enlta european network for language testing and assessment
TRANSCRIPT
ENLTA
European Network for Language Testing
and Assessment
EALTA
European Association for
Language Testing and Assessment
ENLTA
• Funded by European Commission to create EALTA - a network of individual language testers
• Two years, December 2003 – December 2005
• 14 partner institutions
• 8 activities in the Work Plan
Activities
1. The organisation of EALTA
2. Analysis of training needs
3. 1st Annual Conference
4. Survey of assessment policy and practice
5. Develop and pilot a training model
6. Develop a code of good practice
7. 2nd Annual Conference
8. Identify a basic training resource
Presenters
• Activity 4: Survey of assessment policy and practice in Europe
• Gudrun Erickson
• Sauli Takala
• Dianne Wall
Presenters
• Activity 5: Develop and pilot a training model
• Ülle Türk
• Melanie Ellis
Presenters
• Activity 8: Identify a basic training resource
• Melanie Ellis
E N L T A – Activity 4 Survey of Policy and Practice
• Gudrun Erickson, Jan-Eric Gustafsson & Cecilia Nihlén, Sweden
• Sauli Takala, Finland
• Barbara Czarnecka-Cicha, Poland
• Tania Horak & Dianne Wall, UK
AIMS
• Links to, and short comments on previous studies of assessment cultures and practices (EALTA website)
• Links to, and short comments on official language testing sites in different European countries (EALTA website)
• Reports on [some] European students’ and teachers’ thoughts about language assessment practices (EALTA website)
Review of literature
The purpose is to provide a list of readings which deal with pupils’ views of assessment, tests and examinations.
We are mainly interested in empirical studies but also reviews, essays and position statements are of interest.
We have consulted Finnish (Linda) and Swedish (Libris) data bases as well as ERIC, Language and Linguistics Behavior Abstracts, and a couple of other sources.
•Kärkkäinen, K. & Takala, S. (1978) A feasibility study of incorporating a structures test in the matriculation examination. Reports from the Institute for Educational Research, University of Jyväskylä, 290/1978.
• IEA: Language Education Study (Ari Huhta et al.)
•Westhpal, P.B., Wacha, H. & Rhodes, P. (2002) Assessing oral performance in the secondary classroom. French Review, v. 75, n 3, 560-569.
• Kenyon, D. M. & Malabonga, V. (2001) Comparing examinee attitudes toward computer-assisted and other oral proficiency assessments. Language Learning and Technology, v 5, n2, 60-93.
• Barnes, A., Hunt, M. & Powell, B. (1999) Dictionary use in the teaching and examining of MFLs at GCSE. Language Learning Journal, 19, 19-27.
• Powell, B., Barnes, A. & Graham, S. (1996) Teachers´ views of target language testing. Language Learning Journal, 14, 3-9.
• Alderson, J.C. & Clapham, C. (1995) Assessing student performance in the ESL classroom. TESOL Quarterly, 29, 1, 184-187.
• Sjöberg, A. (2002) Functionality of language skills in occupational English: the point of view of language users, language training and language testing. PhD thesis, University of Oulu.
In order to be able to cover all the relevant literature we ask for your assistance.
Please send information about electronic data bases that we might search.
References following the model provided above are most welcome. To make the material more easily accessible, please provide a translation into English of the title (when needed). Also, whenever possible, provide a brief abstract or summary in English. If the whole publication is available, it can be sent to the following address.
Address: Luokotie 2
40950 Muurame
Finland
We will provide a register of the references to the EALTA membership and search for ways to analyse them an publish the results.
