CHIN824: Testing and Assessment in
Teaching/Learning Chinese as a Second Language
Course in Fall 2007
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
SAN FRANCISCOSTATEUNIVERSITY
Instructor:Hsiu-huei Lin Domizio
Assistant Professor of Chinese Pedagogy
Course Objective:
This course aims to help students familiarize themselves with major topics on testing and assessmentneeded in the field of Teaching Chinese as a Second Language (TCSL) in two domains: evaluations of learners’ language ability, and of effective teacher preparation programs.
Course Description:
This course will include both theoretical and practical training regarding testing and assessment pertinent to TCSL in three folds: curriculum design by National Standards for Foreign Language Learning, foreign language learners’ ability and foreign language teachers’ competence in teaching.
We start toevaluate specific benchmark criteria for K-12 Foreign Language Standards, commonly known yardsticks for assessing language learners’ ability, and to review rating systems such as normative vs. criterion-reference base on second language learners’ language ability. These may include the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, Simulated Oral Proficiency Interview (SOPI), assessment of K-12 Performance Proficiency, Integrated Performance Assessment (IPA), Portfolio Assessment, norm-referenced standardized tests such as SAT, AP Chinese Language and Culture, HSK administered by China’s Hanban, computerized Chinese proficiency test of Taiwan,and other European testing tool.
In the end, we will survey a couple of Standards for Preparation of Foreign Language Teachers in language teacher education (e.g., PRAXIS I- III, CBEST, CSET).Students of this course are expected to become both knowledgeable and skillful asa rateron foreign language learner’s ability, as a creator for a given language test, as well as a reviewer of a foreign language program.
Course Requirements:
Students who take this course must have admitted to the M.A. program in Chinese Studies, and their Chinese language proficiency must be at least at the level of Intermediate-High. Classes require students’ active participation of discussion and use of critical thinking skills for evaluation on topics pertinent to assessment in TCSL.
Required Text/reference materials:
  1. Program Standards for Preparation of Foreign Language Teachers by The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
  2. American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL):
-Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Executive Summary
3-ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and Assessment Manual
4-ACTFL Performance Guidelines
5-ACTFL Integrated Performance Assessment Manual
6-ACTFL/NCATE Program Standards for the Preparation of Foreign Language Teachers
7-CalState CCTC_Multiple Subjects & Single Subject Examination Requirements; CBEST, CSET, Subject Matter Requirements
8-Interfaces Between Second Language Acquisition and Language Testing Research (Cambridge Applied Linguistics)by Lyle F. Bachman and Andrew D. Cohen (Paperback - Aug 31, 2005)
9-Theories and Research on Language Testing and Assessment (2005) by
BeijingLanguageUniversity HSK Testing Center.

Assessment Method and Grading System:
*Those students who are with exceptional needs should advise the instructorat the beginning of this semester or immediately upon the needs arrive.
Grading system:
1_Attendance and completion of reading assignments 20%:
2_Class participation and panel chair rotation 20%
All students are expected to be active members of class discussions. Each student will have at least one opportunity to lead discussion in this course. Sign up will be available by the instructor in 1st week.
3_Mid-term project: 30% Powerpoint-enhanced oral presentation 10 min. in class.
(including Email submission of ppt to the instructor before the date.)
4_Finalpaper & ppt presentation: 30%
  • written paper (typed) in Chinese with bibliography or reference (10 pages, 12 pt. font, WORD document file, hard copy print out & email attachment doc file and ppt to the instructor in advance.)
  • oral + PPT presentation 10 min. + Q & A 3 min. (in class)

Tuesday and Thursday: 11:00- 12:15 Noon
T
8/28
TH
8/30
T
9/4
TH
9/6
T
9/11
TH
9/13
T
9/18
TH
9/20
T
9/25
TH
9/27
T
10/2
TH
10/4
T
10/9
TH
10/11
T
10/16
TH
10/18
T
10/23
TH
10/25
T
10/30
TH
11/1
T
11/6
TH
11/8
T
11/13
TH
11/15
T
11/20
TH
11/22
T
11/27
TH
11/29
T
12/4
TH
12/6
T
12/11
TH
12/13
T
12/17 / LAST DAY OF FINAL CLASSES
Bibliography
1. Andrew D. Cohen (1994). Assessing Language Ability in Classroom. 2nd edition, Heinle & Heinle Publishers, Boston, MA.
2. 歐滄和(2002). 教育測驗與評量, 臺北: 心理出版社
3. 劉英林(1994) 漢語水平考試研究。北京：現代出版社
4. 華語文能力測驗 ─研究與實務 柯華葳（2004）遠流出版社
5. 教育測驗與評量（成就測驗與評量）─余民寧 （1996）心理出版社
6. 英語口語測試與教學Testing and Teaching Spoken English, Wen qiufang (1999) 上海外語出版社
7. 中国汉语水平考试(HSK), 北京语言大学汉语水平考试中心编(2005)研究报告精选。北京语言大学出版社。
8. 国家汉语水平考试委员会办公室考试中心制定 (2001)。 汉语水平词汇与汉字等级大纲 （修订本）。北京：经济科学出版社。
Reflecting on the Past to Shape the Future, Birckbichler & Terry (eds.) (2005) National Textbook Company.
