1. TYPES OF TEST ITEMS/TASKS
Direct and indirect test items
Discrete-point testing and integrative testing
Types of test items:
Multiple-choice questions
Cloze procedures
Transformation and paraphrase
Sentence re-ordering
Essays
Role-plays and other replicas of real-life interaction

2. TASKS to assess SPEAKING SKILLS
Interviews
Information-gap activities
Decision-making activities
Using pictures
Role-play activities

3. TASKS to assess WRITING SKILLS
Compositions
Stories
Transactional letters
Information leaflets
Essays
Newspaper articles
A set of instructions for other common tasks

4. TASKS to assess READING SKILLS
Multiple-choice questions
Matching activities
Transferring written information to charts, graphs, maps, etc.
Summaries
Headings
Inserting paragraphs

5. TASKS to assess LISTENING SKILLS
Completing charts with facts and figures
Identifying objects
Identifying speakers
Identifying attitudes and opinions
Following directions (e.g. on the map)

6. MARKING A TEST Training More than one scorer Global assessment scales
Analytical profiles
Scoring and interacting
during oral tests

7. GLOBAL ASSESSMENT SCALES (Oral Ability)
Score
Description
The candidate is almost unintelligible, uses words wrongly and shows no sign of any grammatical understanding 1
The candidate is able to transmit only very basic ideas, using individual words rather than phrases or fuller patterns of discourse. Speech is very hesitant and the pronunciation makes intelligibility difficult 2
The candidate transmits basic ideas in a fairly silted way. Pronunciation is sometimes problematic and there are examples of grammatical and lexical misuse and gaps which impede communication on occasion. 3
The candidate transmits ideas moderately clearly. Speech is somewhat hesitant and there are frequent lapses in grammar and vocabulary use. Nevertheless, the candidate makes him/herself understood. 4
The candidate speaks fairly fluently, showing the ability to communicate ideas with not too much trouble. There are some problems of grammatical accuracy and some words are inappropriately used. 5
The candidate speaks fluently with few obvious mistakes and a wide variety of lexis and expression. Pronunciation is almost always intelligible, and there is little difficulty in communicating ideas.

8. ANALYTICAL PROFILES Criteria Score (see analytical scales)
Pronunciation
Fluency
Use of vocabulary
Use of grammar
Intelligibility
Repair skills
Task completion

9. ANALYTICAL SCALES (Fluency)
Score
Description
The candidate cannot get words or phrases out at all. 1
The candidate speaks hesitantly in short, interrupted bursts. 2
The candidate speaks slowly with frequent pauses. 3
The candidate speaks at a comfortable speed with quite a lot of pauses and hesitations. 4
The candidate speaks at a comfortable speed with only an occasional pause or upset. 5
The candidate speaks quickly with few hesitations.

10. PUBLIC (INTERNATIONAL) EXAMS
GENERAL ENGLISH exams
Cambridge ESOL
Pearson PTE
City and Guilds Pitman
ACADEMIC ENGLISH exams
IELTS
PTE Academic
TOEFL and TOEIC
BUSINESS ENGLISH exams
LCCI (London Chamber of Commerce and Industry)

11. TEACHING FOR TESTS Backwash, or washback, effect
Teaching becomes dominated by the test
A range of activities VS exam-format tasks
A clear sense of purpose VS a less clear focus
Teacher-driven learning VS autonomous learning

12. “It’s important to build variety and fun into an exam course as it is to drive Ss towards the goal of passing their exam”
Burgess and Head 2005

13. “Hitting the target” STRATEGIES
Train for test types
Getting ‘inside the heads’ of the test designers
Discuss general exam skills
Building Ss up to an exam
Do practice tests
Getting a feel for the experience
Have fun
Eliminating boredom and tension
Ignore the test
Working on general language issues, taking part in motivating activities from time to time

14. TIPS FOR TEACHERS Try to view assessment as a CELEBRATION OF LEARNING
Discover where mistakes are made and ways to fix them is as much a celebration as it is an acknowledgment of strengths for use in further growth
Give Ss CHOICE IN THEIR ASSESSMENT TASKS where appropriate
When Ss are given choice, they engage more deeply in the assessment activity, and their results are more likely to provide valid inferences
Give Ss the OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MISTAKES in their assessment
Mistakes provide feedback they can use to adjust what they are doing
View formative assessment as a way to give DESCRIPTIVE FEEDBACK to improve learning
Have Ss think critically about what they know and can do

15. THANK YOU