supervision.)
Limitations of Free-Writing Approaches
Grading of free- writing tends to lack objectivity and consistency.
Free-writing is time consuming to grade.
Listening and Speaking tests.are broad categories of tests that incorporate the listening skill. One group of these oral tests simply uses listening as a tool to evaluate something else. For instance, in the limited-response section, we mentioned how beginner s word mastery could be checked by having them listen and respond to simple commands such as Hand me the chalk. Listening was also used as a means of evaluating low-level proficiency in grammar and pronunciation. But we have also seen listening used to evaluate more advance integrative skills - by means of a dictation. Listening tests are those that evaluate proficiency in the listening skill itself, namely listening comprehension. Since listening includes the recognition of words and structures and pronunciation features, the difference between subskill tests using listening as a tool and the integrative lesson comprehension test can be blurred at times. But the essential difference is that subskill tests focus on the linguistic components of language, while the comprehension test is concerned with broader communication. Moreover, broader communication is concerned not with the bits and pieces of language but with the exchange of facts and ideas, as well as interpreting the speaker s intentions. First of all, I begin with a variety of ways to test the listening comprehension of beginning students. Then examine the appropriate-response technique, and it includes with the testing of extended communication. RESPONSEare simple effective ways to test the listening skill of beginning adults or children. One involves listening and native language responses. Another uses listening and picture clues. A third involves listening plus simple task responses.
Native-Language Responses: There is an interesting little quiz that can be used with beginners during their first days of instruction. Suppose you were teaching Spanish speakers, and suppose also that you had friends who spoke German, French and Arabic. You could tape random sentences or two-line dialogs of English, intermingled with utterance in these three other languages. After each number on their paper, students could indicate in their native language English or other. For those just slightly more advanced, you could use true-false questions with the true-false options printed in the native language. Classes with mixed language background could simply circle T for true and F for false. Depending on how much vocabulary they had acquired, students would respond to questions such as the following: can fly. T: Fare bigger than people. T: F
Picture clues: Visual of various kinds have long been used to test listening comprehension. Although the technique is not limited to beginning students, it is especially useful with beginners: Students do not need to be literate in their second language in order to be tested. When using a set of three or four related pictures, keep these ideas in mind: There does not have to be a story line relating the pictures to each other. The same set can be used for several questions. You could duplicate them so each student has his own, or you could make a transparency and use an overhead projector to display them to the class. Another possibility is to sketch them on the chalkboard. If students have own, they can circle objects referred to, or you can have them identify pictures by number. The sample set on page 130 can be followed by this listening comprehension question:
Although their bikes are clean, the two boys are dirty (Students would select picture number two) .a map showing local streets and businesses. Next, in colored ink or colored pencil, trace a route on that map. Then prepare instructions which tell your students how to trace that same route on their maps.of Limited Response
· This is suitable for persons not able to read and write in the target language.
· This involves flexible techniques: Some are interesting to children, and several techniques are useful for young people and adults with intermediate to advanced skills.
· The questions are generally quite easy to prepare.
· Limited-response items are generally rather objective as well as quick and easy to score.of Limited Response
· Native-language responses are limited to classes with bilingual teachers and students with the same language background.
· Suitable pictures for picture clue items are not always easy to find.
· Equipment (such as a Xerox or othe...
