SLS 490 Analysis of Test Development Project

SLS 490 Analysis of Test Development Project

Description/Paper Instructions

SLS 490 Analysis of Test Development Project

Introduction

The purpose of this project was to create a language test from the ground-up, grounded in ESL pedagogical theory and based on a defensible construct. Our project began with a brief needs analysis of the population to be tested in the context of the language course that that population is taking, which led to the formation of a construct for testing, the writing of test item specifications, and ended with the piloting of our test on an equivalent population.

Briefly, the context of our test is an end-of-unit, reading comprehension and vocabulary achievement test for ESL students in the US who want to enter an American university. It is a criterion-referenced test that focuses on two constructs, reading comprehension skills and vocabulary retention

The purpose of our test is to evaluate students on their mastery of new vocabulary from a language unit that they have recently studied as well as their comprehension of a reading passage with the same theme, length, and difficulty as other passages from that same unit.

Our test includes a reading passage where the students have to demonstrate reading comprehension and two vocabulary sections, one matching and one productive, where students have to demonstrate their knowledge of the meanings of words presented and taught in the unit.

From the results of the unit test, test administrators will be able to make diagnostic decisions regards the students’ mastery of learner objectives. If the test shows that the students have not mastered the tested objectives, those students will be given further supplemental instruction and ultimately re-tested.

Overall, while the purpose of our test is to assess what the students have learned from one unit, it, along with other unit tests within the context of the entire course, will not only provide the teacher a basis for making decisions about the students’ learning, but also give feedback to the teacher about their own teaching, e.g., pace, delivery, methods, etc., across the entire term.