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a. Aptitude test
Aptitude test is primarily designed to predict success in some future learning activity.
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In other word, aptitude test may be called predictive test. By predict term, it can be recognized that these test is to
establish how well and how quickly a person is likely to success in learning.
A language aptitude test prognostic test is designed to measure the students probable performance in a foreign language
which he or she has not started to learn: i.e. it assesses aptitude for learning a language. Language learning aptitude is a complex matter,
consisting of such factors; as intelligence, age, motivation, memory, phonological sensitivity and sensitivity to grammatical patterning.
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In this case, aptitude test can give specific information and prediction to
face the complexities in future language learning success.
b. Achievement test
Achievement test is designed to indicate degree of success in some past learning activity.
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This test usually gives at the end of the school year or at the end of the course. It may be written and
administered by ministries of education, official examining boards or by members of teaching institutions.
In language learning, achievement test conducted to establish how successful students or the courses themselves have been in
achieving the objectives. Several achievement tests are standardized: they are pre-tested,
each item is analyzed and revised where necessary, norms are established and comparisons made between performances of different
students and different schools. A good achievement test should reflect
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Drs. Wilmar Tinambunan, Evaluation of Student Achievement, Jakarta: Depdiknas, 1988, p. 7.
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J. B. Heaton, Writing English…, p. 173.
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Drs. Wilmar Tinambunan, Evaluation of…, p.7
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the particular approach to learning and teaching that has previously been adopted.
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According to Arthur Hughes, there are two kinds of achievement tests: Final tests and progress achievement tests.
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1 Final achievement test Final achievement test is intended to measure students’ skill
after they have finished all subject mater. It is usually administered at the end of a course of study. By looking at the final achievement
tests result, the teachers will get information how well their students have reached instructional objectives determined in
particular term or period.
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While the test that is usually used for the tests administered at the end of a course or unit of instruction is
a summative test. According to Drs. Wilmar Tinambunan, summative test is
intended to show the standard which the students have now reached in relation to other students at the same stage. The main
purpose of it is grading or the certification of the pupil achievement. Summative test is generally conducted after all of
material units have studied. It is very useful to know how far the curricular purposes have been achieved by the students.
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So, it means that the summative test can conclude as the kind of the final
achievement. While Norman E. Gronlund said, summative evaluation
typically comes at the end of a course or unit of instruction. It is designed to determine the extent to which the instructional
objectives have been achieved and is used primarily for assigning course grades or for certifying pupil mastery of the intended
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J. B. Heaton, Writing English…, p. 172.
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Arthur Hughes, Testing for Language Teachers, Great Britain: Cambridge, 1989 p. 10
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Arthur Hughes, Testing for… p. 10
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Drs. Wilmar Tinambunan, Evaluation of…, p. 9
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learning outcomes. The main purpose of summative evaluation is grading.
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Therefore, the students are usually more serious to reach good value in this test, especially if the test conducted in the end of
the year. As the teachers usually do not continuo the bad grade students to the next stage if the students do not get the value
standard in grading. 2 Progress Achievement Test
Progress achievement test is administered regularly during a study to find out how well students have mastered the subject
matter, which has just been taught.
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It can be understood that the test which is intended to show progress achievement test is
formative test. Formative test is intended to monitor learning progress during the instruction and to provide continuous feedback
to both pupil and teacher concerning learning successes and failures.
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Generally, Formative test can gives the information to the teachers about their students ability in comprehending the materials have been
studied. And it can be the medium of the teacher to correct and complete teaching and learning program. Formative test is oriented on the process of
teaching and learning. It is usually conducted in the end of teaching and learning program to know the success degree in teaching and learning
process.
3. The Types of Test Item
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