How to Test Speaking Skills in Japan

Chapter 2

Embrace testing

Tests are not inherently evil The first step on the road to realizing greater positive washback in our teaching is to understand that tests are not evil They are, like most things, quite neutral entities While it’s understandable that we hold negative feelings towards them, remember that tests are neither here nor there They are, as Underhill (1987:6) writes, more usefully thought of as tools: Tests are not inherently good or bad, valid or invalid; they be come so when applied to a particular situation. You cannot say how good a hand tool is unless you know exactly what it is used for; similarly, you can only evaluate a test in a specific context. This is an excellent metaphor to keep in mind because it can help dissolve some of the negativity surrounding testing Exams are, af ter all, just basic tools to be used for completing specific tasks Is a hammer bad or good? Well, it depends on what you use it for If you would like to make a piano, then it can come in quite handy to drive

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