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2. The Development of the Preliminary Product
The preliminary product is the theoretical blue-print and prototype of the testing instrument. The development process is referred to complementary two
theories. First, Genesee’s test development process described as follows:
Referring to Genesee’s, firstly, the researcher sets up the Language objective which refers to language skills that the Indonesia elementary school
students are expected to acquire. Secondly, after the objective being defined, the
researcher selects tasks that will extract the kinds of language skills to be
assessed. Thirdly, after the selecting appropriate test task, the researcher devises and assembles test tasks which include the combination of factors: instructional
objective, student’s level proficiency, instructional activities and available testing resources. And lastly, the researcher devises scoring system which covers time of
completing test, test instructions, layout and format and grading accuracy.
Figure 2.30. Test development process Geneese, 2007: 159
Describe language objective
Select appropriate test tasks
Devise and assemble test tasks
Devise a scoring system
86 And second, Bachman and Palmer’s framework for developing language
test which includes characteristics of the setting, characteristics of the input, and characteristics of the expected response. The first three steps of Genesee’s that
are sets up the Language objective, select tasks and devises and assembles test tasks are similar with those of Bachman and Palmer‘s. The formulation of the
instrument development steps as the result of this two complementary theories is as follows:
First, setting up characteristics of the setting. This includes the physical
setting, the participants and the time of task. According to Mc Kay 2007: 78, the physical setting of testing activity can be distracting for young learners. The
arrangement of the physical space influences the frequency of certain behavior and minimizes distraction. For example, conducting test in a room away from
other physical activity will give children opportunity to do the test tasks their full attention and show their best ability. Some research has discovered that suitable
setting for young learners are those with playful, non-threatening situations and short activities to avoid tiredness or loss of concentration Alderson, 2000:144.
The participants of the testing model being developed are Indonesian elementary school students of fourth to sixth grades. They will be aged about 10 up to 12
years old. They will be both sexes, from a whole range of different level of English learning. Some learn English limited to one of their formal elementary
school, some got English learned in their formal and informal education. The setting of place will be in a class room which is quiet, away from other disturbing
physical activities, well lit with adequate space for taking notes. The time taken to read texts will vary depending on the individuals’ level of English learning. But,
87 mostly, for young learners, academic reading will typically be slow and time
consuming Alderson, 2000:144.
Second, setting up characteristics of the input. This aspect is important for
its influences on children’s performance. Alderson 2000: 145 stated that choice of texts for young learners needs illustrations. The reason is because texts which
contain only verbal information will be not only intimidating but also boring for them that they find it difficult to process. The questions and prompts used in the
test procedure are components of input. Some research have reported on a procedure that uses prompts which stimulate children’s interest, such as: cartoon-
picture-story, and so on Hasselgren, 2000: 264-5. The prompts and questions used in the testing model being developed are those that are familiar to Indonesian
elementary school learners. The texts used are accompanied with coloured pictures in the forms of simple vocabularies and passages with topics which are
attractive and familiar for Indonesian elementary school learners. Below is one of the examples taken from the test model prototype:
Instruction
: See the pictures. Draw a circle for the correct word and connect it to the picture.
Example: a bus
Figure 2.31. Example of test item of the prototype
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Third, setting up characteristics of the expected response. Different tasks
require responses at different levels of difficulty. Hasselgren at Mc Kay 2006: 80, argues that since we are not clear on what the children can do, we need to
categorize the levels according to the program learning in which the children have participated such as foreign language, second language or immersion, contact
hours per week and age entry started to learn English.
In order to formulate the level of difficulties of the testing materials, the researchers has formulated the task mapping that has been adjusted to the analysis
on the elementary school students’ characteristics and needs in general see
figure 2.22
. The task mapping is then adjusted to the picture of English teaching and learning in Indonesian elementary schools. It has been explored in the previous
parts, the role and position of English language in Indonesia is as a foreign language. With such role and position, the English teaching and learning in
Indonesia’s elementary schools have been covered by ambivalent response and policy from the government. On the other hand, parents’ zests to introduce
English to their children are high. The situation becomes complicated while the government even, recently, issues to dismiss English from the elementary
school’s curriculum due to the lack of qualified teaching skill of the teachers. With such consideration, the level of the English testing materials is formulated
by adopting and simplifying Mc Kay’s indicators of young learners’ English language competence. Mc Kay’s is intersected with the task mapping, English role
and position in Indonesia, condition of English teaching and learning in elementary school of Indonesia. As the result, for reading skill, the formulation is
as follows:
89 And for writing skill, the formulation is shown below:
Fourth, devising the scoring system. This step covers determining time of
completing test, test instructions, layout and format and the scoring system.
3. The Preliminary Product
It has been mentioned in the previous parts of this chapter that the preliminary product of this research is in the form of the blue-print and the
prototype of the testing instrument. The prototype can be seen in appendix 4, and the blue-print can be seen below:
Figure 2.32. Simplified reading skills
Figure 2. 33. Simplified writing skills
9 indicators Mc Kay’s indicators of young
learner’s English competence
3 simplified indicators
9 indicators Mc Kay’s indicators of young
learner’s English competence
6 simplified indicators
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Concept : Learners written English competence is their ability to understand and produce written English texts organizationaly
and pragmatically
Purpose : To measure the written English competence of elementary school students of Indonesia
Task Type : Matching words MW, True and False TF, Multiple Choice MC, Gap filling GF and
Text Writing TW
Time Alotment
: 30 minutes
CATEGORIES SUB
CATEGORIES INDICATORS
NUMBE R OF
ITEM SCORIN
G Task
types Aspects of language Competence
Learners are able to 1.
TEXT UNDERSTANDING
Learners know
and comprehend the
English written
texts organizationally
and pragmatically Organization
al knowledge Grammatical
knowledge 1 decode letters and words
match sounds with letters, with phonic blends
10 10
MW 2 read and understand a growing
range of vocabulary 5
10 MW
3 understand a growing range of structure of sentences and short
passages 5
10 TF
Textual knowledge
4 predict meaning from a range of cues title, illustration of
short passages
10 20
MC Pragmatic
knowledge Functional and
sociolinguistic knowledge
5 use their personal experience and their knowledge of the
context when they meet an unknown word in the text
6 identify the main ideas in in the text and locate specific
information from the text
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2. TEXT PRODUCTION
Kategori