Tests Techniques

I think the most effective test technique on my opinion is essay, because students can practice writting, comprehension and vocabulary and make clear ideas of what they want to say about a subject or something in general.

On my opinion the least effective test technique is matching because students could match knowing the answer or guessing even if they don’t know wich alternative is correct.

- True/false

This does not directly test writing or speaking abilities: only listening or

reading.I t may be usedt o test aspectso f languages ucha s vocabular5 grammar'

content of a reading or listeningp assageI.t is fairly easyt o design;i t is also easy

to administer, whether orally or in writing, and to mark.

Example.

Personality factors are the most important factor to improve our learning skills

_ True _ False

- Multiple-choice

This may be used for the same testing purposes as true/false items; it does test

rather more thoroughly since it offers more optional answers and is obviously

very easy to mark. It is administered more conveniently through writing; but

note that sincet he reading of the question-and-optionsis fairly time-consuming,

the processo J comprehensiono f the actual questioni tems may take more time

andeffort than the point ostensibly tested, which raises problems of validity.

Another important problem is that good multiple-choice questions are

surprisingly difficult to design: they often come out ambiguous, or with no clear

right answer, or with their solutions over-obvious. They are to be approached

with caution!

1. Which of the following is one of the major approaches to psychology?

a. psychoanalysis
b. structuralism
c. psychiatry
d. New Age Movement

- Gap-filling and completion

This usually tests grammar or vocabularS as in the examples. It is tedious to

compose, though not so difficult as multiple-choice; it is more easily

administeredi n writing than in speech;t he marking is usually simple.Y ou may

need to be aware that there is more than one possible right answer.

Example:

Everything ..... she did was just right

_That

_ What

"The odd man out"

a) horse, cow, mouse, knife, fish

b) David, Michael, Andrew, Alison, Adrian

c) plate, bean soup, sandwich, apple

d) bicycle, bus, car, motorcyrcle, lorry

e) green, big, orange, brown , red

f) brother, father, sister, uncle, grandfather.

g) June, January, March, spring, May

h) Austin, Volvo, Morris, Jaguar.

i) Shakespiare, Milton, J.B Prietsley, Laurence Oliver

j) Paris, Ottawa, New York, London

Students, today we’re going to play a little game. It’s called “ The odd man out”

You have ten minutes to write down the word that doesn’t belong to this group of words proyected on the board.

You are going to work in groups of three and have to designate a sopkesman to give the answers. After that all of you are going to discuss why do you think that’s “the odd man out” word.

Remember, to give opinions you have to rise your hand and the rest of you keep quiet until your turn to talk comes.

-Danny Ulloa

-Patricio Onetto

-ED

Motivation: Some background thinking

(1) How important do you think motivation is for success in language learning compared to, for example, language aptitude?

I think motivation is probably the most important factor to reach our goals. Without motivation we won't take risks, for this reason , on my opinion, I think that is a fundamental part to improve our learning skills.

On the other hand if we are motivated but the teacher or class aren't , probably over the time we will loose interest thus motivation.

(3) What characteristics and behaviors do you associate with the image of a motivated learner?

Probably most notorious characteristics are the need for achievement, goal orientation, tolerance of ambiguity and the most important characteristic to achieve all of our goals in life is Perseverance.

Box 20.2 Survey of student opinions

1.- Number of People : Five people

2.- Most popular choices : There were two

(5) A good teacher is warm and friendly towards students

(7) A good teacher is interested in each student as a person.

3.- Least popular options : there were a few but the least option was :

(16) A good teacher uses corporal punishment occasionally

4.- A possible explanation for the most popular choices, I think maybe that’s the vision that we want or have of a good teacher, in my case I would like to be a comprehensible and dedicated teacher to my students, of course in a respectful way, because in that way we can help to students to get motivation and make the subjects of significance for them.

A possible explanation to the least popular, well clearly violence it’s the wrong way to teach and to the understanding of the students.

5.- A suggestion, i found some of the questions a little bit outdated, considering the methods of education that we have been studying for the past two years.

- ED