They receive certain scores and interpretations for those scores, and they often tend to rely on the scores without actually understanding exactly what those scores mean. English tests are often used in entrance examinations to screen students. There are many arguments about whether entrance examinations are good tests or not. Often people who are arguing about entrance examinations are actually arguing about different questions. Those are different arguments, and when they are discussed, it is necessary to be clear about which problem is being addressed.
Testing is a complex subject.
Most English teachers have not been well trained in the making, administering, grading, and interpreting of tests. They may have misconceptions about what testing is, what is being tested in a particular test, how the results of a test can be interpreted and used, and so on. In many cases, teachers make wrong decisions if they lack a knowledge of testing. In this book, we will cover essential problems and basic concepts of testing, such as validity and reliability, different types of tests, test specifications, testing the four skills, and using test results. It is not designed for experts of testing, such as people who are making standardized tests or any large-scale tests which are given to thousands of students.