Published Online:September 2024
Product Name:The IUP Journal of English Studies
Product Type:Article
Product Code:IJES140924
Author Name:Swamy Bairi
Availability:YES
Subject/Domain:Arts and Humanities
Download Format:PDF
Pages:166-177
This paper aims to evaluate the ESL student-teachers’ English proficiency levels and analyze the associated test instrument’s quality features such as reliability, validity, practicality, authenticity, and washback. The study was conducted at EFL University with a cohort of 18 student-teachers from diverse mother tongue backgrounds. The proficiency test comprised four sections, i.e., reading, vocabulary, grammar, and writing, each contributing to a total score of 50 marks. Multiple choice questions (MCQs) were employed to ensure objectivity in scoring and evaluation. The analysis of the proficiency test instrument focused on its practicality, construction, administration, scoring, and ease of interpreting results. Data obtained from the test were analyzed using the mean scores of each test-taker, with particular reference to the performance in each section. The findings indicated that the test-takers performed uniformly as a group. They further demonstrated a uniform level of performance among the student-teachers, with the proficiency test fulfilling its intended purpose. The test appears to meet all established criteria for a standard assessment instrument.
In an academic setting, testing serves several crucial purposes. It measures students’ knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, gives teachers and students feedback, determines areas where students still need to develop, and influences future pedagogical approaches (Brown and Abeywickrama 2019)