The same way students can't learn in an environment that causes anxiety, testing under similar conditions would lead to similar results. One-on-one interviewing is a great, but tedious, way for an instructor to actually sit down with their pupils and see where they are at with the material. Students are slightly put on the spot, but as long as the atmosphere is somewhat calming and they feel comfortable, this should show growth and potential better than anything on a written test. Some students also strive orally as opposed to on written examinations, and visa-versa, so a combination of the two would be the best way to truly assess student ability.I believe Classroom-based tests are a good way to test student progress, but are not the sole way in which a teacher checks student abilities. Tests are designed to challenge a student to remember, understand, and apply what they have learned in class, but are not always a true gauge on how that student actually does grasp the material. For myself, a test like the SAT's got me so full of nerves that I had a tough time just relaxing, taking my time, fully reading each question, and examining my answers fully. I am not a nervous test taker at all so somebody who is would have a much bigger issue ahead of them for that test. In class tests I am more concerned with how a wrong answer will effect my grade instead of the actual material. Putting such pressure on one assignment can be a big enough distraction alone to take away from a student's focus and really give a bad reading as to how they are progressing. I know my sister is the opposite of me, she always had pretest nerves and would even have nausea before big tests she had to take. I can fully imagine that something of this sort would deter her from performing as well as she would if she was in a relaxed atmosphere.
During tests, I am often questioning myself during tests because so much pressure is applied to them, especially in college. I also am too focused on how a wrong answer might effect my grade that not only am I distracted from the actual material - but I totally psych myself out.
ReplyDeleteTesting is a big stresser in many students' lives and i agree that some students may worry more about the points that are taken off then the actual material. From my own experience I worry more about how much a question is worth then the actual material. I think that if there is multiple choice and an essay component then each section should provide enough points for the student to be successful with a few problems wrong. It is important to make sure the the student's self-esteem is up to ensure that grades will better.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the stress testing puts on students is horrid and can actually hinder their performance. I believe that if taking the test wasn't the large portion of overall grading that it is and if students were more comfortable in their surroundings, along the lines of the Krashen's affective filter, then some students would have improved scores on their tests, and that has nothing to do with their proficiency in the L2!
ReplyDeleteTests are exactly that: a challenge. When it comes to foreign language, tests have several different purposes. Tests are an easy way for instructors to determine if their class is acquiring the material, a way to challenge students to learn the material, and a feedback for students about how they are actually doing versus how they think they are doing in the class. No matter how you change an exam, the biggest problem with any exam is the mindset students come into it with. Exams are usually a large part of the class grade, and like you said, that weighs heavily on their minds when they take the test. Possibly the best way to calm students' nerves is to either lower the percentage of the grade to the overall grade, or have multiple tests so that they each weigh less overall and one bad grade will not negatively effect the students.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point that test anxiety is a real thing. I would love to be able to do one-on-one interviews with all my students in the future, but it is very time consuming. Tests are not the most accurate gauge of a student's abilities, but if the student is given quizzes and study guides this can help them focus on the grammar points/topics that will be covered on the tests. One thing I think that leads to test anxiety is when students don't know what to study and feel overwhelmed by all the material that will be covered on the test. If students are given smaller quizzes beforehand and plenty of in class practice of the skills that will be tested, then this could help with test anxiety.
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