2. What are we trying to MEASURE? “English grammar is chiefly a system of syntax that decides the order and patternsin which words are arranged into sentences.”(Close, 1982)
3. Why should we test grammar? Linguisticor communicative competence? Structures or functions? Usage or use? Prescriptive or descriptive?
4. Howshould we test grammar? Separated from skills? Discrete point or integrative items? Focus on grammar or meaning?
5. What are the most common test formats for testing grammar? RECOGNITION Multiple choice items (Liu, 121) Error-recognition items (Liu, 129) True/False (Baxter, 35) Pairing and matching items Cloze/Modified Cloze (Hughes, 144)
6. What are the most common test formats for testing grammar? Production Completion items (Hughes, 143) Transformation items (Liu, 131) Paraphrase (Hughes, 143) Rearrangement Editing Combination and addition items Items involving the changing of words
7. When should we go for grammarrecognition? When… More material needs to be covered. You want to test different levels of learning. You have little time for scoring. You are not interested in evaluating how well a test taker can formulate a correct answer. You have a large number of test takers.
8. When should we go for grammarproduction? When… You want to evaluate a person’s ability to formulate a correct answer. You have more time to score the items You want to test a persons ability to apply concepts and information to a new situation. You have a clear idea of the aspects and concepts that should be tested.
9. True/False Is this sentences true or false? “He works from Monday to Friday” Does not demonstrate broader knowledge Difficult to construct in higher levels Encourages guessing due to 50/50 chance Difficult to test attitudes toward learning
10. Multiple Choice John usually ______from Monday to Friday a. works b. worked c. has worked d. is working They can be tricky or too picky Difficult to test attitudes towards learning Knowledge is limited to options provided Difficult to construct at higher levels Encourages guessing (25% chance) More than one option may be possible All options must be grammatically possible
11. Gap-Filling John usually ______(work) from Monday to Friday They must be part of a broader context More than one option may be possible First gap may be offered as a sample Difficult to test attitudes towards learning Knowledge is limited to options provided Limitations result in negative backwash Focus should be on the aspect assessed.
12. Cloze/C-test John is new in town. He moved here for two reasons. First, ______ found a job in a food company ______ is established here; secondly, he desperately wanted ______ be closer to his girlfriend, Susan Sommers, ______ recently moved to our neighboring town. Tests student’s understanding of the whole language More than one option may be possible First letter may be offered as a sample Some words may be impossible to guess Can test student’s IQ rather than language proficiency
13. Sentence Building Friday/usually/to/John/Monday/work Tests recognition and/or production More than one option may be possible Capital letters and punctuation may interfere in the production of the answer It gives no context as reference to grammar use. It actually challenges knowledge of syntax
14. Sentence Transformation John is a doctor (Is John a doctor?) More than one option may be possible It may be too mechanical. Add elements to make them realistic. It is limited in the provision of context Few aspects might be assessed (passive, reported, comparatives, conditionals…)
15. Correction/Editing John usually working from Monday to Friday Tests recognition of mistakes Can also test production through corrections More than one correction may be possible Mistakes must be grammatically possible Backwash may be negative Context is essential
16. Five characteristics to measure communicativegrammar The test must provide more context than only a single sentence. The test taker should understand what the communicative purpose of the task is. S/He should also know who the intended audience is. Items should promote a focus on meaning and not just form to answer correctly. Recognition is not sufficient. The test taker must be able “to produce grammatical responses ” adequate to the communicative situation given- (R. Dickins)
17. Therefore… Have the test taker say or write something of discourse length in order to perform some communicative task for a known audience. What is said or written must make sense.
19. Split Sentences Write out some sentences, and then cut each sentence in half. Place the two halves in two separate columns and ask students to find the matching half. Students’ abilities in combing sentences Grammar knowledge to all forms of the sentences
20. Examples If you eat that If you touch the dog If you steal my boyfriend If you go out now If you don’t leave If you don’t book a ticket you’ll be sick it’ll bite you I’ll never speak to you again you’ll get soaked I’ll call the police you’ll be lucky to get a seat
21. Sentences from pictures Hand out a sheet of pictures. Ask students to come out sentences from the pictures or ask them to tell a story. Enough grammar knowledge to make sentences by students. Accuracy
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23. Memory Test Give limited time for students to see the picture. Ask them to describe the picture without seeing it. Testing students’ ability of making sentences.(enough grammar knowledge) Accuracy The transformation of students’ sentences
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25. Picture Dictation A student try to describe the picture to other students who haven’t seen it. Testing if a student can make sentences which can help him/her communicate well. Accuracy
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27. Strip Story Give students a text from a strip story. Ask them to find the order and resolve the problem from the story. See if students can find the time order from the tenses of the sentences. Accuracy
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29. Miming an action Ask students to role play in a limited situation. Through acting, it can test students’ ability of thinking of lines. (which may contains different tenses.) Accuracy
32. Questionnaires Turn what have taught in class into a questionnaire. Get students to survey each other. (does not contain fully-written-out questions.) It can see if students’ totally understand what they have learned in class. Also it can show if students’ can use it well.
