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Abstract: This paper makes an attempt to analyze some problems of a test paper of a vocational college, and then provide some suggestions that seem to be feasible so as to design more beneficial test papers for students.
Key words: Analysis English test paper Vocational college
I. Introduction
Where there is teaching, there is testing. They are inseparable and interdependent. Hughes states that proper relationship between teaching and testing is surely that of partnership. Teaching and testing are so closely interrelated that neither of them can work well without the other. Testing not only helps the teachers to make sound decisions on teaching materials, classroom activities and teaching pace based on the students’ need but also facilitates the teachers to locate teaching problems and make remedial work in the future. Good testing can promote teaching and learning, whereas bad testing has a harmful backwash on teaching and learning.
II. Literature review
Hughes divides tests into four types: proficiency tests, achievement tests, diagnostic tests and placement tests. It is generally agreed that a good test should require six qualities: validity, reliability, backwash effect, practicality, authenticity and interactiveness. This paper mainly analyzes a test paper of mid-term exam, which is an example of achievement test.
III. Problems of the test paper
Based on my analysis of the test paper, I found several problems existing in this test:
1. The content of the test paper bears little relationship with what students have learned from their Integrative English Course. For example, the test items, such as vocabulary & grammar almost have no direct relationship with what students have learned from their course. The focus of Integrative English Book III is to make students grasp the usage of gerund, the past participle as attributive and adverbial modifier, and master some relative phrases of these verbs: draw, owe, call, account etc. while the test paper examines modal verb, tense and some idioms. As a result, it is inferred that this test paper is lack of content validity and it is most likely to lead to produce a harmful backwash effect on English teaching and learning.
2. Subjective items take up a very small proportion, whereas objective items cover too larger a proportion. See the following table:
From the table we can see that objective items (multiple-choice) account for 80% while subjective items only take up 20%. Multiple-choice items are widely adopted to test papers by many English teachers in that they have two obvious advantages: one is that it is easily scored and the other is that scoring is perfectly reliable. 3. The items——cloze and error correction are directly taken from the textbook, which will encourage rote memory. As we know that the purpose of testing is to induce students to improve their overall language ability rather than rote memory ability..
IV. Suggestions
From the test paper analysis we can infer that this test paper is devoid of validity, reliability and beneficial backwash. The writer makes some suggestions for the sake of solving the problems and constructing more useful test paper for students.
1. The college should establish a scientific testing system. In order to achieve beneficial test, at first, test type, content, items and the structure of test paper should be determined; secondly, experienced teachers should be invited to set up detailed test specifications for items writers; thirdly, items writers should design items carefully according to test specifications.
2. The proportion of subjective items should be increased while the proportion of objective items should be decreased. As shown in the above table, the test paper attaches great importance to measure students’ receptive skills rather than productive skills.
3. Test should produce beneficial backwash on English teaching and learning. As we know that the major purpose of test is to provide feedback to both teaches and students, and enable them to increase effectiveness of teaching and learning by making adjustments.
V. Conclusion
This paper mainly analyzes some problems of an Integrative English Course test paper in a vocational college, and put forward some suggestions so as to call the school teachers’ attention, then improve the quality of test paper of the school.
References:
1. Arthur Hughes Testing for Language Teachers Cambridge University Press
2 .Bachman ＆ Palmer Language Testing in Practice
Key words: Analysis English test paper Vocational college
I. Introduction
Where there is teaching, there is testing. They are inseparable and interdependent. Hughes states that proper relationship between teaching and testing is surely that of partnership. Teaching and testing are so closely interrelated that neither of them can work well without the other. Testing not only helps the teachers to make sound decisions on teaching materials, classroom activities and teaching pace based on the students’ need but also facilitates the teachers to locate teaching problems and make remedial work in the future. Good testing can promote teaching and learning, whereas bad testing has a harmful backwash on teaching and learning.
II. Literature review
Hughes divides tests into four types: proficiency tests, achievement tests, diagnostic tests and placement tests. It is generally agreed that a good test should require six qualities: validity, reliability, backwash effect, practicality, authenticity and interactiveness. This paper mainly analyzes a test paper of mid-term exam, which is an example of achievement test.
III. Problems of the test paper
Based on my analysis of the test paper, I found several problems existing in this test:
1. The content of the test paper bears little relationship with what students have learned from their Integrative English Course. For example, the test items, such as vocabulary & grammar almost have no direct relationship with what students have learned from their course. The focus of Integrative English Book III is to make students grasp the usage of gerund, the past participle as attributive and adverbial modifier, and master some relative phrases of these verbs: draw, owe, call, account etc. while the test paper examines modal verb, tense and some idioms. As a result, it is inferred that this test paper is lack of content validity and it is most likely to lead to produce a harmful backwash effect on English teaching and learning.
2. Subjective items take up a very small proportion, whereas objective items cover too larger a proportion. See the following table:
From the table we can see that objective items (multiple-choice) account for 80% while subjective items only take up 20%. Multiple-choice items are widely adopted to test papers by many English teachers in that they have two obvious advantages: one is that it is easily scored and the other is that scoring is perfectly reliable. 3. The items——cloze and error correction are directly taken from the textbook, which will encourage rote memory. As we know that the purpose of testing is to induce students to improve their overall language ability rather than rote memory ability..
IV. Suggestions
From the test paper analysis we can infer that this test paper is devoid of validity, reliability and beneficial backwash. The writer makes some suggestions for the sake of solving the problems and constructing more useful test paper for students.
1. The college should establish a scientific testing system. In order to achieve beneficial test, at first, test type, content, items and the structure of test paper should be determined; secondly, experienced teachers should be invited to set up detailed test specifications for items writers; thirdly, items writers should design items carefully according to test specifications.
2. The proportion of subjective items should be increased while the proportion of objective items should be decreased. As shown in the above table, the test paper attaches great importance to measure students’ receptive skills rather than productive skills.
3. Test should produce beneficial backwash on English teaching and learning. As we know that the major purpose of test is to provide feedback to both teaches and students, and enable them to increase effectiveness of teaching and learning by making adjustments.
V. Conclusion
This paper mainly analyzes some problems of an Integrative English Course test paper in a vocational college, and put forward some suggestions so as to call the school teachers’ attention, then improve the quality of test paper of the school.
References:
1. Arthur Hughes Testing for Language Teachers Cambridge University Press
2 .Bachman ＆ Palmer Language Testing in Practice