in doing the tests. The students are most confident in speaking tests, but they are least confident in writing tests. Reading tests are in second place in terms of the student confidence in doing tests and listening tests are in the third place. How language testing motivates EFL learners is discussed.

scholarly journals Improving Language Learning Strategies and Performance of Pre-Service Language Teachers Through a CALLA-TBLT Model

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Eugenia Guapacha Chamorro ◽  
Luis Humberto Benavidez Paz
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
English Language ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Strategy Instruction ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Language Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Performance ◽  
Language Tests ◽  
And Performance

This paper reports an action-research study on language learning strategies in tertiary education at a Colombian university. The study aimed at improving the English language performance and language learning strategies use of 33 first-year pre-service language teachers by combining elements from two models: the cognitive academic language learning approach and task-based language teaching. Data were gathered through surveys, a focus group, students’ and teachers’ journals, language tests, and documentary analysis. Results evidenced that the students improved in speaking, writing, grammar, vocabulary and in their language learning strategies repertoire. As a conclusion, explicit strategy instruction in the proposed model resulted in a proper combination to improve learners’ language learning strategies and performance. 

Measuring English language proficiency across subgroups: Using score equity assessment to evaluate test fairness

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanwook Yoo ◽  
Venessa F. Manna ◽  
Lora F. Monfils ◽  
Hyeon-Joo Oh
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Test Scores ◽  
English Language ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Test Taker ◽  
Background Characteristics ◽  
Test Fairness ◽  
Educational Backgrounds ◽  
Language Tests ◽  
Language Exposure

This study illustrates the use of score equity assessment (SEA) for evaluating the fairness of reported test scores from assessments intended for test takers from diverse cultural, linguistic, and educational backgrounds, using a workplace English proficiency test. Subgroups were defined by test-taker background characteristics that research has shown to be associated with performance on language tests. The characteristics studied included gender, age, educational background, language exposure, and previous experience with the assessment. Overall, the empirical results indicated that the statistical and psychometric methods used in producing test scores were not strongly influenced by the subgroups of test takers from which the scores were derived. This result provides evidence in support of the comparability and meaning of test scores across the various test-taker groups studied. This example may encourage language testing programs to incorporate SEA analyses to provide evidence to inform the validity and fairness of reported scores for all groups of test takers.

scholarly journals Basis of Designing Test Questions of English Language That Reflect Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 627
Author(s):  
Mona M. Hamad
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Analytical Method ◽  
English Language ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Whole Process ◽  
Language Tests ◽  
To Come ◽  
Intended Learning Outcomes ◽  
Bloom Taxonomy ◽  
Scientific Pedagogical

Teaching is one of the most important professions that affect different aspects of life. Brown (1994) stated that testing and teaching are different, but they are interwoven and interdependent, that it is difficult to tease them apart. Teachers teach, and then test to find out if they had achieved their course objectives. As teachers sometimes fail or find difficulties to come out with perfect test that backwash the whole process of course learning; in other words they fail to construct test that meets all intended learning outcomes (ILOs). So, this paper aims at: finding out reasons behind questions’ weakness of English Language tests, and finding solutions that can help educators write their test-questions in scientific pedagogical way, that tests all course content, and reflects (ILOs). The researcher used the descriptive analytical method, a teachers’ questionnaire is used as instrument to collect data, and 10 tests’ questions were analyzed to tackle reasons behind questions’ weakness. Participants of this study are 22 instructors from College of Science & Arts, Muhayil “KKU” Finding indicated reasons behind questions’ weakness of English Language tests are the inadequate way of designing tests, as a result of ignorance of the basics of test questions criteria and lacking knowledge of how to use Bloom Taxonomy and (TOS). Instructors need training about how to use Bloom Taxonomy and Table of Specification in designing Tests’ Questions of English Language in a pedagogical way.

scholarly journals Shiken: Past and future

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-36
Author(s):  
David Allen
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
English Language ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Entrance Exams ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Language Tests ◽  
History Of ◽  
Design And Methods

This article presents a history of Shiken since it was first published in 1997 until 2019, followed by suggestions for areas of future research in assessment to which the publication may be well suited to contribute. In the historical overview, data is presented about the following: the origins, titles, editors, and distribution; the article types; the contents of research articles and the design and methodologies they have employed. Regarding research article content, four prominent themes were identified: mass market tests, entrance exams, statistics, and validity/reliability. Regarding design and methods, research articles have tended to focus on English language tests with university students in Japan, while utilizing test and/or instrument data and quantitative methods of analysis. Recommendations for future research areas include investigations into the validity of test interpretations and uses of four-skills, vocabulary and other tests used in Japan, and language assessment literacy. Recommendations for future research design and methods include focusing more on a range of test stakeholders; various contexts, such as pre-tertiary education; and the use of qualitative and mixed methods.

scholarly journals A Review of the Washback of English Language Tests on Classroom Teaching

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Qi Kuang
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Classroom Teaching ◽  
Language Test ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Language Tests ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
The One ◽  
Complicated Mechanism

Scholars have long recognized the Washback effect of English language tests on English teaching inside the classroom. However, the lack of scholarly reports in this area is also nonnegligible. Therefore, the present study intends to review some empirical researches that focus on the washback of some English language tests on different aspects of classroom teaching, including the washback on course content, teaching materials, and teaching activities. Both positive and negative washback are found on these aspects and can be attributed to a number of factors, including differences in features of the test content, differences in tests’ coordination to course syllabus, differences in teachers’ adoption of teaching methods, etc. The final discussion recognizes the complicated mechanism of washback of the English language test on classroom teaching and serves to bring out some scholarly and pedagogical implications. On the one hand, future studies could focus more on how to bring out positive washback of English language tests on classroom teaching. On the other hand, pedagogical practices could take advantage of the latest scholarly findings to maximize the efficacy of the aforementioned positive washback.

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