ERIC Number: EJ1071090
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2231-3338
EISSN: N/A
The Empirical Dimension of Communicative Language Tests: The Case of Selected Philippine Universities
Bernardo, Alejandro S.
Journal on English Language Teaching, v1 n1 p31-50 Jan-Mar 2011
This study examined the "communicativeness" of 22 English language tests designed and administered by 22 English instructors from 22 different colleges and universities in the Philippines. Its key objective was to answer the question "How communicative are the language tests used in assessing students' competence (knowledge of the language) and performance (actual use of the language in concrete situations)?" The results indicate that there is a preponderance of test items that focus on language accuracy alone and not on the use of language in actual or real-life contexts. Further, the language examinations deemed communicative by the teacher-respondents themselves still use discrete-point, paper and pencil, and decontextualized test items. Thus, it seems that the perused examination items lack the requisite elements or qualities that make a language test genuinely communicative. The results also suggest that language teachers' assessment practices must be further (re)examined to ensure that they do match the approach that underpin language instruction i.e. they must ascertain that the learners are taught and tested the communicative way.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Communicative Competence (Languages), Case Studies, English, English Language Learners, English (Second Language), Language Tests, Performance Based Assessment, Accuracy, Language Skills, Language Usage, Test Items, Item Analysis, Test Format, English Teachers, College Faculty, Questionnaires, Educational Practices, Beliefs, Teacher Attitudes, Qualitative Research, Statistical Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Philippines
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A