1. THE IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE TESTINGBECAUSE THE LOCALLY DESIGNED LA...

2.1. The importance of language testing

because the locally designed language tests

are disrupted by the fact that they do not

Language testing and assessment is a

field under the broad concepts of applied

indicate the features of language skills tested

linguistics. This field has been rooted in

and hardly tap the students’ language abilities

(Torrance, Thomas, & Robison, 2000).

applied linguistics because it is related

to English language learners, test takers,

According to Weir (2005), test validation

test developers, teachers, administrators,

is the “process of generating evidence to

researchers who have great influences on

support the well-foundedness of inferences

teaching and learning English in the world

concerning trait from test scores, i.e.,

(Bachman, 1990). He explains in detail that

essentially, testing should be concerned with

testing is considered as a teacher’s effective

evidence-based validity. Test developers need

tool contributing to the success of teaching

to provide a clear argument for a test’s validity

English in the classroom as well as helps him

in measuring a particular trait with credible

or her produce the exact and fair evaluation

evidence to support the plausibility of this

of students’ ability and the performance of the

interpretative argument” (p. 2). Therefore, test

language (Bachman, 1990).

validation has been considered as the most

important role in test development and use

Sharing the same view, McNamara

(2000) defines language testing as an aspect

and should be always examined (Bachman

& Palmer, 1996). Face validity is one of the

of learning that helps learners to grasp the

components in test validation and is probably

knowledge that they have missed previously

the most commonly discussed type of validity

and the teacher to understand what can be done

in subsequent lessons to improve teaching. To

because it was primarily dealt with the question

(2000) presents language testing as a useful

of whether a test looked as if it measured what

measurement tool which test validation can

it was said to measure (Hughes, 1989).

assist in creating positive wash back for

Bearing this in mind, this study aims

learning through providing the students with

to investigate the face validity of the

the feeling of competition as well as a sense

Institutional English Test (IET) based on the

that the teachers’ assessment coincides with

Common European Framework of Reference

what has been taught to them.

at a public university in Vietnam. Most of the

In the same token, Davies (1978)

previous studies in accordance with language

emphasizes that “qualified English language

test validation have been derived from the

tests can help students learn the language

views of educators or researchers; however,

in this study the perceptions of both students

by asking them to study hard, emphasizing

course objectives, and showing them where

and appropriateness of inferences and actions

based on test scores and other modes of

they need to improve” (p.5). Similarly,

assessment”. In other words, test validity or

McNamara (2000) highlights some important

roles of language testing which have been

test validation means evaluating theoretically

and empirically the use of a test in a specific

applied popularly in educational system and

setting such as university admission, course

in other related fields to assist in pinpointing

placement and class or group classification.

the strength and weakness in academic

development, to reflect the students’ true

Bachman (1990) also emphasizes that

abilities as well as to place the student in a

overtime, the validity evidence of the test

suitable course.

will continue gathering, either improving

or contradicting previous findings. Henning

Additionally, language testing helps to

(1987) adds that when investigating the test

determine a student’s knowledge and skills

validity, it is crucial to validate the results of

in the language and to discriminate that

the test in the environment where they are

student’s language proficiency from other

used. In order to use the same test for different

students (Fulcher, 1997). In the same vein,

academic purposes, each usage should be

Hughes (1989) also states that language

validated independently.

testing plays a very crucial role in the teaching

and learning process because it is the final

Crocker and Algina (1986) highlight

step in educational progress. Thus, to use

three kinds of test validity: Construct validity,

tests to measure the educational qualities,

Face validity and Criterion validity. In the

the administrators should build important

early days of language testing, face validity

and qualified testing strategies which assist

was widely used by testers and was probably

evaluating learners’ performance, teaching

considered as the most commonly discussed

methods, materials and other conditions in

type of test validity because it was primarily

order to set up educational training objectives

dealt with the question of whether a test

(McNamara, 2000).

measures what it is said to measure (Hughes,