Types of assessments

Proficiency assessment

General English proficiency, TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, and PVT tests

For entry requirement to a language course or program.

Determine if a learner can be exempted from a course.

In EAP, entry requirments, choose their university.

In EOP, for interview , for applying a job.

Placement assessment

Institutions attempt to assign learners to similar groups and levels based on the results of a placement assessment.

Placement assessments must be carried out before or at the very start of courses.

In EAP, to place learners based on their results on one or more previous assessments.

In EOP, training time and the measurable outcomes of the training.

Progress assessment

To establish if learners are understanding the course.

formative in nature, but it is often used as part of summative evaluations

To identify areas for change and improvement in the way the course is conducted.

To motivate students to improve

Take the form of weekly in class-quizzes, homework assignmets and mid-term tests

Achievement assessment

Measure skills and knowledge learned in a given grade level, through planned instruction, such as training or classroom instruction.

- provide instructors with useful information.

In EAP, take the form of mid-term tests, end-of-term tests, reports, and project portfolios. Used for applying learner surveys.

In EOP, the learners’ target needs are usually more directly related to the learning objectives of the course.

Diagnostic assessment

To identify learner's strenghs and weaknesses.

An important component of need analysis

In EAP this assessment is applied through a short introductory task in the first lesson

In EOP, this assessment can help us developing insights about the learner's language background, work context, and future aims.