Developing Professional-level Language Proficiency, Betty Lou Leaver and Boris Shekhtman (2004) Cambridge University Press.
Teaching for Proficiency, the Organizing Principle, Theodore V. Higgs (1987), National Textbook Company.
關鍵字(Key Terms):
測驗與教學(Testing & Pedagogy)
測驗原則(Need, Purpose, Reliability, Validity...)
測驗性質(Discrete-point, Integrative Tests; Norm-referenced, Criterion- referenced, Objective, Subjective)
語文課程總綱, 測驗標準 (Guidelines, National Standard;)
測驗種類(Proficiency vs. Achievement Test; Minimum Competency Test; Diagnostic, Placement, Cloze, C-Test, Completion, Multiple-Choice)
測驗方法(Direct Tests: performance-based, authentic assessments, real-life contextualized tests; Indirect Tests: traditional paper-and-pencil tests on collections of discrete items or grammar points)
華語測驗現狀(Proficiency, Placement, Simulated Oral, Computer-Adaptive)
篩選性標準化測驗(Norm-referenced Standardized Tests; Chinese SAT-II, Pre-CPT, CPT, CPT_T, HSK, )
語文測驗製作實踐 (Quizzes, Tests, Mid-term/Final Exam, Placement, Proficiency)
測驗統計與分析(Descriptive Statistics, Normal frequency Distribution, Derived Scores)
其他參考書目(Other Reference)
Hill, C & K. Parry. 1994. From Testing to Assessment. NY: Longman
Hugh, A. 1995. Testing for Language Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Madsen, H.S. 1983. Techniques in Testing. Oxford: OxfordUniversity Press
ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines
ACTFL National Standards
ACTFL/NCATE Program Report
A Handbook for Teacher Educators and Program Reviewers: Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for Subject Matter Programs
BIBLIOGRAPHY ON LANGUAGE TESTING:
Bachman, L. F. & A. Palmer. (1996). Language Testing in Practice. OxfordUniversity Press. Oxford Applied Linguistics.
Bachman, L. F. & A. D. Cohen (Editors). (1999). Interfaces between Second Language Acquisition and Language Testing Research.CambridgeUniversity Press.
Bailey, K. (1996). Working for washback: A review of the washback concept in language testing. Language Testing, 13, 257-279.
Brown, H.D. (2001). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy. White Plains, NY: Addison Wesley Longman.
Brown, J.D. (1996). Testing in language programs. New York: Prentice-Hall Regents.
Brown, J., & Hudson, T. (1998). The alternatives in language assessment. TESOL Quarterly, 32, 653-675.
Cheng, L. (1999). Changing assessment: Washback on teacher perceptions and actions. The Teacher and Education, 15, 253-271.
Cohen, A.D. (1996). Developing the ability to perform speech acts. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 18, 253-267.
Cohen, A.D.(1998). Strategies in Learning and Using a Second Language. UK: Longman.
Crystal, D. (2001). The future of Englishes. In A. Burns and C. Coffin (Eds.), Analysing English in a global context: A reader (pp. 53-64). London/New York: Routledge.
Derewianka, B. (2001). Pedagogical grammars: Their role in English language teaching. In A. Burns and C. Coffin (Eds.), Analysing English in a global context: A reader (pp. 240-269). London and New York: Routledge.
Gavioli, L., and Aston, G. (2001). Enriching reality: language corpora in language pedagogy. ELT Journal, 55, 238-245.
Graddol, D. (1997). The future of English?London: The British Council. Retrieved September 10, 2001 from:
Kachru, B. (1992). World Englishes: Approaches, issues, and resources. Language Testing, 25, 1-14. Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press.
Kachru, B., & Nelson, C. (2001). World Englishes. In A. Burns and C. Coffin (Eds.), Analysing English in a global context: A reader (pp. 9-25). London/New York: Routledge.
Kasper, G., & Schmidt, R. (1996) Developmental issues in interlanguage pragmatics. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 18, 149-169.
McNamara, T. F. (1996). Measuring Second Language Performance (Applied Linguistics and Language Study)
McNamara, T. F. & H. G. Widdowson. (2000). Language Testing (Oxford Introduction to Language Series)
Rose, K., & Kasper, G. (Eds). (2001). Pragmatics in language teaching. Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press.
Thomas, J. (1995). Meaning in interaction: An introduction to pragmatics. New York: Longman Group.
Washburn, G. (2001). Using situational comedies for pragmatic language teaching and learning. TESOL Journal 10(4), 21-26.
Willis, J. (1996). A framework for task-based learning. Harlow, UK: Addison Wesley Longman.
Yano, Y. (2001). World Englishes in 2000 and beyond. World Englishes, 20, 119-131. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers.