Assessment and Evaluation Flashcards

The 'washback effect' in language testing describes:

Answer: The influence a test has on the teaching and learning that precede it

Washback (or backwash) refers to how the existence and nature of a test shapes classroom instruction and learner behavior.

Which statistical measure indicates how well a single test item discriminates between high- and low-performing test takers?

Answer: Item discrimination index

The item discrimination index compares the proportion of high scorers vs. low scorers who answered an item correctly.

Portfolio assessment is considered particularly valuable at advanced proficiency levels because it:

Answer: Captures growth, process, and a range of competencies over time

Portfolios document a learner's developmental trajectory and diverse abilities, which is especially meaningful at C2 level.

In a proficiency interview, an examiner increases task complexity when a candidate responds with ease. This technique is called:

Answer: Adaptive assessment

Adaptive assessment dynamically adjusts task difficulty based on the test-taker's demonstrated performance.

Which principle requires that assessment tasks resemble real-world language use as closely as possible?

Answer: Authenticity

Authenticity requires that test tasks reflect genuine communicative purposes and contexts encountered outside the test setting.

Self-assessment is most effective when learners:

Answer: Use clear descriptors or rubrics to reflect on their own work

Without transparent criteria, self-assessment becomes arbitrary; rubrics give learners concrete standards to apply to their own work.

A test that consistently produces very similar scores when re-administered under the same conditions is said to have high:

Answer: Reliability

Reliability refers to the consistency and stability of test scores across repeated administrations or raters.