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[tarzaninchina]

I have some questions and concerns about exams given to students from the middle school level right up to the university undergrad level here in China.

For oral tests, I don't like giving students a negative impression when they're on their way out after having taken an oral English exam/test with me. As a result, I gear the testing session with each student so they get the last question right. They still have to work to get the answer, but it's one that's not so difficult. If they get the last question wrong, I'll simply ask them another one that won't count in terms of score.

Also, if a student has to do some reading and then some talking with me during an exam/test, I try not to get into words that they mis-pronounced. This is to try and allow them to maintain a sense of ease in the test by not fretting over mistakes they made 10 seconds ago. Of course, sometimes it's inevitable, but what I'm saying is, I don't gun or hound on their mistakes in an exam.

As for holidays, I find the Chinese do hold some misconceptions about various Western holidays (e.g. Santa being a religious figure). As a result, I do talk briefly about them in-class throughout the year, staying away from more-than-surface-level religious details for those that are religious. Since students are sensitive to exams, I turn these corrected facts into exam questions that they, then have to learn the right answer for. Example, how are 'Dear Santa' letters used in a child's social development in the West? Or another, how do some explain that there are no snakes in Ireland today?

What do you think about these three exam or testing procedures? I realize the third is a little shakey if not done carefully, but I am concerned of insuring that my students get the most out of my classes AND exams....