LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT WITH GENERAL OVERVIEW OF CLASSROOM PROFILE AND INDIVIDUAL LEARNERS

Аннотация

This article aims at exploring the principles as well as concepts of language assessment accompanied by a specific classroom profile and it addresses language skills as well. Additionally, it provides the reader with deeper comprehension of creating assessments aligning with standards or learning objectives and addressed various needs of language learners making attempt to deliver valuable information for reporting future instructions. Key words. Language assessment, classroom profile, prior instruction, external language assessment, language skills, language objectives, assessment development, modification, analytic rubric, holistic rubric, fairness and equity. Introduction. Testing students’ language levels normally help educators to provide learners with expand knowledge of the target language. Hamp-Lyons (2016) claims that the purpose of the proficiency test is to measure learners’ language level and to identify strengths and weaknesses of the language learner. Thus, in this part of my paper, I will give an overview for Multilevel exam test that is widely common in Uzbekistan. To begin with, Multilevel test is a paper-based language proficiency test assessing learners’ language levels according to CEFR assessment criteria. The audience include non-native speakers of English who apply for education, work or monthly salary bonus. For my target learners, this test type is specifically relevant to navigate them to enter universities with high scores after achieving proficiency certificate of this test. Multilevel test assesses learners’ four language skills, reading, listening, writing and speaking. According to assessment criteria of the test, assessing scores include the following results: C1 proficient user, scores 65-75, the number of correct answers is 28-35; B2 independent user, scores 51-64, the number of correct answers is 18-27; B1 basic user, scores 38- 50, the number of correct answers is 10-17 for each language skill. There is below B1 level including scores 0-37, the number of correct answers is 0-9, yet candidates, who gained scores 0-37 in each level, are not provided with any proficiency certificate in this test. All language levels are scored separately and the results of the assessment are added up to identify overall level, which is equal to CEFR assessment criteria. Referring to the language skills sub-tests, 74 DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCE International scientific-online conference listening continues approximately 35-40 minutes including 6 parts and 35 questions relevant to language levels from B1 to C1 at the highest point. This sub-test assesses candidate’s ability to grasp main topics, detailed information, ideas, as well as to follow the flow of ideas. Reading, is one of the sub-tests of Multilevel test, consists of 5 parts and 35 questions and measures learners’ ability of reading comprehension, understanding of key points of the passage and critical thinking and analyzing through reading techniques such as scanning and skimming. To accomplish the reading test, an hour is given and extra 10 minutes are given to copy the answers of both listening and reading test into the answer sheet. Writing, which is one of the productive skills, assesses candidates’ grammar range and accuracy, task achievement, usage of the vocabulary and coherence as well. Mostly, writing test is regarded as the weakest point of a great number of learners as it measures not only grammar and vocabulary, but it also checks the horizon of language learners. Writing test duration is 1 hour and it requires writing a letter for Task 1 and an essay on a specific topic for Task 2. Speaking, which is a productive skill, lasts about 12-15 minutes and consists of three parts and it assesses pronunciation, fluency, coherence, vocabulary size and grammar range and accuracy. Part 1 includes 6 personal questions related to daily life, Part 2 includes a two-minute speech on a particular topic with a minute preparation and Part 3 includes 5-6 logical questions related to various 2 or more topics. Literature and methods. In the process of selecting tools and assessments, I focused on creating authentic and involving tasks which can cater to assess the language skills of my target learners and these tasks will meet my learners’ needs. My specific learners Bek, Aisha, Nisa need to improve their productive skill writing and Denis suffers from lack of concentration while doing listening test and not reaching C1 level in listening skill. Hence, according to needs analysis towards my learners, I utilized both originally developed and modified versions of the assessments while creating, aligning with Weigle (2012) and Flowerdew & Miller (2012). By this, I emphasized designing the assessments to be more relevant to my learner’s needs. My selection of modifying existing assessment, that is listening assessment, navigated me to make some changes for the existing assessment due to my learners’ needs. Obviously, my learners are p