Assessing writing in English in Cuban Higher Education
Keywords:
foreign language instruction, speaking, language skills, skills assessment, achievement ratingAbstract
Objective: This article aims at discussing the elements studied in the process of developing rating scales for writing according to the test specifications defined to assess it at levels A2 and B1 of the CEFR (since these are the two levels targeted by the test).
Methods: Analysis and synthesis were used as theoretical methods, and an iterative approach was followed for the development, validation, and revision of rating scales.
Result: Test specifications for assessing the writing skills in a national standardized test were obtained as well as item writer guidelines, which include all the necessary orientations for task developers to have consistency and uniformity, and the rating scales.
Conclusion: The rating scales developed for writing assessment become a valuable tool for constructive alignment between curriculum development, instruction, classroom assessment, and national proficiency testing. Based on some of the most internationally recognized descriptors and scales, they respond to the higher education local needs and expectations to describe in a standardized qualitative way the observed student performances.
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