Part I Theory of Language Assessment Chapter One An Introduction to Language Assessment 1.1 The Relationship among Testing, Assessment, and Teaching 1.1.1 What is testing? 1.1.2 Testing and teaching 1.1.3 Assessment and teaching 1.2 Approaches to Language Assessment 1.2.1 Approaches to language testing 1.2.2 Approaches to non-testing assessment 1.2.3 Differences between testing assessment and non-testing assessment 1.3 Purpose of Assessment 1.3.1 Purpose of testing assessment 1.3.2 Purpose of non-testing assessment 1.4 A Look at the Current Large-Scale Tests at Home and Abroad 1.4.1 PETS (Public English Test System)l--5 1.4.2 CET(College English Tests) 1.4.3 TEM(Test for Enghish Majors) 1.4.4 TOEFL(Test of English as a Foreign Language) 1.4.5 IELTS(The International English Language Testing System) Chapter Two Types of Assessment 2.1 Types of Testing Assessment 2.1.1 Tests classified by purposes 2.1.2 Tests classified by ways of testing 2.1.3 Testing classified by language measuring forms 2.1.4 Testing classified by score interpretation 2.1.5 Testing classified by scoring methods 2.1.6 Testing classified by test influence 2.1.7 Other test categories 2.2 Types of Non-testing Assessment 2.2.1 Diagnostic assessment 2.2.2 Authentic assessment 2.2.3 Formative assessment 2.2.4 Sizing up assessment 2.2.5 Instructional assessment Chapter Three Principls of Assessment 3.1 Validity 3.1.1 Definition of validity 3.1.2 Features of validity 3.1.3 Types of validity 3.1.4 Factors affecting test validity 3.1.5 Methods making tests more valid 3.2 Reliability 3.2.1 Definition of reliability 3.2.2 Types of reliability 3.2.3 Reliability coefficient and obtaining methods 3.2.4 Methods making tests more reliable 3.2.5 The relationship between validity and reliability 3.3 Backwash 3.3.1 Introduction to backwash 3.3.2 How to achieve beneficial backwash? 3.4 Practicality 3.5 Authenticity Chapter Four Stages of Test Development 4.1 Thinking Stage--Stating the Test Problems 4. 2 Developing Stage--Providing a Solution to the Problems 4.2.1 Drawing up test specifications 4.2.2 Writing items 4.3 Implementing Stage 4.3.1 Administering 4.3.2 Scoring and giving feedback Part Two Testing Assessment Chapter Five Assessing Listening 5.1 Nature of Listening 5.1.1 Definition of listening 5.1.2 Characteristics of listening 5.1.3 Factors affecting listening 5.1.4 Types of listening 5.1.5 Difficulties in listening teaching 5.2 Constructing Listening Test 5.2.1 Specifying all possible contents 5.9.2 Setting the tasks 5.3 Scoring Listening Tests Chapter Six Assessing Speaking 6.1 Nature of Speaking 6.1.1 Definition of speaking 6.1.2 Importance of speaking ability 6.1.3 Features of spoken English 6.1.4 Constitutive elements of spoken English 6.1.5 Difficulties in testing speaking skills 6.2 Constructing Speaking Test 6.2 . 1 Specifying all possible contents 6.2.2 Choose appropriate techniques 6.2.3 Suggestions for the tester on planning and conducting speaking test 6.2.4 Tips for the test 6.2.5 Four stages of training the interviewers 6.3 Ensure Valid and Reliable Scoring 6.3.1 Principles of scoring 6.3.2 Approaches to scoring 6.3.3 Training of scorers Chapter Seven Assessing Reading 7.1 Nature of Reading 7.1.1 Definition of reading 7.1.2 Models of reading 7.1.3 Strategies of reading 7.1.4 Factors affectin