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
We have drawn up a list of sites we have found. We would be very grateful if EALTA members sent us details of any other sites they feel would be of interest and relevance. If your own organisation is missing from the list on the next pages, please send information to
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
International:
ETS Europe
International Baccalaureate Organisation
Belgium
Centre for Language and Migration
University of Antwerp Language Test Centre
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
Czech Republic
CERMAT (School-leaving examinations)
STANAG Examination Centre
Language School State Exams
Finland
Finnish Matriculation Examination Board
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
FranceFranc-Parler
GermanyDAADTestDaFThuringian Ministry of EducationUnicert
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
Greece
Greek State Certificate
Hellenic American Union
Hyphen
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
HungaryHungarian Accreditation Board for Foreign
Language ExaminationsHungarian Association of Language Examiners
and Measurement SpecialistsHungarian Exams Reform Teacher Support
ProjectInstitute of International Education, European
Office+ about 20 links to exams approved by OKI
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
ItalyTrinity College ItalyUniversity for Foreigners of SienaUniversity of Rome “Roma Tre”
LatviaCentre for Curriculum Development and
Examinations
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
Lithuania
National Examinations Centre
Public Service Language Centre
Luxembourg
Centre de Langues Luxembourg
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
The NetherlandsBureau ICECITO
NorwayAKSIS/ University of BergenDirectorate for Primary and Secondary
Schools
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
PolandCentral Examinations Commission
RussiaFederal Institute for Educational
MeasurementFederal Testing CentreUnified State Examinations
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
SloveniaCentre for Slovene as a Second/Foreign
LanguageNational Examinations Centre
SpainEscuela Oficial de Idiomas de AvilésInstituto Cervantes
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
Sweden
Göteborg University, Dept of Education
Turkey
OSYM – Student Selection and Development Centre
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
United KingdomCambridge ESOLCity and Guilds Pitman QualificationsDfES – Information on ESOL qualificationsDave’s ESL Café Assessment ForumFederation of Awarding BodiesInstitute of LinguistsLearning and Skills Council
Links to official language testing resources in Europe
United Kingdom (cont.)
QCA – Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
Scottish Qualifications Authority
Test of English for Educational Purposes
Trinity College London
Survey: Student Questionnaire
Piloted in 3 countries (Nov. 2004)
Administered in Dec. 2004 – March 2005 Referring to 1st Foreign Language
If possible, answers in English
Open-ended questions
What is good language assessment? What is bad language assessment? Why? Other comments?
Likert scales
Attitudes to and feelings about testing, assessment and achievement
Areas emphasized in testing and assessment
Distinction made between exams/formal tests andassessment during lessons
Students
1, 373 students in ten European countries
Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Spain (Catalunya) , Sweden,
the UK
End of compulsory school
Survey: Teacher Questionnaire
Comments on
the whys, whats and hows of language testing and assessment
+
Likert scales
62 responses
Some preliminary results
• Agreement between students and teachers about what is most frequently tested / assessed:– grammar– words & phrases– reading comprehension– written production
• Agreement that assessment of oral proficiency is much less frequent, especially in formal testing situations.
Students’ perceptions
Examples of positive features in tests
• Variety
• Communication
• “Usefulness”
• Pedagogical potential
• Clarity
• Fairness
• Enough time
Students’ perceptions
Examples of negative features
• Too much focus on single aspects of language, in particular grammar
• Too little focus on communication, especially speaking
• Too little focus on active language use
• Stress
Examples of students’ comments
“A good language test is a test whiff a lot of diferent parts. Not just gramma, it is to much. The best test is an essaytest, becouse there you test a lot of different things at the same time.”
“A good test is the one which enables you to learn and you can see (find out) what you know (can). A bad test makes you nothing to learn. You do not learn anything by doing it.”
Examples of students’ comments“In my opinion, good language assessment is assessing students for all the time - during classes, not only during tests. For me, writing texts, grammar or vocabulary is the same importaint as speaking, reading or listening. A good language test is checking all language abilities. There are many people who are very good at grammer, but they have some problems with speaking; there are also people who are good at speaking but they are not good at grammer, so they can’t improve their english at such ”bad” tests. I think the best way to teach and to learn english is to encourage and to be encouraged, to interest and to be interested in language. Some tasks, projects and films(movies) make students encouraged to learn the language. ”
Examples of students’ comments
“I like language tests and assessments because they show how much I know about the language. – I think speaking tests are better than writing because if you listen to somebody speak you hear his/her pronounciation as well and also how he/she expresses himself/herself and of course how he/she knows grammar.”
“BAD:-fast, I mean not enough time, so generating stress-veeery narrow domain-only ONE answer is correct.”
