Assessment tools

We have all had the experience at some time of being given a good test which has been ruined or just made less 'do-able' by clumsy layout and unsatisfactory reproduction. Poor layout and defective reproduction do not help motivation, and in the worst cases make it difficult for those sitting the test to achieve as well as they might otherwise have. It is hoped that the suggested 'do's' and 'don'ts' here  will prove helpful in producing attractive and readable tests for your students.

The term 'non-verbal test' is used to describe a range of paper-and-pencil tests designed to tap a selection of cognitive processes that are unlikely to involve verbal language. This does not mean that verbal instructions and verbal strategies have been entirely eliminated for all those who take these tests; it simply means that no words are included in the tests, the test content is of a non-verbal nature, and the responses to this content are unlikely to involve language.

A test evaluation sheet for teachers.

An understanding of validity, reliability and usability are a must for all test users. The validity of a test is an indication of how well it measures what the author claims it will measure; its reliability describes the consistency or dependability of its scores; and its usability is concerned with its administration, format, interpretation and supply.

The ARBs are computerised assessment resources that harness the power of information technology within a school context and give users the capacity to match assessment and teaching.