Assessing Task-based Language Teaching

1. LOGO
Assessing task-based language
teaching
D. Nunan (2004: ch.7)
by
Parisa Mehran

2. Introduction and overview
Assessment in TBLT:
1. Assessment should reflect what has been taught
2. Direct form of assessment
Assessment in traditional, language-based curricula:
1. A representative sampling of the grammar, vocabulary
and phonological features of the language
2. Indirect form of assessment
TBLT presents challenges in all areas of the curriculum
particularly in the area of assessment

3. Key concepts in assessment
Evaluation vs.
assessment
Evaluation:
1. A broad, general set of procedures involving collection
and interpretation of information for curricular decision
making
2. This information generally includes data on what
learners can and cannot do in the language
3. Evaluation can take place at any time
4. Any aspect of curriculum can be evaluated
Assessment:
1. Procedures for collecting the learner data
2. A subset of evaluation
Testing:
1. One form of assessment
2. More formal collection of data on learner performance
Assessment measures need
to satisfy three types of
validity:
1. Content validity
2. Criterion-related
validity
3. Construct validity

4. Indirect vs. direct
assessment
Direct assessment: learners are required to
reproduce the kinds of communicative behaviors
they will need to carry out in the real world
Indirect assessment: the test does not resemble
outside-class performance

5. System-referenced vs.
performance-referenced
tasks
A system-referenced test item: requires
the learner to demonstrate knowledge of
the phonological, lexical or grammatical
systems of the language
A performance-referenced test item:
requires the learner to demonstrate an
ability to use the language
Why to use indirect assessment?
1. Performance-based assessment can be
difficult to set up and control
2. Grading learner performance can be
highly problematic
3. They can be quickly and conveniently
administered to many learners at the
same time
4. They are easy to score
Why to use direct performance-based
assessment?
1. It measures Ss’ abilities to respond to
real-life language tasks
2. Their scores can be used to predict Ss’
abilities in future real-world situations

6. Assessing proficiency
vs. achievement
Assessment of proficiency:
proficiency is meant to be independent
of any particular course of study and of
a given syllabus
Assessment of achievement:
achievement refers to the mastery by
the learner of specific curricular
objectives
According to Ingram
(1984), general
proficiency refers to
the ability to use the
language in everyday,
non-specific
situations

7. Teaching vs. testing
Almost any teaching task can be used for
assessment purposes and vice versa
The difference is:
1. How the task fits into an instructional
cycle
2. What is done with the learner output
from the task

8. Task-based
assessment
Task-based tests require candidates to perform an activity which
simulates a performance they will have to engage in outside the
test situation
Task-based testing is part of performance assessment
Three essential characteristics of performance assessment:
1. It must be based on tasks
2. Tasks should be as authentic as possible
3. Success or failure in the outcome of the task must usually be rated by
qualified judges
Four factors that should be considered in grading tasks:
1. Code
2. Cognitive complexity
3. Communicative demand
4. Overlapping variables

9. Norm-referenced vs.
criterion-referenced assessment
Both have to do with how student test scores are interpreted
Norm-referenced testing:
1. Ss are compared to each other
2. Ss’ scores are dispersed along a normal distribution
3. It is appropriate for ‘assessing abstracted language ability
traits’
Criterion-referenced testing:
1. It compares Ss not against each other but on how well they
do on a given assessment task
2. It is more appropriate than norm-referenced testing in TBLT
3. They are designed to assess Ss’ mastery of course objectives

10. The purposes of assessment
Reasons for carrying out assessment in the first
place should have an important bearing on:
1. How the assessment is carried out
2. When it is carried out
3. By whom
4. How the results will be reported
There are different functions of assessment such as
placement of learners in classes as the most important
function

11. Self-assessment
1
To encourage
learner autonomy
and a focus on
learning processes
as well as learning
outcomes
2
To involve learners
in their own
learning processes
3
To develop an
understanding of
learners’ own level
of skill, knowledge
or personal
readiness for a
task in relation to
their goals
Criticism to self-assessment: not all learners are
accurate judges of their own ability

12. Techniques for collecting assessment data
There is no limit to techniques and procedures for collecting data in
task-based language classrooms
Performance scales
Production tasks: role play, discussion
tasks and simulation
Observation schedules
Journals, diaries and learning logs
Portfolios

13. Criteria for assessing learner performance
1. Accuracy, fluency and complexity
Systematically manipulating the characteristics of tasks resulted in
different levels of accuracy, complexity and fluency
Five task characteristics:
1.Familiarity of the information in the task
2.Dialogic versus monologic task
3.Degree of structure to the task
4.Complexity of the task outcome
5.Transformation of language and content as speakers speak
2. Objectives-based criteria: the criteria are taken directly from the
course objectives

14. Conclusion
Assessment of
learning outcomes
should always:
Be
formative
in nature
Involve the direct
assessment of
student
performance
Be criterion-
referenced
Focus on the attainment
of specific objectives
rather than trying to
assess general
proficiency