9
3. Providing feedback to the teacher as well as to students-information about
how well students have learned and how well the teacher has taught 4.
Serving as motivators for students to study
7
It means that a test could be used as a tool of appreciation and motivation for students, and as a measurement about how well the teaching and learning
process is applied. On the other hand, according to Harris, the objectives of test are:
1. To determine the readiness for instructional programs
2. To classify or place individuals in appropriate language classes
3. To diagnose the individual’s specific strengths and weaknesses
4. To measure the extent of student achievement of the instructional goals
5. To evaluate the effectiveness of instruction
8
It shows that through the test, teacher should know the characteristics of the students in order to increase the achievement of the goals.
Based on the explanation above, the writer concludes that a test has at least two main objectives. First
ly, it is to measure the student’s achievement so that the teachers are able to determine the grades and the aptitudes of their
students. Secondly, it is as a feedback for the teachers and for the students about the progress of teaching learning process.
C. The Types of the Test
The categorization of the test is determined by the information which is implied in the test.
9
Hughes categorizes the test based on the types of information they supply. In addition, he classifies the test into four, such as
types of the test; they are placement test, diagnostic test, achievement test, and proficiency test.
10
7
Anthony J. Nitko, Educational Tests and Measurement: An Introduction, New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc, 1983, pp 17-18.
8
David P. Harris, Testing English as a Second Language, New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1974, pp. 2-3.
9
Arthur Hughes, Test for Language Teachers, second edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004, p. 11.
10
Ibid.
10
1. Placement Test
Tinambunan explains test which is given based on pupils’
competence.
11
In addition, he states that in style to decide at the beginning before the pupils enter the class
12
. Moreover, Gronlund states, “The goal of placement evaluation is to determine the position in the
instructional sequence and the mode of instruction that is most likely to benefit the pupil in the most.”
13
It describes the objective of the placement test is to know the style of the direction and the necessity of
the pupil most in study. From the definitions above, it implies that the kind of test is given
to the students before starting to study of a course, the students need to take the test in order to know how well their ability are. The result of the
test is used to place the students at appropriate level with their ability.
2. Diagnostic Test
According to Hugh es, “Diagnostic test is used to identify learner’s
strengths and weaknes s.”
14
It means the diagnostic test provides the information about plus and minus of the learners. While Gronlund states,
“The test is concerned with the persistence or recurring learning difficulties that are left unresolved by the standard corrective
presc ription of formative evaluation.”
15
In other word, he states that the diagnostic test focuses on the weakness on the learning which are
measured by the standard evaluation. From the definition above, the writer synthesized that by using this
kind of test, the teachers are able to identify difficulties or weaknesses that students face in learning process, so that they are able to formulate a
plan to solve the difficulties.
11
Wilmar Tinambunan, Evaluation of Student Achievement, Jakarta: Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Direkorat Jenderal Pendidikan Tinggi Proyek Pengembangan
Lembaga Pendidikan Tenaga Kependidikan, p. 7.
12
Ibid.
13
Norman E Gronlund, Measurement and Evaluation in Teaching, Fifth edition, New York: McMillan Publising Company, 1981, pp. 11-12.
14
Hughes, op.cit., p, 15
15
Gronlund, op.cit., p, 12
