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LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT WITH GENERAL OVERVIEW OF
CLASSROOM PROFILE AND INDIVIDUAL LEARNERS
Khaitova Alokhon Ilyosbek kizi
Senior teacher of English of Andijan Technical
Institute academic lyceum
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16353171
Abstract.
This article aims at exploring the principles as well as concepts of
language assessment accompanied by a specific classroom profile and it
addresses language skills as well. Additionally, it provides the reader with
deeper comprehension of creating assessments aligning with standards or
learning objectives and addressed various needs of language learners making
attempt to deliver valuable information for reporting future instructions.
Key words.
Language assessment, classroom profile, prior instruction,
external language assessment, language skills, language objectives, assessment
development, modification, analytic rubric, holistic rubric, fairness and equity.
Introduction.
Testing students’ language levels normally help educators to
provide learners with expand knowledge of the target language. Hamp-Lyons
(2016) claims that the purpose of the proficiency test is to measure learners’
language level and to identify strengths and weaknesses of the language learner.
Thus, in this part of my paper, I will give an overview for Multilevel exam test
that is widely common in Uzbekistan.
To begin with, Multilevel test is a paper-based language proficiency test
assessing learners’ language levels according to CEFR assessment criteria. The
audience include non-native speakers of English who apply for education, work
or monthly salary bonus. For my target learners, this test type is specifically
relevant to navigate them to enter universities with high scores after achieving
proficiency certificate of this test. Multilevel test assesses learners’ four language
skills, reading, listening, writing and speaking. According to assessment criteria
of the test, assessing scores include the following results: C1 proficient user,
scores 65-75, the number of correct answers is 28-35; B2 independent user,
scores 51-64, the number of correct answers is 18-27; B1 basic user, scores 38-
50, the number of correct answers is 10-17 for each language skill. There is
below B1 level including scores 0-37, the number of correct answers is 0-9, yet
candidates, who gained scores 0-37 in each level, are not provided with any
proficiency certificate in this test. All language levels are scored separately and
the results of the assessment are added up to identify overall level, which is
equal to CEFR assessment criteria. Referring to the language skills sub-tests,
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listening
continues approximately 35-40 minutes including 6 parts and 35
questions relevant to language levels from B1 to C1 at the highest point. This
sub-test assesses candidate’s ability to grasp main topics, detailed information,
ideas, as well as to follow the flow of ideas.
Reading,
is one of the sub-tests of
Multilevel test, consists of 5 parts and 35 questions and measures learners’
ability of reading comprehension, understanding of key points of the passage
and critical thinking and analyzing through reading techniques such as scanning
and skimming. To accomplish the reading test, an hour is given and extra 10
minutes are given to copy the answers of both listening and reading test into the
answer sheet.
Writing,
which is one of the productive skills, assesses
candidates’ grammar range and accuracy, task achievement, usage of the
vocabulary and coherence as well. Mostly, writing test is regarded as the
weakest point of a great number of learners as it measures not only grammar
and vocabulary, but it also checks the horizon of language learners. Writing test
duration is 1 hour and it requires writing a letter for Task 1 and an essay on a
specific topic for Task 2.
Speaking
, which is a productive skill, lasts about 12-15
minutes and consists of three parts and it assesses pronunciation, fluency,
coherence, vocabulary size and grammar range and accuracy. Part 1 includes 6
personal questions related to daily life, Part 2 includes a two-minute speech on a
particular topic with a minute preparation and Part 3 includes 5-6 logical
questions related to various 2 or more topics.
Literature and methods.
