functions of language tests

Question 1

What does the word “prognostic” mean?

Answer 1

Predictive.

Question 2

What are prognostic tests used for?

Answer 2

To predict the future course of action about the examinees.

Question 3

How are scores on prognostic tests used?

Answer 3

To make decisions about the most appropriate channel of educational or occupational career for the testees.

Question 4

What decisions can be made using prognostic measures?

Answer 4

Decisions about appropriate major fields of study, learning suitable foreign languages, and future occupation of the students.

Question 5

Are prognostic tests related to the educational backgrounds of the examinees?

Answer 5

No, they are not related to their educational backgrounds.

Question 6

What is the focus of prognostic tests?

Answer 6

To make sound decisions about the future success of the examinees based on their present capabilities.

Question 7

How are scores on prognostic tests used in decision-making?

Answer 7

They are used to make decisions about the most appropriate educational or occupational career for the testees.

Question 8

What kind of decisions can be made using prognostic measures?

Answer 8

Decisions about major fields of study, learning foreign languages, and future occupation of the students.

Question 9

Are prognostic tests focused on the examinees’ educational backgrounds?

Answer 9

No, they are focused on the future success of the examinees based on their present capabilities.

Question 10

make 10 flashcard question and answer for the passage below:

Answer 10

To provide information upon which the examinees’ acceptance or non-acceptance into a particular program can be determined.

Question 11

Do selection tests only apply to educational programs?

Answer 11

No, they apply to all sorts of institutions dealing with accepting or not accepting a group of applicants.

Question 12

Can you provide an example of a non-educational program that uses selection tests?

Answer 12

Yes, to obtain a driver’s license, applicants take a selection test and they either pass or fail.

Question 13

How are applicants’ capabilities for employment evaluated using selection tests?

Answer 13

Applicants usually take a selection test to demonstrate their capabilities for employment.

Question 14

How are non-credit courses evaluated in educational environments using selection tests?

Answer 14

Non-credit courses are evaluated on a pass or fail basis through selection tests.

Question 15

What is the criterion for pass or fail in selection tests?

Answer 15

The criterion for pass or fail is determined by the authorities.

Question 16

What happens when the number of applicants passing a test exceeds the capacity of the educational programs?

Answer 16

The selection test becomes a competition test.

Question 17

How are applicants ranked in a competition test?

Answer 17

The scores of applicants are ranked from the highest to the lowest.

Question 18

What happens to the selection process when the number of applicants exceeds the capacity of the educational programs?

Answer 18

The selection process becomes a competition where applicants compete rather than meet a criterion.

Question 19

What are the two options to avoid limitations when the number of applicants exceeds the capacity of the educational programs?

Answer 19

Increase the facilities to admit more applicants or modify the passing criteria.

Question 20

What is an inconvenient consequence of competition procedures?

Answer 20

The fluctuations of the criterion for pass and fail.

Question 21

What can be done to obviate the problem of fluctuations in the criterion for pass and fail?

Answer 21

Modify the standards, i.e., raise or lower the criterion, or increase the capacity of educational institutions to accommodate all who pass the test.

Question 22

What is an important factor in using selection tests when a passing score is determined?

Answer 22

There should not be any limitation for those who obtain that score.

Question 23

What is the purpose of placement tests?

Answer 23

Placement tests are used to determine the most appropriate channel of education for examinees.

Question 24

How does the purpose of placement tests differ from selection tests?

Answer 24

In contrast to selection tests, there is no pass or fail in placement tests.

Question 25

What is the primary purpose of placement tests?

Answer 25

The purpose of placement tests is merely to measure the capabilities of an applicant in pursuing a certain path of language learning.

Question 26

How are students classified based on their scores in a placement test?

Answer 26

Students could be classified into different groups based on their scores, such as those between 60 and 79, between 40 and 59, and below 40.

Question 27

What is the objective of placement procedures in teaching materials to different ability levels?

Answer 27

The objectives of instruction at different levels should center around alleviating the existing differences among the groups and helping the students reach the criterion level.

Question 28

What are the two methods that can be applied to achieve the objective of placement procedures?

Answer 28

The length of instruction and the intensity of instruction are the two methods that can be applied.

Question 29

How does the length of instruction vary for different levels in the first method?

Answer 29

Those at the elementary level should receive instruction for a longer time than those at the intermediate or advanced levels.

Question 30

What is the preferred type of instruction due to certain time limitations?

Answer 30

Intensive instruction is more favorable than lengthy instruction due to certain time limitations.

Question 31

What is the consequence if the difference between the knowledge of students is not diminished as much as possible?

Answer 31

The placement test, which is used to prepare students for further studies, will not serve its purpose.

Question 32

What are aptitude tests used for?

Answer 32

Aptitude tests are used to predict applicants’ success in achieving certain objectives in the future.

Question 33

Do examinees need prior knowledge of the subject being tested for aptitude tests?