Examples of students’ comments
“This ENLTA/student questionaire doesen’t like me either because probably it’s never read by someone other than me so basicly it wastes our lesson time and don’t do any good for me or my classmates”
“Thank you for taking time to lisen one my toughts.”
“This was nice questionnaire!”
“Good luck with the reasearch!”
ENLTA Activity 5
Survey of training needs:
Develop and pilot a model for training events and modes of delivery
The team
• Györgyi Együd (Hungary)*¤#• Melanie Ellis (Poland)*#• Neus Figueras (Spain)+• Sara Gysen (Belgium)• Angela Hasselgreen (Norway)*• Günter Nold (Germany)*• Ülle Türk (Estonia)*#• Norman Verhelst (the Netherlands) (Classical Test
Theory)#• * prepared materials• + reviewed materials• ¤ organised the training event• # delivered training
Tasks• Plan training events and modes of delivery• Design pilot training events and time schedule of
delivery• Deliver pilot training event• Report to 2nd conference
• Two face-to-face meetings:– Kranjska Gora (May 2004): initial planning– Frankfurt (September 2004): detailed planning
Initial decisions• Two separate events:
– Introduction to classical test theory – Norman Verhelst– Introduction to testing and assessment – the rest of the
team
• A three-day event to take place in Szeged, Hungary in March 2005
• The target group: foreign language teachers who have had no previous training in testing and assessment
• Classroom assessment, self-assessment and ELP included
Day One
• 09.30–11.30 Introduction to testing and other forms of assessment
• 12.00–13.30 Introduction to assessing receptive skills
• 14.30–16.00 Assessing receptive skills: Test formats, task types, principles of scoring, issues related to scoring
• 16.30–18.00 Classroom assessment including ELP – focus on listening
Day Two
• 09.00–10.30 Introduction to testing productive skills
• 11.00–12.30 Testing writing: focus on tasks
• 13.30–15.00 Testing writing: focus on assessment
• 15.30–17.00 Classroom assessment of writing
Day Three
• 09.00–10.30 Testing speaking: what and how to test
• 11.00–12.45 Testing speaking: assessment
• 13.30–15.00 Classroom assessment of speaking
Timeline
• First draft 30 November
• Feedback 10 January
• Second draft 25 January
• Feedback from Neus 10 February
• Final version 01 March
• Training event in Szeged 10–12 March
Lessons learnt• 22 hours too little:
– More time for reading and listening needed– No time for classroom assessment– ELP – a separate issue
• Possible solutions: – Exclude classroom assessment– Increase the number of hours
• A five-day event more realistic– Delivered as one event– Two modules:
(1)General principles and testing receptive skills(2)Testing productive skills
• Local needs– Core materials supplemented by local materials
Activity 8: Resources
• Melanie Ellis– Foreign Language Teacher Training College,
Zabrze, Poland
• Laurence Kane– University of Dortmund, Institute for English
and American Studies
• Milena Ivanova Grigorova– New Bulgarian University
Aims of the evaluation
• To evaluate the pilot materials in use
• To evaluate the training event
• To gather ideas for resources teachers need to support their learning about testing and assessment
How did we carry out the evaluation?
• Observation and Feedback sheets– timing, order of activities, choice of interaction– content evaluation: comments, suggestions,
questions– overall impressions: two perspectives- the
observer and the trainer
• Feedback sheets on each session for participants
• End of course feedback sheet
Qualitative evaluation
• Focus group discussions at end of each day
• Introductory session task and final reflection taskBy the end of the course I’d like to
know more about...
have learnt...
be able to...
End of course feedback
• I enjoyed the course5 (13) 4 ( 5)
• I found the course useful5 (10) 4 (8)
• I learned new things5 (6) 4 (7) 3 (5)
• The classes were well-organised5 (11) 4 (6) 3 (1)
ENLTA Activity 8
As part of Activity 8 we are preparing a bibliography for teachers who want to develop their knowledge of and skills in testing. The result will be available on the EALTA wesite. Please help us by listing any book, CD, tape, video, computer program or website you have used and would recommend.
Send your response [email protected]. and put 'Bibliography' in the Subject line
Thanks