126245 FK EFL Testing and Assessment / Assessment (2016S)

This course is designed to give future teachers a basic grounding in the core areas of assessment, including construct definition, specifications, item formats, validity of assessments, reliability of judgements and test practicality. The assessment of all four skills, plus grammar and vocabulary, will be covered to varying degrees (incl. analysing/adapting existing tasks), as are rater training for writing and the practicalities of formative and summative assessment in the Austrian classroom.

The major aims are to
* develop a basic understanding of fundamental concepts in language assessment with a special focus on the classroom context
* understand how to implement these concepts in the selection, development and evaluation of assessment instruments used
* understand the links between assessment, testing, learning and teaching
* help participants to become confident enough to continue learning about language assessment on their own

Methods:
Classroom projects/group work (achievement tests, rater training), discussion of readings, critical reflection on key concepts in language assessment, critical evaluation of assessment instruments