Testing and Assessment Types

“We finished Unit 4, so tomorrow we have a 50-item multiple-choice test on page 80.” Testing is one of the most stressful aspects of language education. When assessment consists solely of end-of-unit grammar quizzes, it distorts the learning process. Modern assessment must balance summative evaluation with formative feedback that directly guides ongoing learning.

Core Theory & Terminology

1. Formative vs. Summative Assessment

As defined by Arthur Hughes (Testing for Language Teachers):

• Formative Assessment (Assessment FOR Learning): Ongoing, diagnostic evaluation conducted during the learning process to provide feedback, adjust teaching, and guide student progress (e.g., peer-feedback checklists, exit cards, observation notes).
• Summative Assessment (Assessment OF Learning): Formal evaluation conducted at the end of an instructional unit to measure final achievement or assign grades (e.g., end-of-term exams, IELTS/TOEFL certification).

2. The 5 Pillars of Language Testing

Every assessment artifact must be evaluated against five core quality criteria:

1. Validity: Does the test measure what it claims to measure? (e.g., A multiple-choice grammar test is NOT a valid test of speaking ability).
2. Reliability: Does the test yield consistent results across different administrations and markers?
3. Practicality: Is the test manageable in terms of time, cost, and administration resources?
4. Washback Effect: The impact (positive or negative) that a test has on classroom teaching and learning priorities.
5. Authenticity: How closely test tasks reflect real-world target language use.

3. Alternative Assessment: Portfolios & Self-Evaluation

• Portfolio Assessment: A curated collection of student work gathered over time (drafts, audio recordings, project reports) demonstrating progress.
• Rubrics: Structured scoring criteria detailing specific performance indicators across bands (e.g., CEFR descriptors).

In the classroom

Teacher educators evaluate assessment design and washback during course planning and execution:

1. In Formal Lesson Planning: Incorporate explicit Formative Assessment Checks (Exit tickets, concept checks) throughout the plan to monitor progress before moving to new stages.
2. On Observed Lessons: Use clear rubrics when evaluating productive speaking or writing tasks, ensuring criteria are shared with students in advance.
3. Mentor Feedback: Observers check washback—encouraging trainees to design communicative performance tests that encourage positive learning habits.

Practical Classroom Application

Formative Assessment Toolkit for Daily Lessons

Implement these 3 quick formative assessment routines:

• Exit Tickets: Before leaving the room, learners write down on a slip of paper: (1) One thing they learned today, and (2) One question they still have.
• Traffic Light Self-Assessment: Learners mark their work with Green (Confident), Yellow (Need practice), or Red (Struggling) before pair checks.
• CEFR-Aligned Rubric Matrix: When assessing a speaking presentation, score across 4 transparent bands:
  • Fluency & Coherence
  • Lexical Resource
  • Grammatical Range & Accuracy
  • Pronunciation / Intelligibility

Reflection & Further Reading

Reflective Question

Does your current assessment strategy produce positive washback that encourages authentic communication, or negative washback that forces exam-cramming?

Key Reference Areas

• Hughes, A. — Testing for Language Teachers.
• Thornbury, S. — An A-Z of ELT (Entries: Assessment, Validity, Washback).
• Harmer, J. — The Practice of English Language Teaching (Chapter 22).