In the process of selecting tools and assessments,
I focused on creating authentic and involving tasks which can cater to assess the
language skills of my target learners and these tasks will meet my learners’
needs. My specific learners Bek, Aisha, Nisa need to improve their productive
skill writing and Denis suffers from lack of concentration while doing listening
test and not reaching C1 level in listening skill. Hence, according to needs
analysis towards my learners, I utilized both originally developed and modified
versions of the assessments while creating, aligning with Weigle (2012) and
Flowerdew & Miller (2012). By this, I emphasized designing the assessments to
be more relevant to my learner’s needs. My selection of modifying existing
assessment, that is listening assessment, navigated me to make some changes
for the existing assessment due to my learners’ needs. Obviously, my learners
are preparing for Multilevel exam which assesses language proficiency. In this
test, there is listening sub-test including gap-filling tasks in two parts of it and in
the existed material, there is T/F/NG task which is not crucial for the listening
section of this external assessment. Therefore, I modified this material into gap-
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filling task as this will be beneficial for my learners to practice listening skill.
Referring to developed assessment, that is, writing assessment, I developed the
assessment from scratch and the assessment is similar to the real task provided
in the external assessment. As writing is productive skill, students must have
strong grammar and vocabulary knowledge as well as critical thinking skills.
Thus, while integrating writing tasks into my class, I normally conduct mini-
grammar lessons to be effective for students. Apart from that, I introduce the
vocabulary and the language to use throughout writing process. Shin (2011)
offers to organize “mini grammar lessons” over the writing activity to be
beneficial for language learners in order not to suffer from lack of grammar
knowledge for writing. Therefore, aligning with Shin’s point of view, I do an
endeavor to improve students’ grammar knowledge as well.
Referring to the
choice of rubric
that I have designed, I selected holistic
rubric for my listening assessment and analytic rubric for my writing
assessment. Firstly, commenting about the holistic rubric for the listening
assessment I focused on performance descriptors in terms of correct answers in
order to describe students’ listening ability. Ayhan (2015) points out that, as
holistic rubric can be used aligning with various tasks, it is beneficial to assess
learners’ ability in terms of receptive skills. Thus, I regard that holistic rubric is
relevant to evaluate listening skill due to its easy way to deal with performance
descriptors. When it comes to the analytic rubric that I have selected for the
productive skill, writing, as writing is considered to be one of the most
challenging productive skills illustrating weak and strong sides of the language
learner, it should be assessed owing to various criterion. Ayhan (2015)
considers that, analytic rubric is productive in terms of showing weaknesses and
strengths of a learner with specific details. In alignment with Ayhan’s
perspective, I have utilized analytic rubric for writing skill to evaluate my
learners’ performance on writing specifically.
These assessments as well as rubrics have
direct alignment with the
language objectives
below. The criterion and all tasks in the rubrics illustrate
particular skills and ideology mentioned in the objectives. I have designed those
assessments following a particular instructional order and I ensure that, these
assessments prepare my students to illustrate their comprehension on listening
and writing as well. They can do gap filling tasks easily through practicing the
assessment and for writing they are able to edit their written products with the
help of preparation for their external assessment. Referring to the writing
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assessment, it navigates to drafting and revising the grammar and vocabulary
and receiving feedback as the result of practicing writing skills.
Results. General overview of learners including age, ethnicity, level.
This target classroom consists of 14 learners whose ages are about 15-16. All of
them are native Uzbek speakers, their L1 is Uzbek and they are studying at the
lyceum specialized in Exact Sciences, yet they all come from various districts of
Uzbekistan. Being first-year students of the academic lyceum where I work, their
language proficiency levels vary which indicates from pre-intermediate A2 level
to upper-intermediate B2 level according to CEFR scale and compared to IELTS
scoring system their levels vary from 4 to 6.5 band scores.
The course aim
The course conducted for my target learners is Preparation for Proficiency
Exam Course, which aims at preparing my target learners for language
proficiency exams by improving their language skills.
