Chapter 6 Alternatives in Language Assessment

Question 1

Critical Language Testing

Answer 1

implies the need to develop critical strategies to examine the uses and consequences of tests, to monitor their power, minimize their detrimental force, reveal the misuses, and empower the test takers

Question 2

Test Fairness

Answer 2

It relates to both the validity of a given test as an index of ability and to the whole testing process insofar as it reflects or contributes to social equity

Question 3

Differential Item functioning (DIF)

Answer 3

A feature of a test item that shows up in a statistical analysis as a group difference in the probability of answering that item correctly, most techniques are performed on groups which are matched according to the criterion ability, usually the total test score

Question 4

Interview

Answer 4

Assessing the student’s oral production, seeks to discover a student’s learning styles and preferences, asks a student to assess his or her own performance, and requests an evaluation of a course.

Question 5

Journal

Answer 5

a log of one’s thought, feelings, reactions, assessments, ideas, or progress toward goals, usually written with little attention to structure, form, or correctness

Question 6

Conference

Answer 6

a standard part of the process approach to teaching writing, in which the teacher, in a conversation about a draft, facilitates the improvement of the written work

Question 7

Portfolio

Answer 7

It is a purposeful collection of students’ work that demonstrates their efforts, progress, and achievements in given areas (essays, compositions in draft, final forms; reports, project outlines; audio and/or video recordings of presentations; tests, test scores, written homework; self- and peer-assessments)