The Empirical Dimension Of Communicative Language Tests: The Case Of Selected Philippine Universities

Alejandro S. Bernardo*
*Member, Department of English, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines.
Periodicity:January - March'2011
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.1.1.1351

Abstract

This study examined the 'communicativeness' of 22 English language tests designed and administered by 22 English instructors from 22 different colleges and universities in the Philippines. Its key objective was to answer the question “How communicative are the language tests used in assessing students' competence (knowledge of the language) and performance (actual use of the language in concrete situations)?” The results indicate that there is a preponderance of test items that focus on language accuracy alone and not on the use of language in actual or real-life contexts. Further, the language examinations deemed communicative by the teacher-respondents themselves still use discrete-point, paper and pencil, and decontextualized test items. Thus, it seems that the perused examination items lack the requisite elements or qualities that make a language test genuinely communicative. The results also suggest that language teachers' assessment practices must be further (re)examined to ensure that they do match the approach that underpin language instruction i.e. they must ascertain that the learners are taught and tested the communicative way.

Keywords

Communicative Language Teaching, Communicative Testing, Communicative Competence, Communicative Approach, Paper and Pencil tests, Language Testing

How to Cite this Article?

Bernardo, A. S. (2011). The Empirical Dimension Of Communicative Language Tests: The Case Of Selected Philippine Universities. i-manager’s Journal on English Language Teaching, 1(1), 31-50. https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.1.1.1351

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