Vocabulary

Journal
Introduction
 This activity is a summation of key terms
found in language assessment and its
corresponding definitions. This will help the
students fully understand these terms and
their respective roles in language assessment.
As a future educator, this will serve as guide
for creating an effective assessment.

TERMINOLOGIES MEANINGS
 These are directly related to language
Achievement tests courses, their purpose being to establish
how successful individual students, group
of students, or the courses themselves
have been in achieving objectives.

It is also referred to as performance tests

or authentic assessments, are used to
Alternative Assessment determine what students can and cannot
do, in contrast to what they do or do not
know. In other words, an alternative
assessment measures applied proficiency
more than it measures knowledge

The systematic process of documenting

Assessment and using empirical data on the
knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs.

Authenticity The language in the test is as natural as

possible. Items are contextualized rather
than isolated.

This is commonly used when teaching

Conferences writing. It as a one-on-one interaction
between a teacher and a student.

It refers to the positive or negative social

consequences of a particular test. This
Consequential Validity may include many positive attributes,
including: improved student learning and
motivation and ensuring that all students
have access to equal classroom content.
 Construct Validity The extent to which an assessment
corresponds to other variables, as
predicted by some rationale or theory.

The extent to which the content of the test

Content Validity
matches the instructional objectives.

The extent to which the objectives of the

Criterion – Related Validity
test have been measured or assessed.

These are used to compare an examinee’s

performance to a pre-defined set of
Criterion – Referenced tests
criteria or a standard. The goal with these
tests is to determine whether or not the
candidate has the demonstrated mastery
of a certain skill or set of skills.

These are used to identify learners’

Diagnostic tests
strengths and weaknesses.

This refers to the degree to which a test

Face Validity looks right, and appears to measure the
knowledge or ability it claims to measure.

are tests that has data to support the

conclusions made from the test. We
Formal Assessments
usually refer to these types of tests as
standardized measures.

are not data driven but rather content and

Informal Assessment
performance driven.

is a tool students can use to communicate

Journal with the teacher and self-evaluate their
learning progress.
 refers to the unexpected, harmful
Negative Washback consequences of a test. An instruction may
focus too heavily on test preparation at the
expense of other activities.

These are used to compare an examinee’s

Norm – Referenced tests performance to that of other examinees.
The goal is to rank the set of examinees
so that decisions about their opportunity
for success can be made.

These are intended to provide information

Placement tests that will help to place students at the stage
of the teaching program most appropriate
to their abilities.

This is a purposeful collection of student

work that exhibits the student’s efforts,
progress, and achievements in one or
more areas. The collection must include
Portfolio
student participation in selecting contents,
the criteria for selection, the criteria for
judging merit, and evidence of student
reflection

refers to expected test effects. A test may

encourage students to study more or may
Positive Washback
promote a connection between standards
and instruction.
 These are designed to measure people’s
ability in language, regardless of any
Proficiency tests
training they may have had in that
language.

It is a measure of reliability used to

Rater Reliability assess the degree to which different
judges or raters agree in their
assessment decisions

Reliability This refers to the consistency of testing

process in relation to test administration
and scoring.

This is caused by temporary illness,

Student Related Reliability fatigue, a bad day, anxiety, and other
physical and psychological factors which
may make an “observed” score deviate
from a “true score.

This deals with the conditions in which the

Test Administration Reliability
test is administered.

Test Reliability This refers to the degree to which a test is

consistent and stable in measuring what it
is intended to measure.

It measures the level of skill or knowledge

Testing that has been reached. A test is a
“product” that measures a particular
behavior or set of objectives.
 refers to standardized testing that uses
questions with a limited number of answer
Traditional Assessment
choices. It includes multiple choice, true or
false and some short answer responses.

This refers to the accuracy and

Validity
appropriateness of the test score and use.

refers to both positive and negative

Washback influences of testing on teaching and
learning.
Reflection
 Assessment is a key part of a classroom. In
the making of my vocabulary journal, I was
able to reflect more on the importance of
assessment. In the process of compiling these
terms and their corresponding meanings, I was
able to have a better understanding of the
terms used in language assessment. These
terms each have their own use and value. As a
future educator, It is very important for me to
familiarize myself with the terms use in
Language Assessment.