TEFL Assessment and Testing in EFL

Question 1

What is the difference between 'formative' and 'summative' assessment in EFL?

Accepted Answer

Formative is ongoing assessment to inform teaching during learning; summative is end-of-term assessment to measure achievement

Answer

Formative assessment (quizzes, observation, feedback) shapes instruction during learning, while summative assessment (final exams, proficiency tests) evaluates overall achievement.

Question 2

What does 'validity' mean in the context of language testing?

Accepted Answer

The test measures what it claims to measure

Answer

A valid test genuinely assesses the skill or knowledge it is intended to measure — a speaking test must test speaking, not just vocabulary recall.

Question 3

What does 'reliability' mean in language assessment?

Accepted Answer

The test produces consistent results under similar conditions and across different markers

Answer

A reliable test gives stable scores — the same student should score similarly if retested, and different markers should give similar grades.

Question 4

What is a 'placement test' used for in an EFL context?

Accepted Answer

To assign students to appropriate level groups at the start of a program

Answer

Placement tests determine which class level best suits incoming students so instruction matches their current proficiency.

Question 5

What is a 'diagnostic test' designed to do?

Accepted Answer

Identify specific areas of language weakness so teaching can target those gaps

Answer

Diagnostic tests pinpoint particular language problems (e.g., difficulty with articles, verb patterns) so teachers can address them directly.

TEFL Certification Teaching English as a Foreign Language Practice Test

TEFL Certification Teaching English as a Foreign Language Practice Test

TEFL Assessment and Testing in EFL