CHAPTER
2
APPROACHES
TO LANGUAGE TESTING
The aim of this chapter is to give the
theoretical knowledge about testing in language teaching. Four approaches to
language testing are introduced throughout the chapter: a) the
essay-translation approach, b) the structuralist approach, c) the integrative
approach, and d) the communicative approach. Characteristics of each approach
to testing are discussed with their advantages and drawbacks. Specific examples
are also provided for each approach to testing. Now please go to page 36 to
fill in the first two columns of the table provided before you start studying
the chapter.
Before You Begin: You’ll read about
different approaches to language testing. What do you want to learn about these
approaches? Write either general questions that will cover all of the
approaches, or specific questions for each approach.
Complete the following blanks in the table below considering the
characteristics of the four approaches to testing.
|
|
Way
of judgment |
Components
of tests |
Skills
aimed to be tested |
Aim
of testing |
|
Essay-translation
approach |
Subjective |
Essay-writing Translation Grammatical analysis |
Writing, reading, grammar
& usage, Oral & aural skills
in later stages |
Literary understanding of
language |
|
Structuralist
approach |
Objective
|
Multiple -choice |
Phonology, Vocabulary,
Grammar and skills separately |
Testing language skills
separately in an objective manner |
|
Integrative
approach |
Objective &
Subjective |
Cloze test Translation Oral interviews Composition writing |
All skills integratively |
Testing the language
skills in context including all language skills |
|
Communicative approach |
Objective (quantitative) & subjective
(qualitative) |
Real life tasks
|
All skills and areas both
integratively and separately |
Communicative skills in
context |
1)
List the characteristics of communicative
approach to testing. Include as many favorable aspects as possible.
-
It tests how language is used in communication
-
It tests language use
-
It tests language usage
-
It tests language skills both integratively and
separately
-
It suggests contextualized testing
-
It tests cultural understanding
2)
Do you agree with the ideas below? Why? Why not?
-
If a test directly follows the characteristics
of a single approach to testing, it is considered to be a ‘good’ test.
-
No. A good test must include the characteristics
of all approaches based on the aim of testing. It must be a combination of all
approaches.
-
Contextualized testing is more advantageous than
decontextualized tests.
-
Yes. Contextualized tests allow for a more
meaningful testing.
-
The communicative approach to testing rejects
the use of multiple-choice tests in language testing.
-
No. A well-prepared multiple-choice test might
be a good way of testing, especially the language usage.
Follow up:
-
Considering the characteristics of the
approaches to testing you have studied, what approaches are mostly reflected on
the tests you have taken up till now?
-
Go to page 36 again to fill in the third column
in the table.
www.iolpgalerisi.com by Mustafa
Baran