Validity (Fairness) in Language Assessment

The Main Points:

In the reading Fairness and justice for all, the author makes a detailed analysis of fairness in language assessment including validity, access and justice which is critical and so different with the traditional language assessment. And four critical areas are also involved and are associated with fairness: research, test development, legal challenges, and test development.

The reading “validity in language assessment” is focused on validity in language assessment. According to the research of development in validity, the current definition has been formed. And the current progressive matrix adapted by Messick stresses the evidence and consequences. At the same time, the current changes are also important to justify the validity in language assessment.

My Interaction:

Language assessment is also an important part in learning and teaching. Traditionally, the English learners are assessed through the scores. However, the assessment of validity is also changed. Validity refers to the conception what constitutes a good language test for a particular situation. Content and criterion are used to investigate construct validity. Also the evidence and consequences are used in a validity arguemrnt. The current changes of defining language construct and developing validity is to apply validation theory to testing practice. Therefore the validity in language assessment is very principle.

Fairness is another component to assess the language which is not only about validity, and access and justice. In our teaching, we still consider the financial, personal, educational social aspects to test takers in learning English.

Week 11: Writing Assessment

The main points:

Compared with the traditional methods, the effects of Dynamic Assessment in EFL writing process are stressed in this reading “A Case Study of Dynamic Assessment in EFL Process Writing” to fascinate EFL learners’ writing abilities and motivation. Due to the detailed analysis of three stages: topic choice, idea-generation&structuring and revising, teacher as the mediation also has an important influence and encourages their Zone of Proximal Development.

According to examine writing assessment of 48 highly experienced instructors of EFL composition, “ESL/EFL instructors’ practices for writing assessment: specific purposes or general purposes?” discusses the difference between specific purses and general purposes. However the specific purses have limits which mainly focus on the form of written texts; while the general purposes are supported which are concentrated on development of their writing abilities and seem to more conform to educational conceptualization.

The reading “The Effects of Portfolio Assessment on Writing of EFL Students” focused on the effects of portfolio assessment. Compared with tradition system (non-portfolio), the portfolio assessment, as a self-reflection assessment, has a more important influence to improve learners’ writing and gain higher scores in final examination.

My interaction portion:

Writing is a complicated part in learning English for ESL learners. So many training and ways are applied to improve it, also the advice from teachers are often used. The aim for ESL learners is to gain a higher score in final exam and enhance their writing abilities in daily life. Therefore the process of writing assessment is involved and also is not simple.

Teacher seems to act as a lead and mediation role in teaching writing, who gives those valuable recommends in the process of writing and leads them to an exact orientation if ideas of them is not suitable. After that, in practice teacher encourages their proximal development, which is powerful to cultivate their writing skills.

Also, there are many assessment methods to assess their writing, which is not a single part, but a collection of teachers and students. The process of writing assessment is dynamic, continuous and mutual effort and should be considered as a whole. There is no doubt the final aim is coincident. Hence the improvement of writing abilities is just a long-term goal to accord with educational orientation and is most principle in future learning.