Language Testing

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Language Testing

• Topic 10 Testing Vocabulary

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1. Selection of the test words

• achievement tests (textbooks)
• proficiency tests
• active or passive
• word lists based on frequency counts of lexical
  items occurring in actual samples of the
  language.
• Useful as they are, the test maker must be alert
  to their several shortcomings

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• Word counts are usually based on the written
  language only therefore, many words that are
  extremely common in the oral language will
  receive low frequency ratings in the word lists.
• The word lists classify words according to
  relative frequency rather than absolute
  difficulty, and the two are by no means always
  equivalent.
• Some of the word lists do not differentiate among
  the various meanings of a word. Thus, although
  the item bark may be designated very frequent,
  we cannot be sure that this designation would
  apply equally to the meanings coverings of
  trees and the sound made by dogs.

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• 4. Unless the word lists are based on very recent
  surveys of frequency, they are likely to contain
  items whose status is currently quite different
  from what it was at the time the data were
  collected.
• 5. Some word lists are based on a sample of
  written materials quite unlike those which the
  typical foreign learner of English is likely to
  have read.
• Despite these shortcomings, however, the standard
  word counts remain highly useful in the
  preparation of vocabulary tests so long as the
  test writer exercises reasonable judgment in
  interpreting the data. Frequency does, on the
  whole, constitute a fairly reliable index of
  difficulty and hence may serve as the basis upon
  which to compile lists of lexical items mostly
  likely to be appropriate for a given test
  population.

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2. The testing of idioms

• The test writer should consider the desirability
  of testing idioms. Of particular importance are
  the two-word verbs or verb-adverb combinations in
  which the English language abounds.

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3. Item types

• 1. Definition (multiple-choice). What might be
  called the classic type of vocabulary item
  consists of a test word followed by several
  possible definitions or synonyms.
• nap
• A. a brief sleep
• B. a happy song
• C. a sharp rock
• D. a short meeting

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• 2. Completion (multiple-choice). A second item
  type places the problem words in context.
• The old woman was too ____ to push open the
  heavy door.
• A. feeble
• B. sincere
• C. deaf
• D. harsh
• 3. Paraphrase (multiple-choice). A third method
  of testing vocabulary, combining elements of two
  of the previously discussed devices, is to
  underline a word in context and provide several
  possible meanings.

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• 4. Paraphrase (supply type). A variation of type
  3, requiring a structured short answer supplied
  by the examinee, is highly useful in informal
  classroom testing. In this type the problem
  sentence remains as above, but the examinees are
  asked to rewrite the sentence, substituting other
  words for the underlined portion.
• 5. Pictures (objective). In the testing of
  children who have not yet reached the reading
  stage, vocabulary may be measured with pictures.
• 6. Gap filling (textbook p150)

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4. Advice on item writing

• Inasmuch as it is not possible in this brief
  treatment to discuss the writing of all the types
  of vocabulary items mentioned above, we shall
  focus our attention on one typical item type, the
  simple definition plus test words (type 1). All
  the principles discussed below can, however, be
  applied to one or more of the other item types as
  well.

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• 1. The definition should be expressed in simple
  words readily comprehensible to all examinee.
• 2. All the alternatives should be on
  approximately the same level of difficulty.
• 3. Whenever possible, all choices should be
  related to the same general area or kind of
  activity.
• 4. The choices in each item should be of
  approximately the same length or be paired by
  length. No single choice should attract attention
  merely because it looks unlike the others in the
  set.
• 5. Items should be kept free of extraneous
  spelling problems. That is, no attempt should be
  made to mislead examinees with distracters that
  look or sound like possible right answers.

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5. Write vocabulary items

• Do exercise 2 in textbook p151.