Prior instruction
Normally, when these learners come to the lyceum for the first time to
study, some of the students’ language proficiency levels indicate A2 pre-
intermediate level due to the results of placement test conducted by me at the
starting point of the course and those learners have had insufficient prior
instruction struggling language skills and for some others this result reveals that
they have had well-organized prior instruction achieving B2 level due to CEFR
scale. To assist my learners in terms of achieving higher levels, I utilize
scaffolding strategies for my lower level students providing them with more
support in their language journey and for my higher-level students I use the
differentiation instruction relevant to their levels in order to assist them to
increase their levels towards advanced one. For differentiation, I require my
high-level students to write a summary based on the passage in reading and
listening skills and in writing and speaking, I ask them to produce more
complicated product, whether it is either writing or speaking skill.
The description of individual learners
First learner: Bek
Bek is a learner from Uzbekistan, Fergana district and aged 16, whose
language proficiency level is B2
upper-intermediate where he can illustrate good
understanding of English with visual and auditory learning styles. His
assessment score, according to the placement test including Multilevel exam
samples, shows that his receptive skills, listening and reading, have been
improved as the consequence of his strong attempts and hard work towards
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second language acquisition as well as having five-years of additional formal
instruction of English to achieve high proficiency level. That was his investment
to acquire the language. The result of the assessment depicts that the scores for
his reading and listening skills are 63 and 64 respectively, however he considers
he has areas to improve showing the result of writing and speaking skills, only
52 and 53 respectively. His extrinsic motivation leads him to be proficient user
in English and he makes strong attempt to achieve the highest level. In order to
support him in terms of improving his productive skills the accommodation
should focus on more practice in these skills encouraging him to have more
communication in English creating an English atmosphere inside the class as
well as writing critical analysis on various topics.
Second learner: Nisa
Nisa is a learner who comes from Namangan and her age is 15. Her
language proficiency level is A2 pre-intermediate according to conducted
placement test including Multilevel exam samples and assessment score shows
that she has insufficient exposure to the English language which leads her to
gain 30 and 28 from reading and listening respectively, and she is struggling
with lack of experience in productive skills, writing 23 and speaking 24. Her
learning style is visual and as she has had insufficient prior instruction of
English consisting of only a six-month’s preparation for entrance exams of the
lyceum, she only achieved A2 level on CEFR scale. For the time being, she is
eager to increase her language level from A2 to B1 and then to B2. Her intrinsic
motivation leads her to achieve this step by step by means of hard work and has
intention of visiting one of the English-speaking countries and continuing her
studies there since she wants to have enough exposure to both formal and
informal English. As the investment to acquire the language, she should spend
extra time on practicing language skills by attending extra classes.
Accommodation should address for her to provide her with simplified texts to
improve her receptive skills and to enhance her productive skills, extra classes
should be implemented emphasizing grammar and vocabulary as well as
communicative atmosphere using only English in class.
Third learner: Aisha
Aisha is a learner from Andijan, whose age is 16 having interpersonal
learning style. Her language level is B1 intermediate and according to the result
of conducted placement test, assessment scores indicate she has had enough
exposure to English including three-year’s experience in language acquisition in
private tutorial. The result of the test shows that, her spoken English is
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dominant among all other language skills indicating 54 as she has had enough
exposure to spoken English having lived in the UK with her family members
during five years due to her father’s job requirement. However, she struggles
with lack of experience in formal English and according to the test result, her
reading and writing skills deserve 39 and 33 respectively. Still, as an influence of
living in the UK her listening shows higher, that is, 45. For her, accommodation
should focus on enhancing her formal English by providing her with scaffolding
in terms of teaching grammar deeper as well as encouraging her to improve
critical thinking skills to make her do tasks on specific topics. Her intrinsic
motivation leads her to achieve high level in the English language and as an
investment in her language journey, she needs more practice attending to extra
classes studying grammar and vocabulary deeper.
