Chapter 1 Introduction 1
1.1 Rationale for the Study 1
1.2 The Aim and Objectives of the Study 5
1.3 Research Questions 6
1.4 Significance of the Present Study 7
1.5 Structure of the Book 8
Chapter 2 Literature Review 10
2.1 Assessment for Learning 10
2.1.1 Assessment for Learning and Assessment of Learning 10
2.1.2 Formative Assessment and Summative Assessment 14
2.1.3 Norm-referenced and Criterion-referenced Testing 17
2.2 Diagnostic Testing 19
2.2.1 Definitions of a Diagnostic Test 20
2.2.2 Characteristies of Diagnostic Tests 23
2.2.3 Studies on Diagnostic Language Tests 24
2.3 Studies on Speaking Tasks 30
2.4 Validation Studies of Language Tests 33
2.5 Summary 37
Chapter 3 A Conceptual Framework for the Development and Validation of the DCEST 39
3.1 Communicative Language Ability and the Construct of Speaking 40
3.1.1 Models of Communicative Language Ability 40
3.1.2 Models of Speech Production 46
3.1.3 Frameworks for Defining the Construct of Speaking 53
3.2 Guidelines and Procedures of Test Development 57
3.3 Defining Test Specifications for a Speaking Test 62
3.4 Models of Speaking Performance 66
3.4.1 Milanovic and Saville's Model 67
3.4.2 McNamara's Model 69
3.4.3 Skehan's Model 70
3.4.4 Fulcher's Model 72
3.5 Summary 77
Chapter 4 Research Design and Methodology 78
4.1 Needs Analysis 78
4.1.1 Design of the Questionnaires 79
4.1.2 Participants of the Questionnaire Survey 81
4.1.3 Results of the Survey 81
4.1.4 Implications for the DCEST 89
4.2 The Development of the Prototype DCEST 90
4.2.1 Defining the Construct 90
4.2.2 Selection of Speaking Test Tasks 93
4.2.3 Rating Criteria 102
4.2.4 Feedback Descriptors 110
4.3 The Pilot Study 111
4.3.1 Participants 113
4.3.2 Implementation of the Pilot Study 113
4.3.3 Results of the Pilot Study 114
4.3.4 Implications for the Main Study 117
4.4 The Main Study 118
4.4.1 Participants 118
4.4.2 Research Instruments 119
4.4.3 Procedure of Data Collection in the Main Study 121
Chapter 5 Results and Discussions 125
5.1 Test Reliability 125
5.1.1 Intra-rater Reliability 126
5.1.2 Inter-rater Reliability 127
5.1.3 Parallel Form Reliability 128
5.2 Test Validity 129
5.2.1 Construct Validity 130
5.2.2 Content Validity 137
5.2.3 Criterion-related Validity 141
5.2.4 Face Validity 144
5.2.5 Consequential Validity 147
5.3 A Procedural Framework for the Development of Diagnostic Tests 174
5.3.1 Phase 1:Needs Analysis 175
5.3.2 Phase 2:Test Design and Operationalization 177
5.3.3 Phase 3:Test Piloting,Administration and Validation 180
5.3.4 Phase 4:Test Impact 181
5.4 Summary 182
Chapter 6 Conclusions 185
6.1 Major Findings 185
6.2 Implications of the Present Study 192
6.3 Limitations and Suggestions 193
6.4 Concluding Remarks 196
Appendices 198
Appendix 1 Test Specifications of the DCEST 198
Appendix 2 Teacher Questionnaire 206
Appendix 3 Student Questionnaire 209
Appendix 4 Diagnostic College English Speaking Test A 213
Appendix 5 Diagnostic College English Speaking Test B 219
Appendix 6 Analytical Rating Criteria for DCEST 224
Appendix 7 Feedback Descriptors for DCEST 226
Appendix 8 Rater's Mark Sheet of DCEST A and B 229
Appendix 9 Oral English Proficiency Checklist 231
Appendix 10 Student's Self-assessment Checklist 232
Appendix 11 Test Manual of DCEST A and B 233
Appendix 12 Student Questionnaire of Test Evaluation A and B 238
Appendix 13 Interview Questions for Teachers and Students 243
Appendix 14 Revised Analytical Rating Criteria for DCEST 244
Appendix 15 Revised Feedback Descriptors for DCEST 247
Appendix 16 Revised Rater's Mark Sheet for DCEST 251
Appendix 17 Revised Oral English Proficiency Checklist 252
Appendix 18 Revised Student's Self-assessment Checklist 253
Appendix 19 Revised Test Manual of DCEST 254
Appendix 20 Revised Student Questionnaire of Test Evaluation 256
Appendix 21 Dcest 1 Test Paper(Pre-test and Post-test) 259
Appendix 22 Dcest 2 Test Paper 265
Appendix 23 Dcest 3 Test Paper 269
Appendix 24 Dcest 4 Test Paper 273
Appendix 25 Dcest 5 Test Paper 277
Appendix 26 Dcest 6 Test Paper 281
Appendix 27 Student Questionnaire of Feedback Evaluation 285
Appendix 28 Descriptive of EG'S DCEST 1-7 Total Scores 287
Appendix 29 Descriptive of EG'S DCEST 1 Analytical Scores 288
Appendix 30 Descriptive of EG'S DCEST 2 Analytical Scores 289
Appendix 31 Descriptive of EG'S DCEST 3 Analytical Scores 290
Appendix 32 Descriptive of EG'S DCEST 4 Analytical Scores 291
Appendix 33 Descriptive of EG'S DCEST 5 Analytical Scores 292
Appendix 34 Descriptive of EG'S DCEST 6 Analytical Scores 293
Appendix 35 Descriptive of EG'S DCEST 7 Analytical Scores 294
Appendix 36 Descriptive of CG'S CDEST 1 and Dcest 7 Total Scores 295
Appendix 37 Descriptive of CG'S DCEST 1 Analytical Scores 296
Appendix 38 Descriptive of CG'S Dcest 7 Analytical Scores 297
Appendix 39 Descriptive Statistics of SQTE 298
Appendix 40 Descriptive Statistics of SQFE 299
Appendix 41 Sample of Student Interview 300
Appendix 42 Coded Transcripts of Student A and B 303
Appendix 43 Sample of Teacher Interview 311
Bibliography 312