Definition of Aptitude Test

Generally,
An aptitude test is designed to assess what a person is
capable of doing; to predict what a person is able to learn or
do given the right education and instruction. It represents a
person's level of competency to perform a certain type of task.


Examples of aptitude tests include:
A test assessing an individual's aptitude to become a
fighter pilot
A career test evaluating a person's capability to work as an
air traffic controller
A test given to high school students to determine which
type of careers they might be good at
Language Aptitude Test
Defining aptitude has always been somewhat difficult
and the usual method was to define it in terms of the
tests used to measure it (Ellis 1985).
What seems to be the predominant view is that it is
not a unitary concept, but rather a set of abilities which
enhance language learning in individuals.
Carroll and Sapon define aptitude as a complex of
basic abilities that are essential to facilitate foreign
language learning (cited in Drnyei 2005: 23), which
includes discriminating sounds and associating them
with written symbols and identifying grammatical
regularities of a language (Ellis 1985).
According to H. Douglas Brown & Priyanvada
Abeywickrama (2010), an aptitude test is
designed to measure capacity or general
ability to learn a foreign language a priori
(before taking a course) and ultimate
predicted success in that undertaking.
Language aptitude tests were supposedly
designed to apply to the classroom learning of
any language.

PURPOSES OF LANGUAGE
APTITUDE TEST
helping learners identify their preferences for
learning;
thinking about learning styles, and then looking
at how these can be developed;
and developing learner autonomy by teaching
learners how to study effectively.
Aptitude test are designed to assess your
logical reasoning or thinking performance.
Consist of multiple choice questions
Administered exam conditions strictly time (might
allow 30 minutes for 30 or so questions
Examples of Aptitude Test
Modern Languages Aptitude Test
(MLAT)
Dissatisfied with the previous aptitude tests,
predominantly based on grammar-translation
methodology, Carroll and Sapon devised the MLAT test,
which puts forward the four-component view of
language aptitude (Skehan 1989).
The components measured by this paper-and-pencil
test battery are:
Phonemic Coding Ability
Grammatical Sensitivity
Inductive Language Learning Ability
Memory and Learning

Pimsleur Language Aptitude
Battery
Pimsleurs LAB test was devised for testing
children aged 13 to 19 (Skehan 1989). I
The test designed are less concern about memory
and a greater emphasis on the inductive learning
ability.
Pimsleur included motivation in the concept of
linguistic aptitude, thus broadening it and
acknowledging that learners interest in a foreign
language plays an important role in the learning
process (Drnyei 2005). .
THINGS TO CONSIDER IN
APTITUDE TEST
Don't ever stick to one question.
Ask whenever in doubt.
We should not be nervous or stressed out as this
test is conducted to check what one already
knows and if he/she has the right skills.
Scrutinize the paper for 5 minutes and make an
approximate calculation of how many questions
can be solved in the given time.
Leave the question if you don't know
the answer for sure but don't try and attempt it
for the sake of attempting it
CRITICISM OF
APTITUDE
TEST
Two other major criticisms were related to
Krashens theory and the distinction between
language acquisition and language learning.
o One is the presumable lack of practical
explanatory value, i.e. aptitude tests are only
relevant in terms of prediction.
o The other is Krashens argument that aptitude
plays an important role in formal teaching
situations only (Skehan, 1989), whereas it is
irrelevant in the process of natural acquisition.
This argument will be dealt with later in this
paper. As far as the first one is concerned, Skehan
admits that it is not without foundation.

A counter-argument may be that, despite some
drawbacks regarding explanatory values of
aptitude tests (which are predominantly caused
by the lack of research in that area, and not by the
research which would point towards the total
absence of valid explanation), they still remain
good and valid predictors of learners possible
achievement in the process of foreign language
learning.
(http://www.komunikacijaikultura.org/KK1/KK1Kocic.pdf)
In simpler words
Individual differences in language learning
make aptitude test irrelevant to be carried
out.
Learning a language involves different
abilities at different stages of development.
The MLAT and other current aptitude tests
dont measure these.

Learning a language takes place in
many different situations and classroom
contexts.The MLAT and other current aptitude
tests are insensitive to these.

REFERENCES
http://gorenet.com/aptitude-
techniques/things-to-remember-in-aptitude-
test
(http://www.komunikacijaikultura.org/KK1/KK
1Kocic.pdf)
Douglas,B. H., & Abeywickrama,P. (2010). Language
assessment: Principles and classroom practices. White
Plains, NY: Pearson Longman Education