Assessing Grammar

How to test Grammar?

Compiled by Terri Yueh

Some Questions
What is a test? What is assessment?
And how does it differ from
evaluation?

Why do we assess?
What techniques are available for
assessment?

Tests vs. Assessment

All tests are assessment.

Tests

Assessment
Teaching

Tests vs. Assessment

Tests:
Formal
procedures
Strict time
limitations
Sample the
performance of
an individual in
a specific
domain

Assessment:
Includes all occasions
Both formal and
informal
Alternative
assessment
Fairness
Balance of power
relationships in the
classroom

Assessment vs. Evaluation

Assessment relates to individual
student learning. It is the act of
collecting information and making
judgments on a language learners
knowledge of a language and ability to
use it (Chapelle and Brindley, 2002,
p267).

Evaluation is a broader term referring

to the collection and interpretation of
information relating to the value of a
entire course or program for decisionmaking purposes.
Adopted from Pratical English Language
Teaching: Grammar, p25, 2005, David Nunan.

Why do we Assess?
Diagnosing students strengths and
weaknesses
Deciding what to teach and what
not to teach
Assessing student progress
Grading students
Formative
assessment
During the course
Intend to improve
learning outcomes

Summative
assessment
At the end of the
teaching process
Judge students
achievement

Adopted from Pratical English Language Teaching: Grammar, p26, 2005,

David Nunan.

Assessment Techniques
Classroom tests
Observation
Elicitation
Proficiency rating scales
Journals
Portfolios
Conferences, interviews
Performance assessment
Error analysis
Checklists
Questionnaires
Self- and Peer-assessment
Adopted from Pratical English Language
Teaching: Grammar, p26-32, 2005, David Nunan.

High
Large-scale, standardized, multiplechoice tests; Proficiency rating scales

Practicality
Reliability

In-class, short-answer
essay tests

Portfolios, journals
and conferences

Low

Washback & Authenticity

High

More Questions
What do we test?
What are the kinds of assessment?
What are the types of tests?
The Criteria of Assessment: How can
we assess students in a fair and
encouraging way?
Who is the test designed for? Who
are the test-takers?
What is students previous
experience and background? Is the
test appropriate for them? How can
scores be interpreted for individuals?

What do we test?
Language Tests to find out what
students have learned:
Grammar Vocabulary Spelling
Pronunciation .
Skills Tests to find out what students
can do:
Listening Reading
Speaking Writing

Kinds of Assessment
Placement tests / Diagnostic tests
Progress tests
Achievement tests
competence
vs.
performance

measurements
of language
proficiency

Types of Test
Discrete-item tests
Grammar points
Word order
Gap-fills (Selective
cloze vs. Cloze test)
Multiple choices
Competence tests
accuracy
Grammar
interpretation
(structure input) tasks
Performance tests
Information gap
Problem solving
Interactive activities

fluency

complexity

Preparing a Test
Steps

The purpose of the test

The grammar items to be tested

Types of the test (time & form)

The expected difficulties

Predict errors

Questions with distracters

Tabulate the errors

The Criteria of Assessment

Practicality ease & economy
Face validity --- appropriacy
criterion, content, construct

Validity--- efficacy
Reliability--- efficacy
Backwash--- efficacy
Spin-off--- efficacy

Performance tests

Backwash effect
Positive Spin-off

Discrete-item tests

Competence tests

Assessing Beginning Learners

Observation checklist (notes of the
grammar items) for recording BL

Assessing Intermediate Learners

Assessment of Receptive skills
Assessment of productive skills

Grammatical accuracy?
Communicative fluency?

Assessing Advanced Learners

Formative self-Assessment as a part
of the learning process
Self checklist
Rating scale

An Effective Assessment

The familiarity of test format & contents

Mastery of linguistic system
Language competence for comprehension
Language performance for accuracy
Self-study capabilities for autonomous
learning module
learner autonomy could be fostered with a
internet-assisted environment

Four Principles to Consider

Standards first, then testing.
Tests measure educational
progressthey dont create it.
No single test does everything
the importance of Multiple
measures.
The importance of valid, fair,
reliable assessments.
Quoted from CTB McGram-Hill
http://www.ctb.com/ctb.com/control/researchArticleMainAction?articleId=478&p=ctbResearch

References
Chapelle, C. and G. Brindley. 2002.
Assessmenst. In N. Schmidt (ed.) An
Introduction to Applied Linguistics.
London: Longman.
Nunan David. 2005. Pratical English
Language Teaching: Grammar. New York:
McGraw Hill.