Fourth learner: Denis
Denis is a learner who is from Andijan as well similar to Aisha. Being aged
16, due to the placement test result, Denis’s language level is C1, advanced,
showing proficient user according to CEFR scale. He has had massive exposure
to English to achieve this level as he has had perfect prior instruction with
private tutorial including six years. As his both parents are teachers of English at
the University, his extrinsic motivation impacts positively on his learning styles,
which are auditory and kinesthetic. As an investment towards language learning,
he has already spent six years without stopping to acquire the language
spending extra time on practicing English with his parents. The results of the
test illustrates that his writing and speaking scores are 68 and 66 respectively
with perfect usage of strong advanced grammar and vocabulary, and the scores
of his receptive skills, listening and reading are 64 and 65 respectively. Denis
has self-confidence towards his productive skills and often supportive to his
other peers while he struggles with reading strategies and considers this
language skill to be improved. Accommodation for him should focus on
encouraging him to practice reading strategies such as skimming and scanning,
note-taking and highlighting key points of the passage.
Discussion. Language objectives to be assessed
Language objective 1 (Writing):
Students will be able to write a formal
request letter using relevant structure for this letter type addressing all
requirements within the task of the letter
Language objective 2 (Writing):
Students will write a request letter using
relevant grammar structures and a particular language including vocabulary for
this letter type
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Language objective 3 (Listening):
Students will grasp the meaning from
the context and predict correct answers due to their critical thinking skills and
their prior vocabulary knowledge
Language objective 4 (Listening):
Students will distinguish the tone of the
speaker and voice accurately
Instructional outlines
Writing
In this assessment, students will be writing a formal request letter to get
prepared for their writing exam in their external assessments. As there is a
requirement for test takers to write a letter in Multilevel exam, my learners must
be aware of the ways of writing a letter. Since writing is regarded as the most
challenging skill and being productive one, the writing tasks should be
implemented accompanied with grammar and vocabulary. Weigle (2012) offers
that writing L2 teachers who are teaching writing skill should address the
structure of the language and vocabulary as well to reach efficient writing
product. Therefore, aligning Weigle’s perspective, I try to conduct my writing
classes including mini grammar lessons. The outline of the assessment is the
following and it is original one:
Students are introduced the writing type, request letter by the teacher;
Students are provided with the topic for the letter that is going to be
written;
Students are given the language of the letter and grammar structures to
utilize throughout their writing product;
They will be set exact amount of time to generate their writing drafts;
They will be set exact amount of time to edit their written drafts.
Listening
In this assessment, students will be doing a listening task to be beneficial
for their external assessment. In their external assessments, my target learners
need to do gap filling task, which needs to be used in the exam. I have modified
the assessment as it was T/F task in the existing task. Multilevel exam does not
include doing T/F task in the listening exam. Therefore, I altered the task into
gap-filling task. The link to access the audio will be given in the reference list. As
Thompson (1995) suggests that, a vital factor for the listening task, it should
cover smaller passages to be understandable for test takers. Being in favor of
Thompson’s suggestion, I used passages with fewer minutes for my learners.
The outline of the assessment is the following and it is modified.
Students will be provided with the handouts including listening task;
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Students will be introduced the way and techniques of fulfilling the task;
Students are introduced new vocabulary that is going to be used in the
listening;
They are provided with the audio by the teacher;
At the end of the lesson, all correct answers will be provided by the
teacher.
Assessment development or modification with rubrics (Option 3)
Assessment 1. Writing
You got the scores from the instructor of your English language course
but you realized that your productive skills were marked with lower scores.
Write a letter to your instructor.
In your letter:
Introduce yourself
Explain why you think the scores are low
Ask to make an appointment to discuss your weaknesses.
Write an аppropriate style
Do not write your own address and begin with Dear Sir/Madam,
Write at leаst
150 words
.
You should spеnd
20 minutes
to do this task.
