I really do have a problem with the written expression test!… In early Spring there was a pilot test because the panel of experts wished to make modifications to the 65 question version… In April, paragraph C had disappeared once and for all: it had been replaced with more fill in the blank with the correct group of words… So far so good! All of my trainees agreed that the test was a bit easier than before…
Then, some time during the Summer, they had re-introduced something similar to paragraph C (different versions of a sentence) yet it was easier to spot the correct answer… At the beginning of August, Ellie confirmed that there were about five or seven questions of that type. Though she said there were no questions on the subjunctive (or any other verb forms)… only prepositions and vocabulary (read government jargon)… in other words, the test she took was filled with traps.
Last week, both Melody and Candice took the test on the very same day (at different locations) and they said it was a real nightmare! This time, there were no subjunctive (a couple of verbs here and there) and no prepositions… According to them, there were many questions about improving the original sentence (it looks like paragraph C is back!) and, apparently, the ones that were not directly like that were still like that… In other words, for the most part of the test, there were only sentences with minor differences and they had to choose the best one!… Even native French speakers would have a hard time to make the right choice!… Most of the time, it is a matter of personal choice since all of these words are synomyms with slight nuances.
How, in the name of God, can I prepare people for those tests when they keep changing?… Of course, there are test samples on Campus Direct but they are kind of obsolete… we have to work with samples of the written expression test that were around in 2001-2005… or… with the four samples of the 80 question version (which, by the way, has been replaced with the 65 question version in June 2008)… Do I have to remind the so-called panel of experts that their samples no longer reflect reality? Practicing with such tests is a waste of time at this point… and it gives a false feeling of confidence… for instance, Candice would rarely make more than a couple of mistakes on the practice tests but, on the actual test, she got a B missing the C by three answers… was she disappointed? Of course she was!… Who would not be?
I can teach grammar, accurate vocabulary, spelling and correct syntax… but I cannot teach interpretation!… or how to think like the panel of experts… Honestly, each time I come across the paragraph C of the 80 question version of the written expression test, I cannot find the best sentence!!!… Why?… Only because none of them follows the syntax rules of the French language… in my book, they all are crooked!… Therefore I have to guess which one these experts decided was the best one! If someone like Candice, who have a solid background in French (years of French immersion in grade school and high school), struggled with the test… just imagine how Anglophones with little or no background do!
What is the purpose of such tests?… are they meant to assess candidates’ knowledge or to eliminate them?… I am sorry, but questions of interpretation should never be found in tests that alledgedly assess people’s knowledge of a second language! It just does not make sense!
And let’s talk about fairness for a second… is it fair to change tests drastically from one month to another? People who took the test in April got higher levels and there were probably some of them who did not have half of the knowledge Candice has!… If she had taken the test at that time, she would have easily pulled out an E (exemption)… Bottom line, this whole SLE testing process is not valid!… The results do not reflect reality… I still do not understand why the government does not invest money (in the long run, they would actually save money, because they could get rid of their useless panel of experts!) and has all of the tests designed by real experts… we have two universities in Ottawa and, if the need is to have a French university do the work, there are a couple of excellent ones in Quebec… Yet I would not bank on this option!… and it is unfortunate… because, in the meantime, thousands of people are penalized… and it makes my job tough! I do work for my students’ interest, not for the government’s!…
Although Candice is disappointed with her results, she did receive a C in reading comprehension and a B in written expression, with only three answers away from an E and a C… given the nature and the content of the written expression test she took last week, she is an achiever and I am really proud of her!
Congratulations Candice!
