An Introduction to Applied Linguistics
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Norbert Schmitt (ed.) - An Introduction to Applied Linguistics (2010, Routledge) - libgen.li
Resource Book. London and New York: Routledge. This volume provides a
comprehensive and interestingly-presented treatment of the issues involved in designing and validating language tests. It includes a thorough examination of different models of language ability, along with detailed guidance on test construction and delivery. Practical issues of test administration and staff training, often glossed over or ignored in testing texts, are discussed in some detail, and issues of fairness, ethics and standards are also addressed. The volume includes a range of tasks aimed at encouraging readers to engage with the material as well as a selection of key readings that illustrate the concepts discussed. Hughes, A. (2003) Testing for Language Teachers (second edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. This widely-used text is a clearly-written practical guide to the principles and practice of language testing. It covers a range of essential topics, including test purpose, relationships between teaching and testing, stages of test development, and techniques for testing different language skills. McNamara, T. (1996) Measuring Second Language Performance. London: Longman. This book is an in-depth examination of the issues and problems involved in assessing language performance. The first half of the book looks at approaches and theories in 266 An Introduction to Applied Linguistics performance assessment and identifies the dimensions of an adequate model of language performance. The second half of the book is concerned with ways in which Rasch measurement technology can be used to model variability in language performance and rater behaviour. McNamara, T. and Roever, C. (2006) Language Testing: The Social Dimension. Malden, MA and Oxford: Blackwell. In this book, the authors explore the social dimensions of language testing from a validity theory perspective. They critique the lack of a social perspective in psychometric approaches to testing and outline various ways in which social dimensions of language use can be incorporated into test construction. The uses and abuses of language tests as policy instruments are also critically examined. The book provides a thorough and theoretically-grounded overview of the issues and problems associated with a socially situated view of language assessment. Hands-on Activity Question 1 In a short ESL vocabulary test, the test developers wanted to be sure to include vocabulary items at a wide variety of difficulty levels, and so they included items such as the following: ‘The main focus of the course’, ‘People’s stereotypes of other social groups’ and ‘My name is Sandy’. The examinee had to select the correct word (the underlined one) from four choices. Since the items were intended to reveal different ability levels, the test developers looked at the item difficulty of each of the items. They found a range of difficulties for the three items (100, 74 and 42). Complete Table 15.4 with your analysis of where each item fits, the level of predicted item difficulties (low, medium, high) and actual item difficulties. Item, predicted and actual results Beginning Intermediate Advanced Item Predicted Actual item difficulty Table 15.4 Summary of predictions and results for ESL vocabulary items Question 2 Test developers were attempting to develop two forms of a language test that they could claim measured the same thing. They started by developing three forms of the test, each of which had the same types of items. They gave the three tests to a group of students and they found that the correlation between Form 1 and Form 2 was 0.74. The correlation between Form 1 and Form 3 was 0.75, and the correlation between Form 2 and Form 3 was 0.85. Which two forms should the test developers choose? Question 3 Test developers were attempting to write a test of ESL Business English, and therefore as one part of the validity study they needed to find evidence that the 267 Assessment test was measuring this construct. They did this, in part, by examining the scores obtained on the tests by four different groups of examinees. The four groups were chosen because of their predicted differences in ability in Business English. Can you predict which group the researchers hoped would perform the best on the test, the second best, etc? Place each of the four groups in the appropriate place in Table 15.5: • Native speakers of English, business majors (NSBM). • Non-native speakers of English, business majors (NNSBM). • Native speakers, non-business majors (NSNBM). • Non-native speakers, non-business majors (NNSNBM). Predicted test performance Lowest scores Third-highest scores Second-highest scores Highest scores Group Table 15.5 Developing a test of ESL Business English Question 4 In order to improve their testing of language ability, many testing programmes are attempting to develop tests that are delivered and scored by computer, and as a part of the development process, validation studies are conducted. One type of validation study looks at the correlation of performance on the computer- delivered test with performance on a similar paper and pencil test. If the purpose of the computer-delivered test is to assess language ability better than has been possible with paper and pencil tests, what kind of relationship should be expected as the ideal outcome from such a study and why? (A strong correlation would be approaching 1 (for example, Pearson’s r = 0.92), and a low correlation would approach 0 (for example, Pearson’s r = 0.23).) Question 5 In a large test revision project, testing researchers were hoping to develop a better test of academic language ability. To do so they tested several different tests, including tests of listening, vocabulary, grammar and reading. They found that they only had enough time to include either the reading or the grammar test in the final version, and they found that the correlations of the grammar test with the other language tests were somewhat stronger than those between the reading test and other tests, but in the end they chose to include the reading test rather than the grammar test. Why do you think they would do this? Question 6 As a teacher in a language programme, you have developed an achievement test for your course that helps you to focus your teaching on particular reading strategies throughout the semester, and that seems to assess your students in a manner that is fair and useful as input to the grading process. In looking for a means of reporting outcomes to an external agency, your programme administrator takes a look at your test and then starts questioning its validity for the purpose that she is concerned about. She wants you to do a correlational study of your final exam with another reading test to see if it is valid. What should you tell her? Suggested Solutions Chapter 2, Grammar 1 Form. In English, a specific number or number-like phrase in English used as an adjective is always singular before the noun it modifies. 2 Meaning. This sentence is accurate and meaningful, but it is not likely the meaning that the student intends. The -ing participle refers to the cause, not the experiencer of the emotion. 3 Use. It is not as acceptable to use a stative verb (for example, want) with the passive voice as it is to use a verb denoting physical action (for example, score). 4 Meaning. The logical connector ‘on the contrary’ usually denies a proposition. A connector like ‘in contrast’, to compare two things, would be better. 5 Use. The historical present modal form, that is, will, is likely to be used in a response to a request, for example, ‘Of course, I will’. 6 Meaning. Few has a negative connotation. Although signals a contrast. One would therefore expect either a quantifier with a positive connotation to be used, such as a few or a causal connector, such as because. Thus we would expect either: ‘Although he had a few close friends, he was very lonely’ or ‘Because he had Download 1.71 Mb. Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: |
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