Progress tests are important in virtually every discipline in which students go through a learning process and experience an evolution as they carry out their training. However, progress tests are fundamental in language teaching when it comes to accompanying students in their constant improvement. Therefore, when teaching foreign languages, these tests are considered essential for the proper functioning of the course.

Continuous assessment is one of the keys to success in language learning, and it has progressively gained more and more importance in all areas of education. In order to guarantee that students have achieved the objectives at the end of the course, and that they have performed well, it is vital to assess their development and measure their communication skills in all areas (listening, reading, and written and oral expression).

 

What is the purpose of progress tests in language teaching?

The progress tests are useful to meet the objectives of each lesson. In other words, evaluating students at the end of a didactic unit ensures that they manage to internalize the linguistic competences that are expected at each language level.

The goal is for all students to follow the pace of the course so that by the end of it students have acquired the required knowledge. In this way, quality teaching and optimal results for the entire group can be guaranteed. Hence its importance in avoiding gaps in language learning.

Students take a progress test in the classroom through an e-learning platform

How do the Dexway progress tests work?

In the Dexway method, progress tests are presented as unit tests that assess the knowledge acquired in each unit. In this way, the teacher sees how students advance without having to wait for the final exam. This helps to meet students and educators’ expectations.

One or more objectives are assigned to each exercise within the test. Thus, when students take one of these tests, in addition to obtaining an overall grade, they can see if they have achieved all the objectives. If any need to be reinforced, they are listed as not achieved. Additionally, the grade is shown by skills (grammar, vocabulary, reading, listening, etc).

Likewise, students can also choose if they want to repeat the test to outdo themselves a second time, or if they prefer, see the answers with the solutions.

 

A self-assessment tool in learning a second language

Not only teachers benefit from its effectiveness,  progress tests are also useful for students. Students are aware of their advance and how they are improving thanks to the language evaluating progress. This helps them gain confidence in themselves and their ability to communicate in another language.

Moreover, they can detect their shortcomings or difficulties more easily in order to pay attention to everything they need to improve or study further.

On the other hand, being aware of their progress helps them get motivated and set personal goals.

 

The language teaching e-learning platform as a solution for continuous assessment

Dexway’s e-learning solutions include educational technology that offers the possibility of evaluating each of the skills involved in learning a language. Thanks to its features, teachers can measure all students’ language skills.

The Dexway software is designed in such a way that not only is it possible to carry out a detailed follow-up of each student, but through gamification students’ interaction is sought so that they remain motivated and active with the content.

The language platform is available for various learning methods: online teaching, blended learning, flipped classroom, and language laboratory.

 

Advantages of assessing student progress aided by an educational platform

Apart from the advantages of taking a progress test in language learning, taking it using an e-learning platform has additional benefits:

  • LMS platform tools allow evaluations to be carried out quickly and automatically.
  • The corrections are made automatically and the results are recorded. The teacher should not spend time in correcting exercises individually.
  • Students feel that they undergo an educational training that cares about their individual progress and that it is also carried out in an agile way.
  • It helps that no student misses the pace of the class.
  • These tools provide valuable information which will help the teacher to support students with difficulties or to complement the course.
  • They can serve as a scoring continuous assessment without involving extra work for the teacher.
  • Students can assess their level before the final exam and work on the weakest areas to improve their overall grade.

 

Do you need to know more about language learning progress tests? If so, or if you just want to learn more about Dexway or CAE solutions, contact us. One of our consultants will advise you to offer a personalized response to your educational center or school.

 

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