Answer 33

No, examinees do not need prior knowledge of the subject being tested for aptitude tests.

Question 34

How are aptitude tests used in language education?

Answer 34

In language education, aptitude tests help determine which language the examinee is likely to learn more easily and successfully than other languages.

Question 35

What decisions can aptitude tests contribute to making for applicants?

Answer 35

Aptitude tests can contribute to making decisions on the future career of the applicants.

Question 36

What are the wide applications of aptitude tests?

Answer 36

Aptitude tests have wide applications, ranging from determining students’ major fields of study to predicting appropriate occupations for applicants.

Question 37

Give an example of how aptitude test scores can be used to predict future responsibilities

Answer 37

Through aptitude test scores, it would be possible to predict the extent to which a person can fulfill certain responsibilities in the future, such as being a pilot, engineer, or teacher.

Question 38

Why is developing aptitude tests considered a delicate and time-consuming task?

Answer 38

Developing aptitude tests is considered delicate and time-consuming because the degree of their predictive power should be experimentally determined before making any suggestions based on test scores.

Question 39

What is the focus of measures of attainment?

Answer 39

Measures of attainment focus on the extent to which examinees have learned the materials they have been taught.

Question 40

What are the three types of tests included in measures of attainment?

Answer 40

Achievement tests, proficiency tests, and knowledge tests are included in measures of attainment.

Question 41

How are measures of attainment different from prognostic tests?

Answer 41

Measures of attainment are more directly related to educational settings than those of prognostic functions.

Question 42

What are achievement tests designed to measure?

Answer 42

Achievement tests are designed to measure the degree of students’ learning from a particular set of instructional materials.

Question 43

What are some examples of achievement tests commonly used in educational environments?

Answer 43

Examples include final, midterm, and classroom examinations.

Question 44

Who often creates achievement tests, and what are some examples of standardized achievement tests?

Answer 44

Achievement tests are often created by classroom teachers, and examples of standardized achievement tests are developed by professional organizations.

Question 45

What is the purpose of general achievement tests?

Answer 45

General achievement tests measure a body of knowledge that the examinee is supposed to achieve through a course or courses of study.

Question 46

What are diagnostic achievement tests used to determine?

Answer 46

Diagnostic achievement tests are used to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the examinees in a particular course of study.

Question 47

How are diagnostic achievement tests used by teachers and educators?

Answer 47

They are used to evaluate the extent to which instructional programs have helped students achieve the objectives of the program.

Question 48

What practical advantage do achievement tests have over other tests?

Answer 48

Achievement tests can be used before an instructional program starts to collect information and determine potential problems of the students.

Question 49

How do teachers use information from diagnostic achievement tests to plan instructional activities?

Answer 49

Teachers use the information to plan instructional activities that alleviate the students’ problems and modify instructional programs to meet the students’ needs.

Question 50

What elements do general achievement tests of English include?

Answer 50

They include subtests of structure, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and others related to the materials covered in the course.

Question 51

What is the dual purpose of achievement tests?

Answer 51

Achievement tests can be used for both instructional and evaluation purposes.

Question 52

What is the focus of proficiency tests?

Answer 52

Proficiency tests measure the overall language ability of the learners.

Question 53

What are the three aspects measured by proficiency tests?

Answer 53

Proficiency tests measure the degree of knowledge, capability in language components, and practical demonstration of language use.

Question 54

How do language proficiency tests differ from achievement tests?

Answer 54

Language proficiency tests focus on the examinees’ ability to utilize language at the time of examination, while achievement tests measure students’ achievement of the materials covered within an academic course.

Question 55

What is an example of a widely used language proficiency test for admission purposes?

Answer 55

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is used worldwide by most universities to determine applicants’ ability to pursue higher education in English-speaking countries.

Question 56

Why is the construction of language proficiency tests considered more difficult compared to other types of tests?

Answer 56

The complexity of the term “proficiency” and the various parameters involved make the construction of language proficiency tests more challenging.

Question 57

What is the main focus of language proficiency measures?

Answer 57

Language proficiency measures are designed to determine the extent to which examinees can function in a real language-use situation.

Question 58

According to most scholars, what should language proficiency tests be designed to measure?

Answer 58

Language proficiency tests should be designed to measure examinees’ ability in a particular area of competency in order to determine the extent to which they can function in a real language-use situation.

Question 59

What are knowledge tests designed to measure?

Answer 59

Knowledge tests are designed to measure examinees’ knowledge of a scientific subject through a second language.

Question 60

What is an example of a situation where knowledge tests are used?

Answer 60

A physics test or a psychology test written in English would be considered a knowledge test.

Question 61

Why are knowledge tests not of primary importance to language testers?

Answer 61

Knowledge tests are not designed to measure language abilities, so they are not of primary importance to language testers.

Question 62

In which educational system are knowledge tests used only in foreign language departments?

Answer 62

In the educational system of Iran, knowledge tests are used only in foreign language departments to measure students’ knowledge in subject matter areas.