Admissions tests
For the sake of completeness, we should include these tests. They aim to ascertain whether a student will be able to cope with the demands of a particular course or programme of study. Since modern language departments rely on grades in public exams for entry to degrees, admissions tests are only ever informal affairs, used when determining the ability of entrants with 'non-standard' qualifications. However, TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and IELTS (International English Language Testing Service) scores act as forms of admissions test to most universities for non-native speakers of English.
Activity 2
By way of reviewing the above, try to complete the following table (if
you like, as a form of progress test!). Insert one of the following against
each of the test descriptions in the box below:
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Test
description
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Test
type
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| These assign students to appropriate levels within a programme; such tests are related to course objectives. | |
| These assess students' general ability to learn languages prior to actual tuition in any particular language. | |
| These are used for screening purposes to make decisions about students' ability to cope with a course. | |
| These assess FL speakers' ability in the target language independently of any curriculum. | |
| These are used during a course to provide information about students' mastery of or problems with elements of the syllabus. | |
| These identify students' existing strengths and weaknesses in order to help tailor tuition to learners' needs. | |
| These assess what students have accomplished in relation to a particular course of study or module. They usually occur at the end of a course. |
(Adapted from Bailey, 1998: 40)
Click on 'Commentary' to check your responses.
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