Testing for Language Teachers (Cambridge Handbooks for Language Teachers) [Paperback]

Arthur Hughes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 24, 1989 | ISBN-10: 0521272602 | ISBN-13: 978-0521272605

The main objective of this text is to assist language teachers in writing better tests. The author defines a good test as one that contains validity, reliability, practicality and a positive reaction. Hughes offers practical and realistic guidance on how to create a good test. The author pays special attention to the effect of testing on teaching - a test should not only be reliable and valid but should also have a positive effect on teaching. Chapters on the testing of writing, oral ability, reading, listening, grammar and vocabulary, and test administration are included. Also included are testing techniques that have been proven to be useful for teachers, and statistics that enable teachers to interpret test results. Reader activities can be found at the end of each chapter.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

This second edition remains the most practical guide to testing language. It has a new chapter on testing young learners. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (November 24, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521272602
• ISBN-13: 978-0521272605
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,403,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Resource for Practicing Teachers, October 19, 2005

By 

T. Hooper "thdizzy" (Osaka, Japan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Testing for Language Teachers (Cambridge Language Teaching Library) (Paperback)

It seems that a lot of books in the market on testing deal with the theoretical background of designing large scale tests on the institutional level. Those sorts of books are not so useful for the practicing teacher who is looking for a little guidance on improving their test writing skills for daily classes. This book is written with that teacher in mind. It doesn't overload the reader with loads of statistics, but if you are interested in the statistical basis of the ideas presented in this book, there is a section on statistics in the appendix.

Basically, this book is divided into three sections. The first section covers the different types of test a teacher might want to give and the differences between those types. The second part delves into the theory of validity and realiability, but doesn't overwhelm the reader with loads of numbers and figures. The third part goes into how to test different skills. The attitude the author takes toward testing is that a test should focus on one of the four basic skills: speaking, reading, writing, or listening. Grammar and vocabulary, he claims, are not ends in themselves, but merely components of the four basic skills, so they don't need to be given much emphasis in testing. I thought that was an interesting idea.

If you're a teacher looking for a book to help you with your test writing skills, I can recommend this one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Instantly make a Better Test!, February 24, 2011

By 

jeffrey (carson, nm, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Testing for Language Teachers (Cambridge Language Teaching Library) (Kindle Edition)

Invaluable! Never again write a test purely from imagination. Learn how to make a valid test question. Learn about types of tests. Learn how to determine if a test is reliable. Learn to reflect before, during, and after testing. Learn how to identify a flawed test. Learn how students can give feedback on learning without a traditional test. Learn why some tests fail to accurately produce a record of students knowledges and actual abilities. Learn. Be a better teacher. Buy this book. Instantly gain access to reading, within minutes, to this book via Kindle or other i readers. Enjoy. Invaluable information for all teachers. Your next ten point quiz will be different. Guaranteed! What else do you need to know about this book? It can be used to help you understand higher level institutional tests and achievement tests. It will introduce you to different types of tests. It will help you to understand the players in the world of testing. Why big tests? Who benefits? Whats the point of testing? Are there any other ways to learn about what students can do and what they are able to do. Make these kinds of words have meaning in your conversations with otther teachers. Make your classroom excel by taking accurate steps to ensure fairness, fun, and hope.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars TESOL, January 6, 2011

By 

Stephen Pellerine (In a bookshelf somewhere) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Testing for Language Teachers (Cambridge Language Teaching Library) (Paperback)

The book is excellent for the "pure" language teacher with a TESOL background (not Education) and is attempting to design assessments for likeminded practitioners in the field. If this is your setting I think that this book will be ideal for you.

Hughes is also aware that these tests, and tests in general, need to be taken with a dose of salt. I am finding this book hard to review as I have 15 years now in the field. So here it goes:

If you are new to TESOL/ESL it may well be a 5

Language Schools and Colleges with TESOL Departments it is a 5: even if for discussion

A veteran teacher looking for ideas and a bit of testing theory a solid 4 and perhaps a 5

A implicit oriented testing advocate whom does not believe in teaching discrete points a 1 - 3

I think it is a worthwhile read. We will have different takes on such issues - a TESOL instructor should read this and have in on the bookshelf.