TYPES OF TESTS

Tests

Tests are conducted to determine the ability and knowledge of a person in a particular field. The different types of tests conducted are:

• Proficiency Test   - Dhivya Dharshini. S
• Standardized  Test  - Boomika. P
• Aptitude Test  - Atchaya. R
• Diagnostic Test - Dharine. M.S
• Achievement Test - Gayathri. K

                                                                         

PROFICIENCY TEST

Tests that are specifically designed to get estimates of learners' levels of language OP ability are proficiency tests. Such tests are not tied to any specific textbook based syllabus unlike achievement tests but are designed to get samples of use of the target language at different levels of abilities.

Proficiency is a construct that can be defined in several ways: researchers may conceptualize proficiency as a whole and design tests like dictation as a holistic measure of proficiency. But proficiency can also be defined as several components like the four skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing, and two elements -grammar and vocabulary and tests are designed to assess knowledge on each sub-component. Because proficiency tests need to be carefully examined for levels, it is advisable that teachers do not design such tests if it has to be used for a larger population. Rather they can take a commercially standardized proficiency test and use it.

 Examples of proficiency tests are IELTS, TOEFL, and Cambridge tests. The TOEFL test helps us stand out confidently in English. It's the only test that measures all four academic English skills — reading, listening, speaking and writing — the way they are actually used in a classroom, so you can be confident you'll stand out to universities where it counts. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is designed to help you work, study or migrate to a country where English is the native language. This includes countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and USA. 

 

STANDARDIZED TEST 

Standardized test measures a learner's ability according to a standard obtained as the middle score (mean/median/mode) by a population who has taken the test previously. This mode of measuring learners' capabilities against a fixed norm is often called norm-referenced testing.

Standardized test are administered and scored in predetermined and standard manner. It can be any type of test like written test, oral test or other performance based test. Standardized tests are most commonly given to larger groups. The idea behind the testing is to improve schools, teaching practice and educational methods. 

Examples of standardized tests are IELTS and TOEFL. Both the tests are used for taking up a job or higher academics: the former is used in the United Kingdom, and latter in the United States and Canada. 

Standardized test follows a systematic measurement pattern. It also serves the purpose of taking a decision whether a candidate should get entry into the foreign country. But this test does not give any useful information to the candidate about the quality of their performance or feedback to improve. Hence, this test type does not have much value for the classroom teacher and need not be used in the classroom context. 

 In contrast when tests measure learner capabilities according to the achievement of course objectives, differing levels of performances are linked to specific grades or descriptions of "can-do" abilities. So such tests are called criterion-referenced tests. The measurements are carefully designed by teachers or curriculum designers according to descriptions of differing levels and may differ from one teacher to another. But such measurements allow teachers to give feedback to learners according to the degree of course objectives achieved and are useful to promote learning. 

Hence, these may be used for classroom-based assessments. Although the measurement is done to promote learning, the design of criterion has to carefully done so that teacher bias in the design does not negatively impact the learners. Criterion-referenced testing can also be used to take decisions for promotion and certification. In the ESL classroom context a variety of tests can be used as classroom based tests, provided they can serve to test achievement and also be useful for learners to gain valuable feedback about their language behavior. The tests can be pencil and paper tests as well as other forms of assessments like assignments, classroom observations and so on that can give learners feedback and learning opportunities.

Reasons for promoting Standardized tests

• It is fair and efficient
• It promotes Accountability
• It improves performance
• It allows the students to see their own progress
• The standardized tests encourages "Teaching to the test"

APTITUDE TEST 

An aptitude test is an exam used to determine an individual's skill or propensity to succeed in a given activity. Aptitude tests are generally used for job placement, college program entry, and to help people to get an idea of where their interests and aptitudes can take them regarding careers. In general, aptitude tests measure one's competence in logical reasoning, numerical skills, or verbal ability; competency can be evaluated through problem-solving tasks and testing one's critical thinking across various contexts. 

TYPES OF APTITUDE TEST MECHANICAL REASONING:

These types test your knowledge of physical concepts and are generally used to evaluate you for technical positions.  

JUDGMENT: 

These tests gauge your reactions to situations and your decision-making. DIAGRAMMATIC/SPATIAL REASONING: 

These tests see how well you can reach a conclusion based on processes contained in diagrams. 

ABSTRACT REASONING: 

These measure problem-solving abilities and identify relationships between abstract arrays. Numerical Reasoning: In these tests, your abilities with numbers, math, and data are tested. 

