2023/24 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue
EDUC5927M Assessing Language Learning
15 creditsClass Size: 60
Module manager: Dr Martin Lamb
Email: M.V.Lamb@education.leeds.ac.uk
Taught: 1 Mar to 31 May View Timetable
Year running 2023/24
Module replaces
EDUC5920MThis module is approved as an Elective
Module summary
The assessment of language skills is often a high-stakes endeavour, with lasting consequences on people's future lives. For this reason, it is essential that professionals involved in such assessment, whether classroom teachers, college administrators or Education Ministry officials, share an understanding of what is to be assessed, have skills in appropriate techniques for assessing it in particular circumstances, and know what to do with the results. This module covers all three areas, and we examine them with close reference to the usually broad range of backgrounds which participants bring to the course. We also consider how language courses can be evaluated more generally, beyond the measurement of learners' language skills. In the module assignment students are encouraged to develop their thinking further through exploring the literature on language assessment and reflection on their past/future context of work.Objectives
By the end of this module, participants should be able to critically examine a range of issues concerning evaluation and testing in the context of TESOL. In particular they should:- have an understanding of the functions of and the relationship between evaluation, assessment and testing;
- have an awareness of a number of issues relating to the evaluation of TESOL activity;
- have an understanding of the principles underlying communicative language testing and features of good practice in test design and evaluation;
- have an awareness of recent research in language assessment;
- be able to take appropriate professional action in the light of their understanding and awareness of language assessment.
Skills outcomes
Students will have had the opportunity to acquire the following abilities:
-Skills necessary to undertake a higher research degree and for employment in a higher capacity in an area of the TESOL profession.
-Evaluating their own achievement and that of others.
-Self-direction and effective decision making in complex and unpredictable situations.
-Independent learning and the ability to work in a way which ensures continuing professional development.
-Critically to engage in the development of TESOL professional/disciplinary boundaries and norms.
Syllabus
The content will include most of the following, depending on participants' interests and needs:-
- Purposes and means of language assessment.
- Learner self-evaluation.
- Programme and project evaluation.
- Evaluation of one's own language programme.
- Alternative forms of language assessment.
- Assessment of young learners' language.
- The functions of language tests.
- Categories of tests.
- Basic criteria in test design (validity, reliability, practicability, impact).
- Evaluating language tests.
- The theoretical foundations of communicative language testing.
- Criterion- and norm-referenced testing.
- Communicative language testing in practice.
- Designing language tests.
- Designing band scales.
- Testing the language skills.
- Testing grammar and vocabulary.
- Test validation.
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Lecture | 5 | 2.00 | 10.00 |
| Private study hours | 140.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 10.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150.00 | ||
Private study
4 hours preparation per seminar = 20 hours2 hours follow up per seminar = 10 hours
140 hours research and assignment preparation and writing
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
Preparation and follow-up tasks before/after each seminar, discussed at the beginning of each seminar. Tasks carried out during seminar with immediate feedback given.Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Presentation | Group presentation - groups of 3 | 30.00 |
| Essay | Choice of essay titles - max 2000 words | 70.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100.00 | |
PART 1 – Group presentation: Practical assessment skills (30%) In groups of 3, design a short test of language knowledge or skill for an imagined set of learners. You should describe the background of the learners relevant to your test design (e.g., age, English proficiency level, English learning history). Accompanying the test itself, produce some specifications which briefly outline the PURPOSE (in the imagined context), CONTENT (in terms of L2 knowledge/skill), METHOD and SCORING for the test. Present these by PowerPoint to other students in your class in the Week 6 session. [Groups of three would be formed randomly in Session 1. Students would create a simple analytic marking scale – based on the existing SoE PGT assessment criteria – as part of the activities in an earlier session of the module. We estimate that presentations would take 10-15 mins each, so it would be just possible to complete them in a 2-hour session. For standardization purposes, groups would also upload their presentation to MINERVA.] PART 2 – Individual short essay (70%) Choose ONE of the following questions to answer (max. 1500 words), with reference to the relevant literature on language assessment. Question 1: Trialling & evaluating the test you presented in PART 1 Try out the test you created in your group with an appropriate set of learners (it doesn’t have to be a whole class). Report the results and assess the test’s likely effectiveness for the target learning context in terms of validity, reliability, and/or practicality. Consider implications for revision of the test and its future implementation, with reference to relevant literature. [There is no need to repeat the rationale for the test as presented in PART 1, apart from a brief introductory paragraph.] Question 2: Introducing an alternative form of assessment High-stakes summative testing has been heavily criticized in recent decades yet still tends to dominate in many education systems. Think of one particular context in your home country where alternative assessment forms (e.g., formative classroom-based assessments, technology-enhanced assessments) might be introduced to replace, or complement, a summative test; describe and justify a possible innovation in terms of its construct validity and/or impact.
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 08/11/2023 10:52:02
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