CRITERIA OF GOOD

ASSESSMENT FOR
YOUNG LEARNER

QUESTIONS
1. What are the diff erences of test, evaluation, and
assessment? How are they connected?
2. What are the characteristic of good test? Explain.
3. What do you know about practicality of a test? Give
examples of practicality of a test for young learners.
4. What are factors of reliability that you know?
Explain.
5. How do you ensure reliability of test? Relate the
reliability theory to real test for young learners.
6. What are kinds of validity that you know? Provide
example and explanation related to test for young
learners.

TEST, EVALUATION, ASSESSMENT

Test is a method of measuring a persons ability,
knowledge, or performance in given domain(Brown,
2003: 3)
According to Athanasou and Lamprinou (Sulistyo,
2015: 30), assessment is defi ned as:
the process or processes of collecting and combining
information from tasks (e.g. tests n performance or
learning) with a view to making judgment about a
person or making comparison against an established
criterion.
Evaluation is three-pronged process whereby the
systematic collection of data or information, data or
information analysis, and decision making are
involved (Sulistyo, 2015: 24)

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD TEST

FOR YL
Good test for young learners should
fulfi ll these criteria:
Reliable
Valid
Practical

PRACTICALITY OF A TEST
Brown (2003: 19) states that an eff ective test should
be practical. This means that:
It is not excessively expensive.
It stays with appropriate time constraints.
It is relatively easy to administer.
It has scoring/evaluation procedure that is specifi c
and time-effi cient

RELIABILITY
Brown (2003: 20) mentions that reliable test is
consistent and dependable. Here are factors that
infl uence reliability according to Brown.
Student-related reliability
Rater reliability
Test administration reliability
Test reliability

ENSURING THAT A TEST IS

RELIABLE
Hughes (1989: 36) explains how to make a test more
reliable. Here are some ways to make test more
reliable.
Taking enough sample of behavior
Do not allow candidates too much freedom
Write unambiguous items
Provide clear explicit instructions
Ensure that a test is well laid out and perfectly legible
Candidates should be familiar with the format of
testing and testing techniques
Use items that permit scoring which is as objective as
possible
Identify candidates by number, not name

VALIDITY

Hughes (1989: 22) says that a test is valid if it

measures what it wants to measure. Here are kinds of
validity based on Hughes:
Criterion-related validity
Face validity
Content validity
Construct validity

REFERENCES
Brown, H.D. 2003. Language Assessment: Principles
and Classroom Practices. White Plains: Pearson
Education, Inc.
Hughes, Arthur. 1989. Testing for Language Teachers .
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Sulistyo, G.H. 2015. EFL Learning Assessment at
Schools An Introduction to Its Basic Concepts and
Principles. Malang. CV. Bintang Sejahtera.