Alternative Interpretations of Alternative Assessments: Some Validity Issues in Educational Performance Assessments

The use of alternative assessments has led many researchers to reexamine traditional views of test qualities, especially validity. Because alternative assessments generally aim at measuring complex constructs and employ rich assessment tasks, it becomes more difficult to demonstrate (a) the validity of the inferences we make and (b) that these inferences extrapolate to target domains beyond the assessment itself. An approach to addressing these issues from the perspective of language testing is described. It is then argued that in both language testing and educational assessment we must consider the roles of both language and content knowledge, and that our approach to the design and development of performance assessments must be both construct-based and task-based.¹     

外语教学中的语言测试及其评估制度改革

通过对语言测试理论发展历程的回顾，阐述了语言测试发展与外语教学发展的关系，指出语言测试是外语教学的重要组成部分，是衡量外语教学成效和提高外语教学质量的重要手段。是为教学服务的。充分发挥语言测试对教学的正面反拨作用，可促进外语教学，提高教学质量。本文对大学英语测试制度和评估制度的改革提出了建设性的模式。     

英语阅读评估：从传统测评方式到档案评估探讨

传统阅读测试以阅读理解等终结性评估为主。档案评估是系统地．有组织有目的地收集证据，在一个或多个方面展示学生知识成长、进步和努力、技能成就等。本文探讨档案评估应用于英语阅读测试上的可行性，从理论依据、措施内容、实施原则、优势、注意事项等方面进行论述．试图弥补传统英语阅读测试之不足。     

课程思政建设背景下外语听力测试的改革方向

听力测试是外语课程思政建设中落实育人目标的方法和手段之一。本研究旨在探索“大思政”育人格局下听力测试设计开发的需求,分析相关研究现状及不足之处,展望听力测评未来的发展路径,提出听力测试设计5个方面的发展方向:1)继续完善听力理解模型中高层次思维能力的界定和分类,丰富对听力构念本质的认识;2)深入探索听力语篇选材难度的适切性、内容的真实性及思政元素的挖掘等问题;3)注重任务设计的多元化,研究不同类型听力任务的特点、设计原则和使用方法;4)重视信息技术在听力测试中的运用,确保技术的稳定性和可操作性,以优质任务设计为重心,避免形式主义;5)重视听力测试的促学功能,在教学中逐步达到“以测促学”“作为学习的测评”和“师生学习共同体”3种境界。     

论职业英语真实性评价体系的构建与实施

首先简要回顾了“语言测试”发展的四个阶段及其特点。认为职业教育的课程体系不是学科体系,而是“行动体系”,传统语言测试难以对职业院校学生实用英语能力进行科学、全面的评价,以能力为本位的职业英语学生真实性评价势在必行。然而,如何构建职业英语真实性评价体系？该体系应具备什么特征？如何确定评价标准、设计评价任务及制定评价量规？这些都是职业英语课程真实性评价体系研究中的基本问题。本文根据学习理论、高职教育理论、德国职业教育“行动体系”和英NNVQ评估体系,研究职业英语学生真实性评价体系的特征和构建该体系方法和途径。     

Policies of global English tests: test-takers’ perspectives on the IELTS retake policy

Globalized English proficiency tests such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are increasingly playing the role of gatekeepers in a globalizing world. Although the use of the IELTS as a ‘policy tool’ for making decisions in the areas of study, work and migration impacts on test-takers' lives and life chances, not much is known about its own policy and policy logic. With the growing call for listening to test-takers' voices, specific policy aspects of the test have recently been scrutinized. This article seeks to contribute to this area by drawing on test-takers' perspectives on the IELTS retake policy and developing an understanding of how policies of global English tests are perceived, interpreted and given new meanings by its key stakeholders. Although the truth-value of the emic views of test-takers may be debated, their experiences and perceptions problematize the reliability claims of the testing agency by locating commercial motives at the center of their policy and thereby raising theoretical, professional and ethical questions.     

我国英语测试发展轨迹探究

语言测试经历了几个发展阶段,各个阶段有着不同的理论基础和基本特征.对历年来我国高考英语试题、硕士研究生入学英语考试以及大学英语考试等大规模考试题型的研究结果表明:我国语言测试的实践遵循了理论发展的脉络;目前,我国业已处于语言测试的心理语言学-社会语言学时期,诸多迹象表明交际语言测试已经初现端倪.     

