Brown (2004, p.19) states five principles of language assess...

Brown (2004, p.19) states five principles of language assessment: “practicality, reliability, validity, authenticity, and washback”.

Read the statements below about these principles and check if they are correct or incorrect.

I. A test is practical when it stays within appropriate time constraints, is relatively easy to administer, has a scoring/evaluation procedure that is specific and time-efficient, and is not excessively expensive.

II. A reliable test is consistent and dependable. If the teacher gives the same test to the same student or matched students on two different occasions, the test should yield similar result. There are a number of factors that may contribute to the unreliability of a test: fluctuations in the student, in scoring, in test administration, and in the test itself.

III. Face validity will likely be high if learners encounter: expected format with familiar tasks, clear directions, reasonable level of difficulty, etc.

IV. Authenticity may be presented in the following ways: the language in the test is as natural as possible; items are contextualized; topics are meaningful (for the students); etc.

V. Language testing washback is a kind of positive reinforcement; the teacher praises the students for their correct answers and “forgets” their mistakes.

In relation to the previous statements, choose the CORRECT alternative: