Abstract
Assessment in the Language Classroom by Cheng and Fox is a reader-friendly resource that specifically targets English as a Second Language (ESL)/English for Academic Purposes (EAP) teachers who seek an introduction to language assessment. The book consists of seven chapters, each specifically focusing on different dimensions of assessment in language classrooms. The first chapter is a quick overview of the fundamental concepts within language assessment, including assessment events, tools, processes, and decisions, as well as summative and formative assessment. Principal concepts in assessment, such as alignment, reliability, validity, fairness, and practicality, are also discussed. Introducing these concepts in the first chapter certainly helps new readers gain a better grasp of the content in the following chapters. Chapter 2 adopts a more concrete approach to stressing the importance of alignment among learning outcomes, classroom activities, and assessment tasks, which is illustrated through a cyclical triangle model.
A shift from a theory-based to a more classroom-based approach occurs in Chapter 3, which contrasts high-stakes (e.g., standardized tests) versus low-stakes assessments (e.g., classroom tests) and discusses classroom assessment procedures and PBLA (portfolio-based language assessment). This chapter presents an illuminating discussion of creating assessment plans and deciding on assessment tools and methods. Chapter 4 provides instructions on test-item construction by illustrating the step-by-step process of test development. A flowchart is used to expand on stages such as identifying the purpose, defining the construct, producing a table of specifications, writing test items and tasks, and, finally, administering and pilot-studying tests. Measurement tools, including placement tests, needs analysis or needs assessment procedures, and diagnostic tests, are the prime focus of Chapter 5, which concludes with an elaborate discussion of diagnostic assessment. Chapter 6 stresses the psychological aspects of assessment and creates a link between assessment and motivation. The chapter draws on self-determination theory in order to recognize the role of assessment in motivating learners. The concise literature review in Chapter 7 on large-scale testing, test preparation, and their pedagogical implications would seem to be of great interest to teachers preparing ESL students for language proficiency tests. This chapter also cautions classroom teachers against the discrepancies between assessment purposes and the actual interpretations (grading) of students’ performance.
The book stresses the importance of needs analysis as a tool to identify students’ weaknesses and plan a course accordingly. The authors contradict the notion that assessment should always conclude a language program, highlighting the often overlooked roles that assessment could play throughout a course. Assessment, according to the authors, is an ongoing process, and formative feedback on students’ performance should be grounded in a teacher’s perception of students’ needs, interests, goals, and motivations.
Two features of the book seem particularly useful for the readers: follow-up activities and summaries at the end of each chapter. The follow-up activities are related to the discussed topics, in the form of hands-on exercises, questionnaires, or reflective questions. These activities can be effectively used in instruction or as self-study guides because they allow readers to reflect on the basics of classroom assessment both theoretically and practically. For example, Chapter 2 includes a hands-on task that engages readers in a step-by-step process of planning and designing a hypothetical course, including defining learning outcomes, evaluating course effectiveness, and deciding on the assessment tools. Similarly, in Chapter 5, model assessment tools are provided (e.g., self-assessment questionnaires, can-do statements, diagnostic assignments), which can be readily used by language teachers. The summaries at the end of each chapter consolidate the chapters, review the key points, briefly discuss what the readers should expect in the following chapter, and provide a list of suggested follow-up readings.
One limitation of the book concerns the insufficient discussion of the washback effect. Teachers, who are the intended audience of the book, would have benefitted from an extended discussion of washback, given how their assessment procedures and methods could affect students’ progress. In addition, a more in-depth analysis of constructing test items would have been useful. Such an analysis would have offered a more hands-on guide for classroom teachers who deal with the construction of test items regularly. More specifically, the book could have included a separate chapter that would guide teachers through the process of assessing language skills and subskills (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc.), and focus on test types (multiple choice, essay, fill-in-the-blanks, etc.), their pros and cons, and the precautions to take with test validity, reliability, and practicality.
Written specifically for teachers, this book is an attempt to bring theory and practice together. The abstract literature of language assessment is packaged in an accessible language for classroom teachers who lack specialized knowledge of language assessment. Overall, although the volume is not a comprehensive reference for academics, it can be used as a practical resource by language teachers, a starting point for those interested in language testing, or a textbook for introductory courses on language assessment.