Testing, Evaluation and Assessment 2019

 
This programme has been developed for ELT professionals working for intensive language schools at universities at all levels, who are keen to develop their understandings and abilities in applying the latest developments in:
 

• Understanding the key principles underlying good practice in TEA
• Developing the ability to write good test items
• Designing and producing a variety of assessment instruments
• Providing leadership in their institution in the field of TEA
• Managing their own continuing professional development in TEA

 
Module 2 Core themes include:
 
Day 1

• Re-Cap from Module 1: what makes a language test valid? Types of language tests & their uses. Developing Test Specs
• Assessing the Receptive Skills [Input on Reading]
• Discussion: What is ideal and what is feasible while assessing reading in your particular context
• Determining text difficulty for reading texts: why and how?
• Practical issues to consider regarding the possible formats to assess reading
  • backwash
  • grading
  • exam security
  • exam shelf-life/recycling
  • suitable content or sources
  • item-analysis
  • how to interpret the results
• Discussion: issues from your particular context, regarding assessment of reading

 
Day 2

• Recap: Reflective discussion: How reliable & practical are your reading tests?
• Mindmapping: tried and tested method to ensure good item writing for receptive skills
• Hands on: producing items for a reading test
• Assessing listening: should we?
• Discussion: issues from your particular context, regarding assessment of listening

 
Day 3

• Recap: Reflective discussion: How reliable & practical are your listening tests?
• The CEFR: help or hindrance while assessing listening?
• Hands on: producing items for a listening test
• Determining text difficulty while assessing listening
• Developing test specifications for listening assessment
• FEEDBACK

 
Time will be built into the course for reflection and for participants to consider how to adapt ideas from the course to classrooms in their own professional contexts.
 
All course participants receive a pre-course questionnaire, which should be returned prior to the course. This is to ensure that the areas of most relevance to participants are covered. The main strands of the course will be carefully integrated.

 
PROGRAM FACILITATORS
 
MERVE KARABULUT
Merve has been deeply involved in Project Based Teaching & Learning, Item Anchoring Training and SL Research. She had CELTA and DELTA qualifications and attended an M.A. in Management program at Bilkent University School of English Language. Merve has been working with Sabancı University SL Curriculum and Assessment Team since 2015. She has taken on different responsibilities as an instructors, curriculum developer, assessment specialist and has presented at many national and International conferences. 
 
IDIL GUNES ERTUGAN    
Idil has an ICELT (In-service Certificate in English Language Teaching), DELTA (Diploma in Language Teaching to Adults) and CERTELT graduate and received her MA TESOL from Aston University. She has wealth of experience in both English language and academic English teaching, material preparation, testing and institutional research, tasks and projects. She has been working with Sabancı University SL Curriculum and Assessment team since 2010. She has delivered workshops and conferences at many national and international conferences including IATEFL.                                
 
ZEYNEP URKUN
Zeynep Urkun has been working in the area of assessment and evaluation since 1991. She was a Trustee on the IATEFL Executive Committee for 6 years and the event-coordinator of the IATEFL Testing, Evaluation and Assessment SIG for 10 years. In her capacity as the TEA SIG Coordinator, she organized 11 conferences around the world to help support assessment literacy. Previously, she worked at Bilkent University as a member of the core testing team that developed the COPE Exam, and at Bogazici University as a member of the testing team that revised the BUEPT (Bogazici University English Proficiency Test). She then worked as the Assessment Coordinator at Sabancı University for 15 years where she led the development of the ELAE (English Language Assessment Exam) and coordinated its revision project in collaboration with Prof Cyril Weir. She continues to present at conferences and organizes training sessions nationally and internationally to help increase assessment literacy in ELT. Currently, she is the CEO of Make-A-Wish Turkey, a charity that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.