Analytic rubric for the writing assessment
Proficient user
C1
Very good user
B2
Good user
B1
Basic user
A2
Task
achievement
(Object
ive 1)
Addresses
all
questions
provided in the
task
with
completely
interpreted ideas,
word
count
exceeds
Addresses
all
questions
provided in the
task with some
ideas are not
justified, word
count meets
Addresses
some questions
provided in the
task with only
ideas that are
not
justified,
word count is
limited
Addresses an
only
question
provided in the
task
with
misinterpretation,
word count is less
Grammar
range
and
accuracy
(Object
ive 2)
Uses wide
range of grammar
structures
and
only compound
and
complex
sentences
without
any
errors
Uses
sufficient
grammar
structures and
more compound
sentences with
some
spelling
errors
Uses some
grammar
structures and
more
simple
sentences with
some grammar
errors
Uses
basic
grammar
structures
and
only
simple
sentences with a
lot of grammar
errors
Lexical
range
Uses wide
range of high-
Uses
sufficient
Uses
limited
Uses
only
basic vocabulary
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(Objective
2)
level vocabulary,
the vocabulary is
relevant to the
topic and not
repeated
vocabulary
related to the
topic,
some
words
are
repeated
vocabulary
related to the
topic
with
repetition
of
most words
with
incorrect
usage, vocabulary
range is limited
with repetition
Coherence
and
cohesion
(Objective
1)
Ideas
and
paragraphs
are
linked coherently
with
the
appropriate
usage of wide
range of cohesive
devices
Ideas and
paragraphs are
linked
coherently with
appropriate
usage of some
cohesive devices
Some
ideas are linked
coherently,
some cohesive
devices
are
used incorrectly
There is no
cohesion
linking
the ideas, cohesive
devices are not
used
I have found it relevant to use analytic rubrics for writing skill assessment
as it is a productive skill and should be assessed owing to various criterion.
Weigle (2012) claims that, in order to assess test-taker’s performance
separately, analytic rubric can be utilized due to varying characteristics of the
writing product. In alignment with Weigle’s perspective, I have preferred to
integrate analytic rubric type into my productive skill assessment.
Assessment 2. Listening
Listening Part 4
You will hear a dialogue about a party between an adolescent girl and
her father. As you listen,
fill in the numbered spaces from
1 to 8
with necessary words. You will
hear the conversation
twice.
You have to write no more than
ONE WORD
or
A NUMBER
in the spaces.
Example:
Name of the girl
0
. Anna
The Party
The day of the party
1
…………………
The age of Tom’s sister
2
………………..
Participants of the birthday party are
3
……………. and cousins as well.
Dad expects the birthday party to be
4
…………… as plenty of people
are coming.
5
…………… spends too much time at their home studying and it is time
to enjoy relaxing from studies.
Starting time of the party
6
……………
7
…………….. Dad will take the two girls to the party at eight.
The time for picking up the girl from the party
8
……………
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Holistic rubric for the assessment
Score
Comprehension and inference
(Objective 3, 4)
Vocabulary knowledge
(Objective 3)
Exceeds
the
standard
8-7
correct
answers
Understanding of key ideas with
the usage of critical thinking, speaker’s
perspective from the tone of the
speakers, uses suppоrting dеtails
Comprehension
and
remembering of used new
vocabulary over the listening
audio, the usage of the
vocabulary is accurate with
distinguishing of the words
from the pronunciation
Meets
the
standard
6-4
correct
answers
Grasps main idea of the listening
audio understands the passage with
some hesitation, there is hesitation in
identifying the tone of speech
Incorrect translation of
some words in the listening,
grasping some words from the
pronunciation
Improvements
needed
3 or fewer
Does not understand the topic
which is on, there is much hesitation in
distinguishing the tone of the speaker
Words are translated
incorrectly and most of them
are
unfamiliar
without
identifying
from
the
pronunciation
Referring to receptive skill, listening, I have utilized holistic rubric as the
result of the test taker depends of the number of correct answers. Flowerdew &
Miller (2012) suggest using holistic rubric with descriptors and points for
listening assessment as it is one of the receptive skills that can be marked with
just either the percentages or number scales. Aligning with the viewpoints of
these two authors, I have considered holistic rubric with performance
descriptors is relevant to assess my modified assessment of the listening skill.
