Name :Benediktus R.RattuReg Number :0601020007Semester/class : VI/A

LANGUAGE TESTING AND EVALUATIONI. Read the following passage and then fill in the blanks with appropriate word(s).

Testing has an important role in the process of teaching and learning a language. It can be used to prepare(1)learning and to evaluate(2)students. It can also be used as a reinforcement(3) for attaining the course objectives and even sometimes as the communicative evaluation(4) of the teaching and learning process. In the latest case, it is true in preparing students for taking standardized test.There are various types of test. A test given during the course of instruction is called formative(5) test while on the other hand the summative(6) test is usually given at the end of it. If a test compares a student’s performance against the performance of his/her classmates, the test is classified as skill(7) reference test, but if it indicates whether the students has met the predetermined course objective, it is called criterion(8) reference test.It is usually, however, very difficult to prepare a good language test as there are several basic criteria that should be met. One of the criteria is that the test should contain a representative sample of the course materials. Meeting this criterium makes the test have content (9) validity. A test should also be based in the theory of language, language teaching, and language testing. In this case the test has construct (10) validity. Another criterium is reliability. One of the was to know the reliability of a test is through its internal consistency. This can be measured in three ways, namely split-half method(11), odd-even method(12), and Kuder-Richardson method(13).Another evaluation technique is rating scales, however, a teacher should be aware three kinds of personal bias errors that commonly happen namely central tendency error, (14) error, and (15) error.

II. Answer all of the following questions as completely as you can.

1. Language testing has several functions that make it difficult to be separated from teaching and learning process. Justify this statement.

In teaching and learning process, especially a language, language testing could not be separated from the entire process of learning. The language test itself has a function as an evaluation of the students’ capacity in achieving the material being learned. Because language, in this sense English, is a skill, so it must to be seen in performance of the four basic skills. Now, to evaluate students’ achievement and the result of learning process in the performance, there should be a test.

The other function of language testing is to reinforce the student to study and practice the language more harder. By conducting a test, the students will finally

able to know their own level of knowledge from the test result. So it encourages them to study harder.

From the language testing, a teacher can also measure his/her own performance in transferring the language competence to the students. Sometimes, a teacher also conduct a pre-test to find out which material should be given in the teaching-learning process.

2. To prevent language test from racial and cultural bias, test items should be constructed on the basis of the real situation of the students’ environment. Give reasons.

The reason is because in a class, the students are multicultural and have unique concepts of their own environment. A test which is constructed based on the real situation will help them to understand the questions given because they already have the concepts.

3. One of the functions of the test is to compare and select. Discuss about the difference and give example of each.

The function of a test is to compare. It means that a test is conducted to compare the quality or learning capacity among a group of students. For example, the pre-test before an English course to compare and categorize the level of students such as beginner, intermediate and master. The other function is to select. It means that the test is conducted to select the best or good-achieving students. An example of this is a test to select the students who will delegate the school for a debate.