Christopher Jenks, PhD.

cjjenks@polyu.edu.hk
Office AG429
Office Hours: TBD

ENGL 526 – Testing and Assessment

Thursday Room: W208

Friday Room: BC402

Required book: Hughes, Testing for Language Teachers (2nd edition)

Schedule

Week 1
Session 1/May 28* Teaching and testing (Ch. 1)
Room HJ304 Testing as problem-solving (Ch. 2)
Syllabus overview

Session 2/June 4* Types of tests/testing (Ch. 3)

Room HJ304

Week 2
Session 3/June 7 Validity and reliability (Ch. 4 & Ch. 5)

Session 4/June 8 Achieving beneficial backwash (Ch. 6)

Week 3
Session 5/June 14 Stages of test development (Ch. 7)

Session 6/June 15 Common test techniques (Ch. 8)

Week 4
Session 7/June 21 Testing writing (Ch. 9)
Testing reading (Ch. 11)

Session 8/June 22 Testing speaking (Ch. 10)

Testing listening (Ch. 12)

Week 5
Session 9/TBA* Test development project sharing
Session 10/TBA* Test development project sharing

Week 6
Session 11/July 5 Testing grammar and vocab (Ch. 13)

Session 12/July 6 Testing overall ability (Ch. 14)

Week 7
Session 13/July 12 Semester review

* Make-up dates

1
 Christopher Jenks, PhD.
cjjenks@polyu.edu.hk
Office AG429
Office Hours: TBD

Assessment Description

Term paper (60%)

Students will investigate a testing/assessment issue, and discuss how it is relevant to a particular
context. In other words, there are two main aspects that the term paper will address: (1) a
testing/assessment issue (e.g., construct validity), and (2) a specific context (e.g., speaking test in
public schools). Some possible term paper topics include the following.

1. How do you evaluate the communicative competence of university students in Hong Kong?
2. How can tasks be used to test grammar and vocabulary?
3. How does washback influence English language teaching in Hong Kong?
4. Should Hong Kong universities require language proficiency tests?
5. Is translingualism a theory that should be incorporated in Hong Kong university classrooms?

The term paper will be approximately 3,000 words. Students are required to use at least 7
references. Only academic books and peer reviewed journals should be used when researching
your topic. Your paper should follow APA conventions.

Test development project (30%)

This assignment requires students to design an assessment tool for a specific aspect of learning
(e.g., spoken fluency, presentation, research paper). In addition to creating a tool, students will
be required to justify/explain the design according to the following testing/assessment issues:

1. Validity and reliability

2. Washback
3. Feasibility
4. Theoretical foundation

The assignment should include the following components.

1. Description of the assessment tool (approximately 200 words)

2. The assessment tool
3. Theoretical justification/explanation: (approximately 500 words)

Students are required to discuss their assessment tool during class. This sharing will provide
opportunities to receive feedback and will be part of your class participation grade.

Class participation (10%)

Students are expected to attend classes and participate during class. Classroom participation
includes contributing to discussions, articulating ideas, providing well-structured arguments,
engaging in group activities, responding to criticisms, and building on the contributions of
others.

2
 Christopher Jenks, PhD.
cjjenks@polyu.edu.hk
Office AG429
Office Hours: TBD
Assessment Rubric

Term paper
Criteria A B C D F
Empirical Student (1) Student fully Student Student fully Student does
Study follows APA addresses 2 out marginally addresses 1 not fully
guidelines, (2) of the 3 addresses 2 out out of the 3 address any of
includes at objectives. of the 3 objectives. the objectives.
least 7 relevant objectives.
academic
references, and
(3) makes
observations
that reflect
current
scholarship.
Literature Student Student Student Student Student
demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates
an excellent some some little no
understanding understanding understanding understanding understanding
of the of the of the of the of the
literature. literature. literature, but literature. literature.
the knowledge
is not used
appropriately.
Testing and Student Student Student Student fully Student does
assessment adequately adequately marginally addresses 1 of not address
identifies a identifies a identifies a the 2 required any of the
testing or testing or testing or objectives. required
assessment assessment assessment objectives.
issue and how issue and how issue and how
it is relevant to it is relevant to it is relevant to
a specific a specific a specific
context. This context. This context. This
testing or testing or testing or
assessment assessment assessment
issue is fully issue is issue is
explored in the marginally marginally
essay. explored in the explored in the
essay. essay.
Language The essay is The essay The essay The essay The essay does
justification written (1) with follows 2 and follows 1, but follows only not follow any
and few 3, but not 1. only 2 or 3. one criteria. criteria.
explanation grammatical
and
punctuation
errors, (2) in a
concise way,
and (3)
coherently.

Points
Given

3
 Christopher Jenks, PhD.
cjjenks@polyu.edu.hk
Office AG429
Office Hours: TBD

Test development project

Criteria A B C D F
Assessment The assessment Student fully Student Student fully Student does
tool tool is described addresses 2 marginally addresses 1 not fully
description (1) clearly, (2) out of the 3 addresses 2 out of the 3 address any of
with all relevant objectives. out of the 3 objectives. the objectives.
information, and objectives.
(3) according to
what is actually
designed.
Assessment The design The design The design The design The design
tool demonstrates an demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates
excellent some some little no
understanding of understanding understanding understanding understanding
the literature. of the of the of the of the
literature. literature, but literature. literature.
the knowledge
is not used
appropriately.
Theoretical Student adequately Student All required Only some of None of the
discusses adequately issues are the required required issues
validity/reliability, discusses most discussed but issues are are discussed
washback, of the required done so discussed. adequately.
feasibility, and the issues. poorly.
theoretical
foundation.

Points
Given