TBLA指导下的高职高专校内英语测试模式分析

随着语言测试理论的发展,基于任务的语言测试（TBLA）成为了英语测试改革的一种方向。本文根据Bachman和Palmer提出的基于任务的语言测试的要求,对当前高职高专院校内英语测试存在的问题进行了分析,并对如何建构高职高专更为系统、科学的校内英语测试体系,使测试对英语语言的教与学产生良好的反拨作用提出了建议。     

语言测试的理论沿革与实践探索

语言测试体系的发展经历了前科学、心理测量—结构主义、心理语言学—社会语言学、交际语言测试四个阶段。建立在巴克曼的新交际语言能力模型上的交际语言测试被认为是语言测试的理想方式。简要回顾了语言测试体系的历史演变,并从交际语言测试理论模式的主要特征出发,在总结测试体系优缺点的基础上,分析了其在我国实施推广的两大问题,在对解决途径的探索过程中揭示了我国语言测试的未来趋势。     

外语测试的形成性评价观

外语测试经历了以语码为纲和以结构为纲的两个时期。现行的外语测试则遵循“以信息为纲”的指导思想。语言测试的结果应能反映学生的语言运用能力，而学生的能力反馈又可常常作为教师的教学反思依据。本文旨在以形成性评价现分析外语测试与评价的一致性和外语测试的多功用性。     

语言测试——大学英语教师的必修课

语言测试是一门综合性学科 ,它是对被试者的语言能力进行的客观、准确、公正的评价方法 ,是用以检测教学效果和取得反馈信息的重要手段 ,是从长期的教学实践和教学需要发展而来的。语言测试与语言教学有着密切的关系     

Inclusive Achievement Testing for Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Test Takers: Essential Considerations for Test Developers and Decision Makers

Substantial growth in the numbers of English language learners (ELLs) in the United States and Canada in recent years has significantly affected the educational systems of both countries. This article focuses on critical issues and concerns related to the assessment of ELLs in U.S. and Canadian schools and emphasizes assessment approaches for test developers and decision makers that will facilitate increased equity, meaningfulness, and accuracy in assessment and accountability efforts. It begins by examining the crucial issue of defining ELLs as a group. Next, it examines the impact of testing originating from the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) in the U.S. and government‐mandated standards‐driven testing in Canada by briefly describing each country's respective legislated testing requirements and outlining their consequences at several levels. Finally, the authors identify key points that test developers and decision makers in both contexts should consider in testing this ever‐increasing group of students.     

网络多媒体外语教学评估体系的建设与思考

随着全球化和技术革新的迅猛发展,外语教学领域也随之发生变化。在网络多媒体外语教学中,如何建立和实施行之有效的网络外语教学评估体系至关重要。笔者认为网络多媒体外语教学的评估体系应是以形成性评估为主,形成性评估与终结性评估相结合的复合模式,并对此进行了实证研究。定性和定量的数据表明评估体系的建设和探索对于保证网络外语教学效果是十分必要的,由此所引发的思考,也值得进一步的分析和探索。     

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN TEACHER EDUCATION: THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DIAGNOSTIC LANGUAGE TEST FOR TRAINEE TEACHERS OF GERMAN

ABSTRACT:  This article describes the development and validation of a diagnostic test of German and its integration in a programme of formative assessment during a one-year initial teacher-training course. The test focuses on linguistic aspects that cause difficulty for trainee teachers of German as a foreign language and assesses implicit and explicit grammatical knowledge as well as students' confidence in this knowledge. Administration of the test to 57 German speakers in four groups (first-year undergraduates, fourth-year undergraduates, postgraduate trainees, and native speakers) provided evidence of its reliability and validity.     

美国马萨诸塞州综合评估体系探讨

本文介绍了在美国享有盛名的马萨诸塞州综合评估体系.文章首先回顾了马萨诸塞州公立中小学教育的历史和现状以及这套学生测试体系的发展背景,继而深入描述了测试的出题、阅卷、成绩汇报与分析、替代考试的具体操作过程,最后总结了这套测试体系对提高马萨诸塞州公立教育质量所起的重要作用.     

语言测试与大学英语教学

本文论述了标准化考试的理论基础及其对外语教学的负面影响，指出语言测试的目的在于较为客观地反映应试者的语言应用能力，并提出了改革目前语言测试手段的几种方法。     

Bachman语言测试有用性原则下的口语测试

口语测试是对受试者的口语能力做出科学客观的测量.口语测试的内容和形式直接指导着的教师的教学和学生的口语学习。由于口语测试的主观性,相对于其他的语言测试来说,口语测试的难度更大。为了保持口语测试的科学性和有效性,文章把语言测试六个方面的特性映射到口语测试上,并对口语测试的实施提出了可行性的建议和方法。     

A Brief Discussion on Communicative Language Testing

This paper shows some points of view on communicative language ability and issues of processing an effective communicative language test. Different considerations are given in different stages both from aspects of validity and reliability. All the processes are involved in considering the characteristics of communicative language test and special needs from communicative language ability. Different from other kinds of tests, it pays much more attention to context, precision measurement and criterion.     

从问卷分析看大学英语评估体系的优化

作为语言教学的一个重要环节,语言评估测试应该反映教学情况和反馈教学成果,并强调测试对教学的鼓励和促进作用。文章拟以校内的一次关于大学英语期末测试的调查为基础,分析目前测试中存在的问题,提出提高语言测试的正面积极作用,实现大学英语评估测试体系优化的可能目标。     

语言测试的负面反拨效应与外语教学

语言测试是检验语言教学的一种常规手段,对教学行为的双方都起着或积极、或消极的影响。从语言测试的分类、特征入手,讨论语言测试的负面反拨效应产生的实质、根源、在外语教学中的表现,以及如何避免负面反拨效应,对搞好外语教学,有一定的现实意义。