Welcome toWelcome toThe Placement TestThe Placement Testfor Use in SEARsfor Use in SEARs

byby

Parinun MastanawattanakulParinun Mastanawattanakul

MA participant, KMUTTMA participant, KMUTTEnglish teacher, Pichai Rattanakan School, English teacher, Pichai Rattanakan School,

RanongRanong

AdvisorsAdvisors

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Richard Watson Assoc. Prof. Dr. Richard Watson ToddTodd

&&Dr. Punnee BuatoDr. Punnee Buato

Why the Placement Test?Why the Placement Test?

To serve the needs of SEARsTo serve the needs of SEARs To provide an ‘efficient’ To provide an ‘efficient’

placement test for use in SEARsplacement test for use in SEARs To help identify the SEAR users’ To help identify the SEAR users’

language levellanguage level To guide the SEAR users To guide the SEAR users

concerning where to start using concerning where to start using materials that are appropriate to materials that are appropriate to their language leveltheir language level

Before Designing the TestBefore Designing the Test

Analyse all KMUTT self-access Analyse all KMUTT self-access materials (package 5)materials (package 5)

Analyse each skill by focusing Analyse each skill by focusing on levels, strategies, on levels, strategies, vocabularies, grammarvocabularies, grammar

Explore supportive Explore supportive sources/materials for the testsources/materials for the test

Design the tables of Design the tables of specification of each skill specification of each skill

Test DesignTest Design Based on KMUTT self-access Based on KMUTT self-access

materials (package 5)materials (package 5) Cover 5 skills; listening, Cover 5 skills; listening,

vocabulary, grammar, reading vocabulary, grammar, reading and writingand writing

Each skill consists of 3 different Each skill consists of 3 different language levels (1 level:4 items) language levels (1 level:4 items)

Identify what language level the Identify what language level the test takers aretest takers are

Provide a suggestion where to Provide a suggestion where to start using the self-access start using the self-access materialsmaterials

Why is the placement test Why is the placement test based on package 5 only?based on package 5 only?

Package 5Package 5 isis design designeded specific specifically ally to to meet the language needs of meet the language needs of

Thai students.Thai students.

to address the subject content to address the subject content of the Basic Education of the Basic Education Curriculum B.E.2544 (A.D.2001).Curriculum B.E.2544 (A.D.2001).

a ready-to-use set of paper-a ready-to-use set of paper-based self-access materials that based self-access materials that are available for immediate use.are available for immediate use.

to to cover a range of language cover a range of language

levels; elementary, pre-levels; elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate. intermediate, intermediate.

to provide self-access learning to provide self-access learning which encourage independent which encourage independent learning (autonomous learners).learning (autonomous learners).

Why a computer-based Why a computer-based placement test?placement test?

To integrate educational technology To integrate educational technology To overwhelm some limitations of To overwhelm some limitations of

pencil- and-paper placement test pencil- and-paper placement test To provide more interaction and To provide more interaction and

variety variety To provide immediate use and result To provide immediate use and result

of the testof the test To be available over the internetTo be available over the internet

The End of the Placement The End of the Placement TestTest

ProvideProvide the result of the test the result of the test

the total marks for each skillthe total marks for each skill

the total marks for the testthe total marks for the test

suggestions of where to start using suggestions of where to start using self-access materials in SEAR that are self-access materials in SEAR that are appropriate to students’ language levelappropriate to students’ language level

The Placement Test

Part I Part IV Part V

listening

Part II Part III

vocabulary grammar reading writing

Test Types

•Multiple Choice

•Matching•Gap Filling

Part IListening

Q. 1-3

Q.10

Q.11

listening for understanding instructions

Q.4-6

Q. 7-9

Listening for main idea

listening for specific information

listening for differentiating sounds

guessing meaning from words or context

Q.12

listening for real-life applications

Part II

Vocabulary

package 5 & frequent use

***** **** *** ** *

2 items 2 items 3 items 2 items 3 items

Part III

GrammarLevels & lang. points

Elementary (4 items) Pre-intermediate (4 items)

tense tense

Intermediate (4 items)

NC/NU

relative pronoun

adjective

preposition

passive voice

conjunction

if conditional

wishgerund

Part IV

ReadingLevels & strategies

Elementary (4 items) Pre-intermediate (4 items)

surveying or previewing the text

inference

Intermediate (4 items)

inference

predicting

referring

main idea

scanning forspecific

information

main idea

using dictionaries

Part V

WritingLevels & strategies

Elementary (4 items) Pre-intermediate (4 items)

descrining descrining peoplepeople

describing people

Intermediate (4 items)

describing people

describing describing processprocess

giving giving opinionsopinions

describing process

reporting writing

narrating past experience

giving opinions

Pilot Test

Pilot Test Feedback

Overview• There are some errors to correct e.g.

repeated options, misspelling.• Listening part is their favourite one.• They like it better than the paper-

based test.• They accept the result of the test.

Feedback from Pilot Test M.4• There is no problem with the instructions• The test can maintain their interest. They

like e.g. colour, decoration, movement.• They need to listen to the text in the

listening part more than twice• The grammar part is the most difficult one.

Feedback from Pilot Test

M.5 • She needs to speak like the speakers

in the listening part.• She likes the test on computer-based,

rather than paper and pencil.

M.6• Listening part is easy because the

sound is clear.• He is satisfied with the language

level.

Limitations & Improvements

• Computer skills• Ready-made program

- error correction - time setting - font size - command input

• Time consuming

Available On-line & Free Download

http://arts.kmutt.ac.th/sears/

Placement_test.htm

Thank YouThank You