2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

EDUC5994M Language Testing

30 creditsClass Size: 40

Module manager: Dr Martin Lamb
Email: M.V.Lamb@education.leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisites

EDUC5991M	Approaches & Contexts in TESOL
EDUC5992M	Intro Second Lang Acquisition
EDUC5993M	Teaching Oral and Written Skills for TESOL

This module is not approved as an Elective

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

- understand the general considerations that must be addressed in the development of new tests or the selection of existing language tests;
- explain in outline the fundamental issues, approaches and methods used in measurement and evaluation;
- evaluate and use language tests in ways that are appropriate for a given purpose, context and group of test takers;
- understand some of the main current issues in the ongoing development of language testing.

Skills outcomes
In order to achieve these objectives the module gives participants the opportunity to develop the following skills:
-Writing test items.
-Evaluating tests with regard to validity and reliability.

Syllabus

General consideration in the development and selection of a language test. E.g.: describing the purpose of a test, defining the construct to be measured and describing the test takers for whom the test is intended.

Evaluation of a language test: validity and reliability, qualities of a useful language tests, practical methods of estimating reliability and the main features of validity.

Communicative approaches to language testing: e.g. a general framework of communicative language ability and its applications to language testing.

Test methods e.g. a framework of test methods and their applications to language testing.

Test construction e.g. item writing for tests of different kinds and item analysis.

Some future directions e.g. future developments in oral testing, ethical issues in language testing.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	3.00	33.00
Private study hours			267.00
Total Contact hours			33.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			300.00

Private study

Background Reading including focused reading of materials prior to each seminar/lecture, individually and in reading groups (10 hours x 11)
Practicing use of computer based techniques for the inputting and subsequent analysis of test data (3 hours x 11)
Assignment planning, drafting and writing. = 108 hours

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

In class individual and group responses to guided reading tasks set for each class.
In class individual and group responses to practice computer use tasks.
Personal, face to face assignment discussion meetings.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Assignment	6,000 words	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2024 16:13:19

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