Assessing Listening
Moray House school of Education
MEd TESOL
2008-2009
Learner Assessment in TESOL
Tutor: Gillies Haughton
Student: Shaaban Ahmed S0899927
Learner Assessment in TESOL
Assessing Listening
Introduction
Assessing listening is one of the most significant areas of language testing. However, it is the least area that is cared for and developed in assessment. Perhaps this is due to it is a very complex process. Listening is NOT assessed in my context and this has caused dramatic drawbacks in language learning and teaching related to listening skill. Therefore, the test specs and test instrument constitute a proposal to incorporate them into English language testing in my context. The importance of assessing listening is in the potentials of washback on classroom practices and priorities. This paper attempts to provide a rationale and evaluation of a test design, instrument, process and outcomes.
Rationale
Testing the ability to understand oral discourse in English as a foreign language in my context will considerably encourage students and teachers to enhance and reinforce listening teaching and learning in classrooms. “Backwash” refers to the effect of testing on teaching and learning (Hughes, 1989, Desforges, 1989, Heaton, 1975). This effect can influence classroom practices either negatively or positively. The positive backwash expected from assessing listening is that it may have and immediate effect on; the syllabus, selection of new coursebooks and methodology (Baker, 1989, Davies, 1990, Alderson and Wall, 1993, Cheng et al, 2004). Black and William (2006) indicate that assessment in education must, first and foremost, serve the purpose of supporting learning. There are four main reasons behind my proposal to assess listening. Firstly, students and teachers will pay due attention to listening skill activities in the coursebook and consequently the four skills will be equally catered for in the coursebooks. Secondly, learners’ autonomy will be
MEd TESOL
2008-2009
Learner Assessment in TESOL
Tutor: Gillies Haughton
Student: Shaaban Ahmed S0899927
Learner Assessment in TESOL
Assessing Listening
Introduction
Assessing listening is one of the most significant areas of language testing. However, it is the least area that is cared for and developed in assessment. Perhaps this is due to it is a very complex process. Listening is NOT assessed in my context and this has caused dramatic drawbacks in language learning and teaching related to listening skill. Therefore, the test specs and test instrument constitute a proposal to incorporate them into English language testing in my context. The importance of assessing listening is in the potentials of washback on classroom practices and priorities. This paper attempts to provide a rationale and evaluation of a test design, instrument, process and outcomes.
Rationale
Testing the ability to understand oral discourse in English as a foreign language in my context will considerably encourage students and teachers to enhance and reinforce listening teaching and learning in classrooms. “Backwash” refers to the effect of testing on teaching and learning (Hughes, 1989, Desforges, 1989, Heaton, 1975). This effect can influence classroom practices either negatively or positively. The positive backwash expected from assessing listening is that it may have and immediate effect on; the syllabus, selection of new coursebooks and methodology (Baker, 1989, Davies, 1990, Alderson and Wall, 1993, Cheng et al, 2004). Black and William (2006) indicate that assessment in education must, first and foremost, serve the purpose of supporting learning. There are four main reasons behind my proposal to assess listening. Firstly, students and teachers will pay due attention to listening skill activities in the coursebook and consequently the four skills will be equally catered for in the coursebooks. Secondly, learners’ autonomy will be
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