The workshop from Day 1 - TEAM 2014.

1. Dr. Simon Phipps
Tests of Grammar and
Vocabulary: Workshop
MELİKŞAH UNIVERSITY, KAYSERI, 29-31 JANUARY, 2014

3. Outline
! why
test grammar and vocabulary
! links
to beliefs
! links
to curricular specifications
! types
of grammar items
! guidelines
! types
for writing m/c items
of vocabulary items
! lexical
density
! considerations
when writing items

4. Why test grammar and vocabulary?
! encourage
! face
learners to study - positive backwash
validity – learner expectations
! content
! ease
validity – easy to select items/easier than skills
of administration – esp. placement tests
! grammar
and vocabulary can be tested directly (unlike
testing of skills)
! knowledge
of grammar and vocabulary is a prerequisite for using language skills
! diagnose
learners’ weaknesses/gaps

5. Links to beliefs about language learning
and the role of skills/language
Language vs skills
Beliefs
Grammar vs vocab
Collocation and
lexical phrases
testing
curriculum

6. Links to curriculum specifications
!
Grammar specifications
Achievement and Progress tests
" Placement tests
" Sampling - Proficiency tests
"
!
Vocabulary specifications
#
#
#
#
#
!
!
General indication of size of learner’s vocabulary
Word lists vs course-books
Sampling – frequency vs usefulness
Collocations and lexical phrases
Lexical density of texts used to test grammar and skills
Positive backwash – achievement/progress
Testing at recognition vs production level

7. Types of items for testing grammar
! discrete point m/c
!
gap-fill (with/without m/c options)
!
cloze test
!
transformation
!
sentence completion
!
error detection
" Problems
with multiple choice (see handout)

8. Types of items for testing vocabulary
! gap-fill (with/without m/c options)
!
cloze test
!
C-test (first letter/part given)
!
word-building
!
sentence completion
!
vocabulary size test
" Formative
assessment – vocab journals

9. Task
! Examples
of problems with test items
! (Handout p3)

10. Considerations
!
!
Level of learners
Lexical density of texts
"
"
http://www.lextutor.ca/
"
!
http://www.readability-score.com/
http://www.online-utility.org/english/
readability_test_and_improve.jsp
Cognitive processes required to complete
the tasks (theory-based validity)

11. Some useful resources
! English
profile
http://www.englishprofile.org/
http://vocabulary.englishprofile.org/staticfiles/about.html
! Lexical
tutor
http://www.lextutor.ca/
! Paul
Nation’s vocabulary size tests
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/lals/about/staff/publications/paul-nation/VSTversion-A.pdf

12. Thank you!