Literacy: assessing progress

Abstract

"In the past, assessment was mainly used to streamline second language education in the Netherlands. Levels of proficiency were based upon empirical data, gathered through language tests. The problems with this practical approach were manifold. Since it was not based upon a view of language, levels could not be properly described. There was also a lack of pedagogical underpinning of the use of these instruments, which resulted in the use, or some might say the misuse, of the tests for accountability reasons only. Although the test constructors tried to emphasize the function of measurement for learning by providing self assessment instruments along with formal tests, this did not lead to the intended results. Self assessment appeared not to be used at all. Another problem was that the data was collected from a very heterogeneous, but literate population. As a result, it was hard to tell whether the established levels were based upon language progress or upon complexity of tasks. This made these instruments less suitable for low-educated students and of no use at all for illiterate students"