Teacher Discussion Forums

As a teacher, how would you rate the difficulty level of making up a test to hand out to the students? Let's say the test is for an adult class of medium-level students. Would you rate it as very difficult, easy, somewher in between?

Since any old test seems to suit you, it's easy.

If you do just whip out a test, thinking that it's easy, do you ever find that there were a lot of details you didn't consider?

Depends what the reason for the test is. If it's just a motivational tool to get students to study and give them something to aim for, then it's not too hard. But if you want it to be valid and to offer some kind of meaningful measure of your students' language ability, it's extremely difficult.

Right thinking, Batman.

The Thinker has given me food for thought. Methinks I should have been more specific in my question. Yes, indeed, I was thinking more along the lines of an official exam which is meant to accurately measure a student's progress. You know, the kind of thing you would give at the end of a semester. Now perhaps Woodchuck (depending on how much wood he has), can answer my question more pointedly. What do you all think, is it really very difficult, as Mssr. Penseur has opined?

a true test for the individual? yes, quite difficult to make, but who would want to take that test. Aren't we all quite mediocre?

A test to see if the students have learned the material you taught? Easy enough, just ask the questions.

A test that gets you a bell curve and will included material not directly taught but inferred? difficult

A test for my Japanese students who can't form sentences but can ace my tests? difficult

Again, I agree.

It is easy to make petty mistakes when constructing any test of course.

What is the purpose behind your question Bradwell? Do I smell an unexciting essay you must write?

Oh, nothing so innocent at that Just part of my fiendish plot to take over the world by cutting down all the trees I got the idea from Horton Hears a Who, don't you know.