LESSON I

Principles and Purposes of language Assessment

Overview
The module on Principles and purposes of language assessment intends to
widen the perspective of the MAELT graduate students on concepts and principles
related to language and literature assessment and criteria of a good test

Desired Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, the students can:

1. Give a classroom situation where assessment, evaluation, measurement, and

language testing are applied;
2. Design a graphic organizer showing the purposes of language tests
3. Design a graphic organizer showing the purposes of language testing
4. Discuss the principles that govern effective assessment and evaluation; and
5. Discuss the criteria of a good.

Materials Needed:

1. Computer/laptop/Android Phone with internet Connection (LMS, screen recorder,

Google classroom, and group Chat)
2. Module

Duration : 4 hours

Learning Content

A. Key concepts

It is essential at the beginning of this module to define terms related to language

assessment that are often confused with one another because in some books they are
used interchangeably.

1. Assessment is the act of gathering information on a daily basis in order to understand

individual student’s learning and needs. In the context of language teaching and
learning, assessment refers to the act of collecting information and making judgments
about a language learner’s knowledge of a language and ability to use it.” ( Carol
Chapelle and Geoff Brindley)
2. Testing refers to procedures that are based on tests. In learning, it is a salient part of
assessment.
3. Language testing is the practice and study of evaluating the proficiency of an
individual in using in using a particular language effectively.” ( Priscilla Allen)
4. Measurement more broadly includes testing and other types of measurement, as well
as other types of information that result in quantitative data such as attendance,
records, questionnaires, teachers’ ratings of students, etc.

B. ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION PRINCIPLES

The following principles are intended to assist teachers in planning for student
assessment and evaluation.

1. Assessment and evaluation are essential components of the teaching-

learning process. They should be planned, continuous activities which are
derived from curriculum objectives and consistent with the instructional and
learning strategies.
2. A variety of assessment and evaluation techniques should be used.
Techniques should be selected for their appropriateness to students’ learning
styles and to the intended purposes. Students should be given opportunities
to demonstrate the extent of their knowledge, abilities, and attitudes in a
variety of ways.
3. Teachers should communicate assessment and evaluation strategies and
plan in advance, informing the students of the objectives and the assessment
procedures relative to the objectives. Students should have opportunities for
input into the evaluation process.
4. Assessment and evaluation should be fair and equitable. They should be
sensitive to family, classroom, school, and community situations, and to
cultural and gender requirements; they should be free of bias
5. Assessment and evaluation should help students.. They should provide
positive feedback and encourage students to participate actively in their own
assessment in order to foster lifelong learning and enable them to transfer
knowledge and abilities to their life experiences.
6. Assessment and evaluation data and results should be communicated to
students and parents/guardians regularly, in meaningful ways.
7. Assessment and evaluation should use a variety of techniques and tools. The
teacher collects assessment information about students’ language
development and their growth in speaking, listening, writing, and reading
knowledge and abilities. The data gathered during assessment become the
basis for the evaluation. Comparing assessment information to curriculum
objectives allows the teacher to make a decision or judgment regarding the
progress of a student’s learning.
C. PURPOSES OF ASSESSMENT

1. Assessment for Learning

Assessment for learning focuses on the gap between where a learner is in
his/her learning, and where he/she needs to be- the desired goal. This can be
achieved through processes such as sharing criteria with learners, effective
questioning, and feedback.
Black and William define assessment for learning as all those activities
undertaken by the teachers and/or by their students, which provide information to
be used as feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they
are engaged.

Learners learn best when …………..

They understand clearly what they are trying to learn, and what is expected
of them.
They are given feedback about the quality of their work and what they can
do to make it better
They are given advice about how to go about making improvements
They are fully involved in deciding what needs to be done next, and who
can give them help if they need it.
2. Assessment as Learning
Assessment of learning is about reflecting on evidence of learning. This is part of
the cycle of assessment where pupils and staff set learning goals, share learning
intentions and success criteria and evaluate their learning through dialogue and
self and peer assessment.
Through this, learners become more aware of
 What they learn
 How they learn
 What helps them learn
Learners are able to build knowledge of themselves as learners, and become
metacognitive. In other words, they become aware of how they learn. It also
helps them to take more responsibility for their learning and participate more in
the process of learning.

3. Assessment of learning
Assessment of learning involves working with the range of available evidence
that enables staff and the wider assessment community to check on students’
progress and using this information in a number of ways.
Assessment of learning provides an arena for the management and planning of
assignment, and for teachers to work collaboratively with the evidence. It
connects assessment with the curriculum.
 Judgment about students’ learning need to be dependable. This means that:
 They are valid (based on sound criteria)
 They are reliable ( accuracy of assessment and practice)
 They are comparable ( They stand up when compared to judgment in other
departments or school).

D. FUNCTIONS OF LANGUAGE TESTS

Test are essential parts of assessment, thus it is important that their functions
are clearly identified.
1. In Learning
In learning, tests are used to measure students’ language ability to discover how
much they have been learning, to diagnose students’ strengths and weaknesses,
and to motivate students in learning
A. Sometimes, language teachers choose to test students through periodic
quizzes and test of achievement
B. At other times, instructors assess students’ language proficiency {I,e., their
global ability to use the foreign or second language), maybe after the end of
several years of language study.
C. At other times, language teachers use tests for placement and diagnostic
reasons and other purposes.

2. In Teaching

A. Tests are used in teaching as a means to ensure effective teaching, to

improve teaching quality, to obtain feedback on student learning that take place
in a course.
b. Tests can have backwash effect, which means that they may result in
changes of instructional programs or teaching practices to reflect the test
contents because language teachers want their students to do well on high
stakes tests for many different reasons.

