Iman Hilmansyah

1402203
EFL Methodology
Basic concept in Test Development
As we know the definition of test is a method of measuring a persons ability or knowledge
in a given domain. There are some aspects of a test including a method, the purpose of
measuring, consideration of knowledge and ability to be measured and domain.
In testing a test, there are three criteria to do in order to know whether a test is good or not
such as practicality, reliability, and validity.
a. Practical means that a test should consider the financial limitations, time

constraints, ease of administration, and scoring interpretation.

b. Reliability means that a test should be consistent and dependable.
c. Validity means that a test should measure what it is intended to measure.
In language testing, validity is supported most convincingly by subsequent personal
observation by teachers and peers. There are three types of validation which are important
for the teacher such as content validity, face validity, and construct validity.
The content validity means that if a test actually samples the subject matter about which
conclusion are to be drawn, if it requires the test taker to perform the behavior that is being
measured. Second, face validity which is related to the content: if the test samples the
actual content of what the learner has achieved or expects to achieve. Third, construct
validity means that the teacher must be aware of in considering language tests.
There are many kinds of tests in teaching and learning language. Each of them has
different purpose and particular criterion to be measured.
The first is proficiency test. The purpose of the test is to tap global competence in a
language. A proficiency test is not intended to be limited to any one course, curriculum, or
single skill in the language. It has traditionally consisted of standardized multiple choice
items on grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, aural comprehension, and
sometimes a sample of writing.
The second is diagnostic test which is designed to diagnose a particular aspect of a
language. It needs to be specifically tailored to offer information on student need that will
be worked on imminently.

Third is placement test. In this kind of test, certain proficiency tests and diagnostic test can
be included in a placement test. The purpose of this test is to place a student into an
appropriate level or section of a language curriculum or school.
Forth are achievement tests which are related to classroom lessons, units, or even a total
curriculum. The primary role of this test is to determine acquisition of course objectives at
the end of a period of instruction.
The last is an aptitude test which is designed to measure a persons capacity or general
ability to learn a foreign language and to be successful in that undertaking. There are a
variety of different possible techniques and procedures. It can be from objective to
subjective scoring procedures, open-ended to structured response options, multiple choices
to fill in the blank item design formats, written to oral performance modes.
If we go back to the history of language testing development, this term is significantly
influenced by the methodology. There are two major approaches to language testing:
discrete point and integrative testing method. The construction of discrete points approach
start from experts beliefs that language can be broken down into its component parts and
those parts adequately tested.
Integrative testing is kind of approach which is trying to integrate each component and
skills of the language. Cloze tests and dictations are the examples of integrative tests. A
cloze test is a reading passage that has been mutilated by deletion of roughly every sixth
or seventh word; the test taker is required to supply words that fit into those blanks. The
dictation is claimed as an integrative test because it requires careful listening, reproduction
in writing of what heard, and efficient short-term memory.
In language proficiency testing, Bachman (1991) gives four characteristics.
a. Tests that create an information gap.
b. Task dependency.
c. Communicative test that can be characterized by their integration of test tasks and

content within a given domain of discourse.

d. Communicative tests which attempt to measure a much broader range of language
ability.
Suherdi (2012a, p.269) states that language competence that refers to the real ability need
authentic assessment, in the other hand, its integration needs holistic and integrative
assessment.

Related to the authentic test, the best test of oral proficiency involve a one-on-one
tester/test taker relationship, live performance, a careful specification of tasks to be
accomplished during the test, and a scoring rubric is truly descriptive of ability. Oral
Proficiency Interview (OPI) has been used to test oral proficiency.
In the other side, critical language testing claims that large scale testing is not an unbiased
process, but rather is the agent of cultural, social, political, educational, and ideological
agendas that shape the lives of individual participants, teachers, and learners.
As a language teacher, we need to be able to interpret the test used in our own context. We
need to consider what test is needed to measure our students achievement and ability and
what is going to be measured. Is the test practical, reliable and valid or not. Beside that the
important the whole aspects that relate to the use of English need the use of HAI (Holistic,
Authentic, and Integrated) in arranging the test.

Reference
Brown, H. Douglas. 2001. Teaching by Principles (An Interactive Approach to Language
Pedagogy). Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
Suherdi, D. (2012a). Rekondtrukdi Pendidikan Bahasa: Sebuah Keniscayaan Bagi
Keunggulan Bangsa. Bandung: Celtic Press

Iman Hilmansyah
1402203
EFL Methodology
Testing and Evaluation
A test is used to help the teachers in knowing the students ability, knowing students
progress, and in the end create a better way to help the students to be better in reaching the
objective in learning process. In language testing, the teacher may use different test for
different purpose.
1. Placement test, it is used to place a student at the appropriate level. It can be in
form of discrete items such as interview or piece of writing. The purpose of the
test is to find out what students know and what they do not know.
2. Progress test, it can be done during a term or semester. It is used to see how the
students are getting on with the lesson, and how well they assimilated what they
have been taught.
3. Achievement test or exit test, it is usually takes place at the end of a term, semester,
or year. It is used to see how well they have learnt and measured students abilities
in all four skills.
4. Public test or proficiency test which is designed to show what level a student has
reached one time.
5. Continuous assessment, the students progress is measured as it is happening
during all the period. It can be in form of portfolio or continuous recording, etc.
The importance of test for both of students and teachers force the teachers be able to
interpret the test used in our own context. We need to consider what test is needed to
measure our students achievement and ability and what is going to be measured. Is the test
practical, reliable and valid or not.
A good test should be valid, reliable and practical. The backwash effect occurs when
teachers see the form of the test their students are going to have to take and then, as a
result, start teaching for the test. Actually, tests have powerful effect on student motivation.
It could be good or bad depend on the test itself. Beside that a good test can be encouraged
the students to learn more.
We can use discrete items or indirect test items to measure the students abilities. A discrete
item is one that asks the students to do something with language. Indirect test items might
focus on, say, word collocation, etc. Indirect test items can be in form of multiple choices,
true or false questions, fill in and cloze, fill gap, or transformation items, etc.
In the other hand, direct test should cover language skill aspects. For example listening and
reading, we can use multiple choice questions related to a text or recording. In writing, we