VERBAL REASONING: 

Your language, reading comprehension, and vocabulary are tested in these types. 

INDUCTIVE REASONING: Under the pressure of time, these tests see how well you analyze patterns and data. 

LOGICAL REASONING: Logical reasoning tests measure how well you recognize patterns and sequences and identify relationships between objects. 

CLERICAL APTITUDE: Clerical tests measure how fast and accurate you can be, seeing how well you can concentrate. 

HOW TO PASS AN APTITUDE TEST PRACTICE THE TEST DAILY: Practicing every day gives you continuous exposure to the questions and answers and helps you identify weak spots. 

LEARN THE TEST FORMAT: Remembering the format helps you move through the test. It also allows you to identify areas you need to work on. 

CAREFULLY READ THE INSTRUCTIONS: When you take the test, don't dive into it. Instead, read all instructions and ensure you understand them, so you don't work through a section giving wrong answers. 

 MANAGE YOUR TESTING TIME: Answer the questions you know first. Then, go back and work on the more challenging questions. For example, the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) measures a student's potential for successfully mastering foreign languages. For older students, Differential Aptitude Tests (DATs) assess a range of aptitudes from spatial relations to language usage. The results can help administrators make curricular recommendations. 

 DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

 For teachers of English to speakers of other languages, a diagnostic test is a valuable resource that can be employed to help both the teacher and the student. A diagnostic test is given at the beginning of the course, and is intended to assess the student’s current knowledge and mastery of the English language 

What are diagnostic tests?

Diagnostic tests are used to determine a student's proficiency level in English before they begin a course. These kinds of tests are meant to help pinpoint what students know and don’t know. Students with similar scores in a diagnostic test will often be put together in the same class according to language level. However, in a school where students are grouped together according to their age, diagnostic tests can be used to help choose the appropriate coursebook and also help the teacher to know what to teach. Diagnostic tests differ from other forms of assessment in two key ways: 

 *Firstly, they are conducted at the start of a course (before any teaching has taken place on that particular course).

* Secondly, the content of the test is not based on what has been taught in the preceding classes (as often there haven’t been any)

The Main Aim of a Diagnostic Test* Diagnostic tests can show the teacher what the students know and do not know about the English language. Such information can and should be analyzed by the teacher. Diagnostic tests look forward, testing a student’s strengths and weaknesses with English, normally before a course starts. Diagnostic tests allow us to decide what we need to cover with a student on a course by “diagnosing” weaker areas. The results of the diagnostic test are a valuable resource that can guide the teacher in creating effective lessons and materials that meet the learning goals of the course and the needs of his/her students. For example, if the teacher had the expectation that students are able to use the present perfect tense in a certain situation, but the majority of the students were not able to accurately use such a form in the test, the teacher could plan a lesson to review this material at the beginning of the course.

The Benefit to the Student

* Diagnostic tests can aid students in realizing what areas of the English language they are proficient in and what areas they need to work on. While this can be realized by the student during the test, it is much more worthwhile for the student to see the test and their results once it is graded. Doing so, the students can specifically see where they need to improve. They can also ask the teacher why their answers are wrong, for help in understanding certain forms and their usage, and even for advice on how to progress in their learning of the English language. Giving the student an awareness of their own English abilities is helpful, as it involves the student in his/her own progress of learning the language. 

ACHIEVEMENT TEST 

The achievement test definition is a test given to measure skill or knowledge in a certain defined subject. These tests often take place before or after a fair amount of academic teaching, but they can also be used in different forms and scenarios, all of which will be explored further in this lesson. One would use an achievement test to identify information or skills that someone has learned about a subject, whereas an aptitude test measures aspects of one's cognitive abilities, such as IQ. Formal and Informal Tests 

Students take many different types of tests for many different reasons. Achievement tests are designed to measure acquired knowledge or skills. Some achievement tests are formal, such as standardized tests that are purchased from a testing company. Examples of familiar, formal achievement tests include the American College Test (ACT), the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, and STAR Early Assessment. Standardized achievement tests provide a fairly accurate snapshot of student learning that can be used to compare students against either mastery of a set of standards, as is the case with criterion-referenced tests, or the norm, if it is norm-referenced. Formal achievement tests are used for accountability and college admissions. Informal achievement tests are used by classroom teachers to evaluate student learning and assign grades. Most assessments that students take are informal. Achievement tests may be taken before, during, or after a learning experience. Here's a look at some different types of achievement tests and their uses. 