3. In Research
Language tests have a potentially important role in virtually all research,
both basic and applied, that is related to the nature of language proficiency,
language processing, language acquisition, language attrition, and language
teaching.

E. CRITERIA OF A GOOD TEST

1. Relevance- the extent to which it is necessary that students are able to
perform task x.
2. Representativity – the extent to which task x represent a real situation.
3. Authenticity –the extent to which the situation and the interaction are
meaningful and representative in the world of individual user.
4. Balance-the extent to which each relevant topic/ability receives an equal
amount of attention
5. Validity –the extent to which a test measure what it is intended to measure

Sub-classification

a. Concurrent validity -A test is said to have concurrent validity if the

scores it gives correlate highly with a recognized external criterion which
measures the same area of knowledge or ability

b. Construct Validity

A test is said to have construct validity if scores can be shown to reflect a

theory about the nature of the construct or its relation to other constructs.

C. Content Validity

A test is said to have content validity if the items or tasks of which it is made up
constitute a representative sample of items or tasks for the area of knowledge or
ability to be tested

D. convergent Validity

A test is said to have convergent validity when there is high correlation between
scores achieved in it and those achieved in a different test measuring the same
construct (irrespective of method). This can be aspect of construct validity.

E. Criterion Related Validity

A test is said to have criterion-related if the relationship can be demonstrated

between test scores and some external criterion which is believed to be the same
measure of the same ability. Information on criterion relatedness can also predict
future behavior

F. Discriminant Validity

Aspect of construct validity where the correlation with the test of different traits is
lower than test of the same trait.

g. Face Validity

The test appeal

The appearance of the test
 h. Predictive Validity

An indication of how well a test predicts future performance in a relevant skill

F. Factors that influence validity

1. Appropriateness of the test items
2. Directions
3. Reading vocabulary and sentence structure
4. Difficulty of items
5. Construction of test items
6. Length of the test
7. Arrangement of items
8. Patterns of answers

6. RELIABILITY
Refers to the consistency and stability with which a test measures
performance
VARIABLES THAT INFLUENCE TEST RELIABIILITY
1. Specificity
2. Differentiation
3. Difficulty
4. Length
5. Time
6. Test construction

Learning Activity

Activity 1

Directions: Give a classroom situation that will highlight the differences of

assessment, measurement and evaluation. (10 pts.).

Activity 2: Graphic Organizer

Direction: Make a graphic organizer showing the purposes of assessmen st(10
pts).

Activity 3

1. Design a graphic organizer summarizing the criteria of a good test

Note: The output shall be rated using the rubric below.

Complete 5 4 3 2 1
ness All info are Lack one Lacks Lack 3 Lack
shown in info. info info 4 or more
the diagram

Clarity All info. Are One info is Two info Three 4 or more info are
interconnect misplaced or are info are misplaced
ed without misplaced misplace
connection
Accuracy All data are One of the Two of the Three of Four or more data
of inputs accurate data data the data Have inaccurate
with Has Have Have info with minimal
observance inaccurate inaccurate inaccura flaws in word
of correct info with info with te info choice or
word choice minimal flaws minimal with grammar
and in word flaws in minimal
grammar choice or word flaws in
grammar choice or word
grammar choice
or
grammar

Direction: Write a reaction paper on purposes of assessment. Include Introduction,

Synopsis, and your reactions about the topic (15 points)

Learning Evaluation

Rubric for Rating the Reaction Paper

1 2 3 4 5

Content The data The data The data The data The data placed in
placed in the placed in the placed in the placed in the the introduction,
introduction, introduction, introduction, introduction, reaction, and
reaction, and reaction, reaction, reaction, conclusion part are
conclusion part and and and aligned to the data
need an conclusion conclusion conclusion needed in writing
alignment in part need an part lack of part are introduction,
writing alignment in alignment in aligned to reaction, and
introduction, writing writing the data conclusion; the
reaction, and introduction, introduction, needed in data are
 conclusion, reaction, reaction, writing substantial and the
and the data and and introduction, arguments are
are very conclusion, conclusion, reaction, backed up with
insufficient to and the data and the data and very sufficient
complete the lack lack conclusion; support.
content of the substance substance however,
reaction paper. for the for the the data lack
arguments arguments substance
need many need some for the
additional additional arguments
support. support. need
additional
little support.

Gramm The grammar The The The Grammar accuracy

ar usage has 16 grammar grammar grammar is observed in all
and more usage has usage has usage has parts of the paper.
errors in the 11-15 errors 6-10 errors 3-5 errors in The grammar
entire paper in the entire in the entire the entire usage is perfect
paper paper paper

Logical Almost all Many ideas Few ideas Very Few The ideas are
Organiz ideas are not are not are not ideas are interconnected with
ation of interconnected interconnect interconnect not the use of
ideas due to 15 or ed due to ed due to 6- interconnect appropriate
and more errors in 10--15 flaws 10 flaws in ed due to 3- coordinators and
punctua using in the use of the use of 5 flaws in logical words.
tion connectives. appropriate appropriate the use of
coordinators coordinators appropriate
and logical and logical coordinators
words. words. and logical
words.

Prepared by:

MARISSA N. PARCON, Ed.D.

Subject Teacher
References
1. Go, M. and Pocesion O. (2010). Language and Literature Assessment.
Aurora Nlvd., cor. Boston Street, Cubao Quezon City, Metro
Manila.Lorimar Publishing Inc.
2. Brown,JD. (1996). Testing in Language in Language Program. Upper
Saddle River, N. Prentice Hall J.
3. Bachman, H.D. (1994). Principles of Language learning and Teaching.
United States. Carey Publishing House Service

4. Savellon, R. (1987). Teaching English in the Secondary Manila.

Publishing Pacific House Inc.
5. Behrahi L. (1987). The History of Language Testing