TASK 14 -- Communicative Approach2

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Date Posted: 04:01:38 07/31/03 Thu
Author: Aparecida dos Santos Silva
Subject: TASK 14

UFMG 2003-07-03
COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH
Teacher: Vera Menezes
Student: Aparecida dos Santos Silva

Read the text �Testing Communicative Competence� and say how we can test communicative competence.

According to Kenji Kitao: �testing language has traditionally taken the form of testing knowledge about language, usually testing of knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. However, there is much more to being able to use language than knowledge about it�.

What he means is that communication does not occur just because we are able to produce correct grammatical sentences, but when we can use the language appropriately and tests should observe this.

Jeremy Harmer in his text Testing Students says that there are four main reasons for testing students, and so there are different types of test: Placement test, Diagnostic test, Progress or achievement tests and Proficiency tests. To be effective a good test might have two characteristics: validity � if it tests what the student is learning and realiability � the one that should give consistent results.

The tests may contain Direct or Indirect item. The Indirect test brings tests of: Multiple choice questions, Cloze tests, Transformation and Paraphrase, and Sentence re-ordering.

The Direct test item types are the ones which include testing the performance of the communicative skills and they are more complex. In order for them achieve validity and realibility they need to create a �level playing field� and replicate real-life interaction. It is possible to apply communicative tests for speaking, writing, listening and reading.

So, communicative tests are intended to measure how people use the language in real life situations. For example if a testee takes Indirect tests and do good, a teacher will never know if he/she is really able to communicate.

I don�t believe that the use of English is separated from the usage. If a student do not know how to use the structure, he will not communicate as well. Communicative tests should bring grammar in a context, for the teacher to evaluate better what the student really knows.

There�s something else I want to comment on Testing. I worked in a Language School which claims they teach Communicative Approach and all the teachers are oblied to follow their method and schedule.
Before the tests take place, the mid-term, for example the teacher receives them and practice with students. Guess why?
Because the school works with Communicative Approach, but with traditional test. By practing the tests beforehand the students will memorize the grammar and will do good. The ones who fail go to a kind of �monitoria� where he/she is taught explicit grammar, in order to succeed the test and be promoted to another term.

References:

Hamer, J. The practice of English Language teaching, Essex: longman,2001 (pp.321-334)- Assessment.

http://iteslj.org/Articles/Kitao-Testing.html

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Replies:

Re: TASK 14 -- Vera, 08:37:01 08/07/03 Thu