COURSE OUTLINE

Title:                    Language Testing And Assessment        

Course code:       ENG710

No. of credits:      3 credits

1. COURSE OVERVIEW

This course provides

• a general background in language and academic content assessment issues,
• opportunities to examine assessment instruments,
• practical experience in developing and using formal and informal assessment measures.

2. COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Foster students’ understanding of current approaches and methods of language testing and assessment
• Enable students to design different assessment tasks
• Develop students’ critical thinking and teamwork skills

3. TOPIC DESCRIPTIONS

• Key concepts of language testing and assessment 
• Types and purposes of tests

Principles of language assessment

• Aligning assessment with course learning outcomes

Developing test specifications for language assessment

• Designing classroom language tests
• Alternatives in assessment
• Instructor’s feedback on test items design

Assessing Vocabulary and Grammar

• Assessing the receptive skills: Listening and Reading
• Assessing the productive skills: Speaking and Writing
• Marking assessments: rating scales and rubrics

4. MATERIALS

4.1. Required textbooks

• Brown, H. and Abeywickrama, P.  (2010) Language assessment –Principles and classroom practices. New York: Pearson Longman, 2nd edition

• Coombe, C., Davidson, P., O'Sullivan, B., & Stoynoff, S. (Eds.) (2012) The Cambridge guide to second language assessment, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

4.2. Reference materials

• Bachman, L. F. & Palmer, A. S. (2010). Language Assessment in Practice: design and developing useful language tests. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Cheng, L. and Fox, J. (2017) Assessment in the Language Classroom: Teachers support student learning, UK: Palgrave.
• Fulcher, G. and Davidson, F. (2012) The Routledge Handbook of Language Testing, London: Routledge.
• Fulcher, G. (2010) Practical language testing, London: Hodder Education.
• Hughes, A. (2003). Testing for language teachers (2nded.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Websites/ Softwares

• Prof. Glenn Fulcher’s website: http://languagetesting.info/links2.html
• https://www.eric.ed.gov
• http://www.altaanz.org/current-issue.html

5. ASSESSMENT

5.1     Midterm (40%)

• Group’s summary and presentation of the reading texts = 30 points
• Group portfolio = 70 points

5.2     Final (60%)

• Progress test = 50 points
• Final project = 50 points

6. STUDENT WORKLOAD

• Directed study:               45 periods
• Independent Study:        135 periods