Conclusion.
In conclusion, Multilevel test serves as an essential and vital
external language assessment for my target learners to create academic
opportunities. Being aware of the structure and requirements of the test helps
me as a teacher conduct the English language classes in an appropriate way.
Consequently, I can organize language classes meeting my learners’ needs and
this leads to prepare them for Multilevel exam and to increase their overall
language proficiency level.
I will use the data from those assessments in order to inform about the
instruction used in future and will identify areas where language learners need
extra assistance and chances to improve. To exemplify, when students struggle
with distinguishing supporting facts continually over the listening task, the
lessons in future will contain more comprehensible instruction and making
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practice on this language skill. When it comes to the datа from the writing task, it
will infоrm the choice for writing experiences used in the future as well as
providing an insight into fields where learners require additional instruction on
grammar and vocabulary as well as structuring.
I must admit that, the assessments are normally formed in order providing
fairness and equity
for all language learners. Puspawati (2014) offers
proficiency tests to have fairness in terms of being all students equal to show
their language learning ability as well as addressing all learners’ needs. In
alignment with Puspawati’s point, I have made the assessments including
fairness based on my students’ needs. Brown (2005) suggests focusing on
providing a relevant support to meet the learners’ individual needs maintaining
the equity of the assessment. Aligning with Brown’s ideas, I will focus on some
individual needs of my students. For example, Bek, Nisa and Aisha suffer from
lack of grammar knowledge and cannot improve their writing skill, so I conduct
mini-grammar lessons over each writing classes to use within their writing
products. Taylor & Chen (2016) suggest using accommodations for lower level
students in order to create an opportunity to demonstrate their language
learning abilities. Denis whose level is almost C1 struggles his listening skill and
I drive him practice listening skill more providing him with listening
assessments that he needs. By this endeavors I maintain equity throughout my
classes and provided assessments.
However, there is
an area to improve,
that is, exploring more creative and
engaging methods to observe the progress of the students will be beneficial for
me in terms of creating more valid and reliable assessments with relevant
rubrics due to my students’ needs.
References:
Ayhan, U. (2015). Key of language assessment: Rubrics and rubric design.
International Journal of Language and Linguistics. 2(2). International Burch
University.
Brown, C. L. (2005). Equity of literacy-based math performance assessments for
English language learners. Bilingual Research Journal, 29(2), 337-363.
Flowerdew, J., & Miller, L. (2012). Assessing listening. In C. Coombe, P. Davidson,
B.O’Sullivan, & S. Stoynoff (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to second language
assessment (pp. 225-233). Cambridge University Press.
Hamp-Lyons, L. (2016). Purposes of assessment. In D. Tsagari & J. Banerjee
(Eds.), Handbook of second language assessment (pp. 13-27). De Gruyter, Inc.
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O’Sullivan, B. (2012). Assessing speaking. In C. Coombe, P. Davidson, B.
O’Sullivan, & S. Stoynoff (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to second language
assessment (pp. 234-246). Cambridge University Press.
Puspawati, I. (2014). Fairness issues in a standardized English test for non-
native speakers of English. TESOL Journal, 5(3).
Shin, S., J. (2011). Ten techniques for successful writing tutorials. TESOL Journal.
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Taylor, L., & Chen, N. N. (2016). Assessing students with learning and other
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language assessment (pp. 377-395). De Gruyter, Inc.
Thompson, I. (1995). Assessment of second/foreign language listening
comprehension. In D. J. Mendelson & J. Rubin (Eds.), A guide for the teaching of
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Weigle, S. C. (2012). Assessing writing. In C. Coombe, P. Davidson, B. O’Sullivan,
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LISTENING PET - FCE - CAE. (2020, September 9). PET 4 - TEST 1 [Video].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTMZYT8cT1w
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