can ask the students to write such as letters, etc. For speaking, we can interview the
students or ask them to do role play to see how they use the language.
In designing a test, we can list the things that we want to test. We can decide how much
importance to give to each item. Then we can reflect these different levels of importance
either by making specific elements take up most of the time on the test or by weighting the
marks to reflect the importance of a particular element.
There are two kinds of test, the firs is formative test which is the focus of this test is to
measure students progress to the learning process. The second is summative test which is
the purpose of this test is to measure students achievement for the whole learning process.

Reference
Harmer, Jeremy. 2007. How to Teach English. China: Pearson Education Limited.

Iman Hilmansyah
1402203
EFL Methodology
Language Assessment: Practical Classroom Applications

Assessment covers a much a much wider than test. Assessment constructs informal or
formal, formative or summative, process or product. Meanwhile, a test is an instrument or
procedure designed to elicit performance from learners with the purpose of measuring their
attainment of specified criteria.
In the teaching and learning process, Students can be tested in many forms and many ways
for many purposes. For example their intelligence can be tested (linguistic, logical
mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily kinesthetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal
intelligence).
In language assessment, there are several kind of test such as performance based testing
involves open-ended problems, hands on projects, students portfolios, experiments, labs,
essay writing, or group projects. In the other hand, Interactive language test can use OPI
(Oral Proficiency Interview) to measure the student capability. Oral proficiency test
scoring categories may include grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency,
pronunciation or task.
There are several differences between traditional and alternative assessment. Traditional
assessment: one shot, standardized exams, timed, multiple choice format, decontextualized
test items, score suffice for feedback, norm-reference scores, focus on the right answer,
summative, oriented to product, non-interactive performance, fosters extrinsic motivation.
Alternative assessment: continuous long term assessment, untimed, free response format,
contextualized communicative task, formative, interactive feedback, criterion-referenced
scores, open ended, creative answers, formative,

oriented to process, interactive

performance, fosters intrinsic motivation.

In designing effective classroom test, there are four principles that have to be understood
by the teacher or test maker.
The first principle is to offer our learners appropriate, useful strategies for taking the test.
Before the test is held, we need to give students all the information about the test,
encourage students to do a systematic review of material, give them practice test or
exercises, facilitate formation of a study group, caution students to get a good nights rest
before the test, remind students to get to the classroom early. During the test we need to
distribute the test quickly, remind the students to mentally figure out how much time they
will need for each part, advise them to concentrate as carefully as possible, alert students a
few minutes before the end of class period. After the test we need to give the students
feedback, advice the students to pay careful attention in class to whatever you say about

the test results, encourage questions from students, advise students to make a plan to pay
special attention in the future to points that they are weak on.
Second principle is face validity means that in the students perception, the test is valid.
Foster the perception with a carefully constructed well thought out format, a test that is
clearly possible within the time limitation, items that are clear and uncomplicated,
directions that are crystal clear, tasks that are familiar and relate to their course work, and a
difficulty level that is appropriate for your students.
Third, we have to recognize to the test authenticity, it means that the teachers should make
sure that the language in your test is as natural and authentic as possible. The tasks also
should be in a form that students have practiced and feel comfortable with.
Fourth is realizing the backwash effect of the test itself. It means that we have to consider
to the benefit that test offer to learning. A test can be used to diagnose the students
strength and weakness. One way to enhance backwash is to provide a generous number of
specific comments on test performance. Backwash also implies that students have ready
access to us to discuss the feedback and evaluation we have given.
There are some practical steps to take in constructing classroom test. Includes test toward
clear, unambiguous objectives; draw up test specifications from our objectives; draft your
test; revise your test; final edit and type the test; utilize our feedback after administering
the test; work for backwash.
In the language assessment, there are several alternatives assessment can be done to assess
the students.
Self and peer assessment, it can be implemented in language classrooms (oral
production, listening comprehension, writing and reading).
2. Journal, we need to specify to students what the purpose of the journal is, give clear
directions to students on how to get started, give guidelines on length of each entry
and any other format expectations, collect journals on pre announced dates and
return them promptly, be clear yourself on the principal purpose of the journal and
make sure your feedback speak to that purpose, and help students to process your
feedback and show them how to respond your responses.
3. Conferences, it has become a standard part of the process approach to teach
writing. Conferences are by nature formative, not summative.
4. Portfolios, using portfolios in a classroom we need to have guidelines similar with
journals. Cooperative test construction, the students are involved to construct their
own test items.
1.

Reference
Brown, H. Douglas. 2001. Teaching by Principles (An Interactive Approach to Language
Pedagogy). Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.