Achievement Test Types 

Achievement tests can measure for different variables according to different factors. For example, a beginner's arithmetic test may measure the speed at which one can answer addition questions, whereas an advanced calculus test will measure the quality of one's work and answers. Achievement tests, or achievement assessments, aim to test an individual's knowledge about a certain topic, so they must adapt to the variables in question. 

Formal Achievement Tests

Formal tests are given during a set period of time, measuring aspects related to societal accomplishments, such as the completion of high school or admission into college courses. They come in many different forms, such as a standardized achievement test. Many individuals are familiar with the SAT or ACT tests. These tests are considered formal tests because they are held within institutions to a certain standard expected for all individuals no matter their place in the country. If someone would be caught cheating on the SAT or ACT there would be severe consequences. The SAT and ACT are also considered standardized tests because each individual is aligned to the normative score of their grade and age. A member of the 12th grade would only receive scores in comparison with their peers. This process makes the achievement test formal because there is data to compare scores. 

 According to these definitions, formal tests can also take place in other situations, such as at the doctor's office or on job applications. At the doctor's office, one might take a formal test in order to measure the speed at which their brain can finish simple problems. This is done to measure IQ and is compared to scientific data from other individuals of a similar age. For a job application, companies can easily determine whether or not an individual is qualified based on a quick test of English or math skills. 

Informal Achievement Tests

Informal tests vary in their uses and effectiveness. This is not to say that informal achievement tests are ineffective. Rather, informal tests are effective in a different manner. The purpose of an informal test is to gain information on the individual, not necessarily to compare their results to that of another, although comparisons are often made. Admittance into a prestigious art school is one example. Applications into fine arts programs require the individual to submit a sample of their art. This is an informal achievement test because, although the art will be critiqued, there are ultimately only a few guidelines regarding the quality of the art. Whether or not the individual will be admitted into the fine arts program is based upon the subjective opinion of the member reviewing the art, rather than reliance on data. 

Other examples of an informal test include questionnaires that one can find online. Quick personality tests that claim to reveal what television character someone is most like include a fair amount of data but are not backed by scientific evidence. In other words, the data is invalid due to its lack of sampling and peer-review. Because of this, the test can tell the individual a small amount about themself but is not a reliable indicator of personality factors. 

Diagnostic Assessments 

A diagnostic test can be either formal or informal but is given before new learning takes place. The main purpose of a diagnostic test is to determine where an individual is on a spectrum of a certain skill set. Someone might take a math test as a new student in order to see which class they should take. Mechanics run diagnostic tests on cars when they first enter the shop in order to determine what exactly needs to be fixed. 

Employers might also run diagnostic tests in order to get to know their employees better. A new hire might take a diagnostic test so they can provide their personality type and work style. A diagnostic test could be given so that an individual's initial skills are exposed, providing employers with a true outline of the individual's skill set. A formal example of this would be an English test with results that align with the norm for English competency. An informal example of a diagnostic assessment is asking key questions about a company in order to see if a potential employee has done their research. 

Formative Assessments 

Formative assessments take a different approach to testing than the previous assessments discussed. Rather than giving one test at the beginning of the curriculum and then one test at the end, formative assessments provide various tests along the way in order to track a student's learning style and what topics they have or have not learned. 

For example, if a math student is performing well in a calculus course with aspects of algebra, but is struggling with geometry concepts, the teacher may be able to provide lessons catered to that student, so they have a chance at performing better. Formative tests can assist with the lesson planning. Teachers may also use exit tickets, which are questions that must be answered before leaving class. Exit tickets serve as lesson conclusions, ensuring that the students remember the core concept of each lesson during the learning process. 

Diagnostic 

Why would students take a test before they were taught anything? Diagnostic assessments are pretests that are given before a learning experience that provide teachers with a reference point for each student's baseline knowledge. Some examples of formal diagnostic assessments include Developmental Reading Assessments (DRA) and Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Learning Skills (DIBELS). Informal diagnostic assessments include self-assessments, anticipation guides, KWL charts, and pretests. Anticipation guides probe students on the content they are about to learn. Anticipation guides activate prior knowledge and develop student interest, as well as helping teachers assess the student's starting point.

Formative 

How do teachers know when to speed up or slow down instruction? Formative assessments informally evaluate student knowledge through a learning segment to help teachers make instructional decisions. Examples of formative assessments include anecdotal notes, exit tickets, and pop quizzes. Exit tickets are brief assessments of learning that students complete at the end of a lesson. Generally, formative assessments are only used to guide instruction.