1. Assessing Grammar
Module 5
Activity 5

2. Overview
In this presentation, you will learn about the following topics:
“Grammaring”
Grammatical Ability
Developing a test of grammar: First steps
Grammar test tasks

3. Reflect
First, what is grammar? Take a few minutes and write your definition of grammar.

4. Grammar Definition
The word “Grammar” means different things to different people. For now, we will define grammar as a set of rules for syntax that allows language users to communicate.

5. “Grammaring”

6. Grammaring
“Grammaring” is the term used by Diane Larson-Freeman to describe the grammar-related skills that English language learners need to develop. According to Diane Larson-Freeman, knowledge of grammar consists of three parts: knowledge of form, knowledge of meaning, and knowledge of use.

7. Grammaring

8. Grammaring
Let’s look at an example. Consider the morpheme ‘s that is added after nouns, as in My sister’s car is white. Form: ‘s Meaning: possession Use: ‘s versus the car of my sister (less common in English)

9. Grammaring
According to Diane Larson-Freeman, it is not enough to know the form and meaning of a grammatical structure. We also need to know when and why to use it.

10. Grammatical Ability

11. Grammatical Ability
Grammatical ability is the result of a combination of knowledge of grammar and strategic competence. That is, grammatical ability comes from knowing grammar, knowing how to use grammar, and knowing when to use grammar. This is similar to Diane Larson-Freeman’s “grammaring,” which involves form, meaning, and use.

12. Knowledge of Grammar
Grammar knowledge consists of several components, including: Phonological form (e.g., segmental forms, minimal pairs) Lexical form (e.g., spelling, word formation) Morphosyntactic form (e.g., affixes and suffixes, word order)

13. Knowledge of Grammar
Knowledge of phonological form allows language users to understand and produce features of the writing system. Knowledge of lexical form allows language users to understand and produce features of words. Knowledge of morphosyntax allows language users to understand and produce the morphological and the syntactic forms of the language.

14. Developing a test of grammar: First steps

15. Practice
What are the first steps when we are developing a new assessment? Write down your answers and go to the next slide.

16. Practice: Feedback
The first steps of developing a new assessment are to think about the test purpose, target language use, and the construct we wish to measure.

17. Developing a Grammar Test
Here’s an example: Imagine that our students are studying English for academic purposes. Our purpose for testing is to measure students’ ability to use when/if constructions. (When it rains, I go to sleep; if it rains, I bring an umbrella to work with me). Our construct includes form, meaning, and use.

18. Developing a Grammar Test
So, we want to develop a test that measures students’ ability to use the correct form (when + independent clause, independent clause), meaning (which happens first?), and use (do we use this construction to talk about real events or hypothetical events?) When I study for my test, I earn an excellent grade.

19. Developing a Grammar Test
We have our test purpose and our construct. Now, we need to select grammar test tasks that will allow us to measure our construct and meet our purpose for testing. When I study for my test, I earn an excellent grade.

20. Grammar Test Tasks

21. Brainstorm
What are some item formats or test tasks that you might use to measure grammar ability? Write down your ideas.

22. Brainstorm: Feedback
Here are some item formats or tasks that you might have thought of: Multiple choice Multiple choice error identification Discrimination task Noticing task Fill-in-the-blank Short answer Role play tasks

23. Item Formats
Some of these are very familiar now. Let’s talk about some new item formats: Multiple choice Multiple choice error identification Discrimination task Noticing task Fill-in-the-blank Matching Short answer Role play tasks

24. Multiple Choice Error Identification
Multiple choice error identification tasks can be used to assess knowledge of grammatical form, meaning, and use. In this task, test-takers circle the letter corresponding to an error. For example: This is not my book; I think that it is Marys’ book. a b c d

25. Discrimination Task
Discrimination tasks ask test-takers to choose based upon opposites. For example, Do these two sentences mean the same thing or different things? It is the cat’s house. It is the house of the cat. Circle one: SAME DIFFERENT

26. Discrimination Task
Or, Is the sentence commonly used in speech? It is the cat’s house. Circle one: COMMON UNCOMMON It is the house of the cat.

27. Noticing Task
In this task, test-takers are asked to circle or underline a specific feature. Example Directions: Circle “would” when it is about the past. Underline “would” when it is about the present or future. When I was young, I would eat candy every day. Now, I would love to be able to eat candy all the time!

28. Practice
Now, go back and look at the example items on slides 24, 25, 26, and 27. Do these example items test knowledge of form, meaning, or use? Write your answers before you go to the next slide.

29. Practice: Feedback
Here are the answers: Slide 24 tests form Slide 25 tests meaning Slide 26 tests use Slide 27 tests meaning

30. Key Terms & Concepts
New Term(s): Grammar knowledge Grammar ability Form Meaning Use Review: Construct

31. Sources
Larson-Freeman, D. (2003). Teaching language: From grammar to grammaring. Boston: Heinle, ELT. Purpura, J. E. (2004). Assessing grammar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.