“L’inconstance perd tout, en ne laissant mûrir aucune semence”
Henri-Frédéric Aniel
It is 2:40 pm and I just got a phone call from Melody… I had to update you on the latest news. Yesterday afternoon, I had a session with her and we worked on her upcoming oral interaction test… she had mentioned that she had gotten 33 on both exams: reading comprehension and written expression… and she thought it was weird! Then I told her that, if she had had a score of 33 on the reading comprehension test, it was impossible that she had received a B (I do not remember the exact lower score for that level, but it is not 33 for sure)… Anyways, when she got back home, she did check her results sheet… believe it or not, both results were for the same test: written expression! This morning she contacted them asking why she had not received her results for the reading comprehension exam… she said that she was nervous because there was still a possibility that she had missed the B… or, even worse, that they had lost her results and she would have to take the test a second time… Finally, they sent her results… she got her B, missing the C by only one point!!!… She pointed out that it was even more frustrating, knowing that she could have had a C after all!… Oh well… are they confused or not?… I said it many times and I will say it again: “Reality is beyond fiction!”… It is so absurd that we have no other choices, but laugh!…
If they made up their minds… It would be of great help!
I really do have a problem with the written expression test!… In early Spring there was a pilot test because the panel of experts wished to make modifications to the 65 question version… In April, paragraph C had disappeared once and for all: it had been replaced with more fill in the blank with the correct group of words… So far so good! All of my trainees agreed that the test was a bit easier than before…
Then, some time during the Summer, they had re-introduced something similar to paragraph C (different versions of a sentence) yet it was easier to spot the correct answer… At the beginning of August, Ellie confirmed that there were about five or seven questions of that type. Though she said there were no questions on the subjunctive (or any other verb forms)… only prepositions and vocabulary (read government jargon)… in other words, the test she took was filled with traps.
Last week, both Melody and Candice took the test on the very same day (at different locations) and they said it was a real nightmare! This time, there were no subjunctive (a couple of verbs here and there) and no prepositions… According to them, there were many questions about improving the original sentence (it looks like paragraph C is back!) and, apparently, the ones that were not directly like that were still like that… In other words, for the most part of the test, there were only sentences with minor differences and they had to choose the best one!… Even native French speakers would have a hard time to make the right choice!… Most of the time, it is a matter of personal choice since all of these words are synomyms with slight nuances.
How, in the name of God, can I prepare people for those tests when they keep changing?… Of course, there are test samples on Campus Direct but they are kind of obsolete… we have to work with samples of the written expression test that were around in 2001-2005… or… with the four samples of the 80 question version (which, by the way, has been replaced with the 65 question version in June 2008)… Do I have to remind the so-called panel of experts that their samples no longer reflect reality? Practicing with such tests is a waste of time at this point… and it gives a false feeling of confidence… for instance, Candice would rarely make more than a couple of mistakes on the practice tests but, on the actual test, she got a B missing the C by three answers… was she disappointed? Of course she was!… Who would not be?
I can teach grammar, accurate vocabulary, spelling and correct syntax… but I cannot teach interpretation!… or how to think like the panel of experts… Honestly, each time I come across the paragraph C of the 80 question version of the written expression test, I cannot find the best sentence!!!… Why?… Only because none of them follows the syntax rules of the French language… in my book, they all are crooked!… Therefore I have to guess which one these experts decided was the best one! If someone like Candice, who have a solid background in French (years of French immersion in grade school and high school), struggled with the test… just imagine how Anglophones with little or no background do!
What is the purpose of such tests?… are they meant to assess candidates’ knowledge or to eliminate them?… I am sorry, but questions of interpretation should never be found in tests that alledgedly assess people’s knowledge of a second language! It just does not make sense!
And let’s talk about fairness for a second… is it fair to change tests drastically from one month to another? People who took the test in April got higher levels and there were probably some of them who did not have half of the knowledge Candice has!… If she had taken the test at that time, she would have easily pulled out an E (exemption)… Bottom line, this whole SLE testing process is not valid!… The results do not reflect reality… I still do not understand why the government does not invest money (in the long run, they would actually save money, because they could get rid of their useless panel of experts!) and has all of the tests designed by real experts… we have two universities in Ottawa and, if the need is to have a French university do the work, there are a couple of excellent ones in Quebec… Yet I would not bank on this option!… and it is unfortunate… because, in the meantime, thousands of people are penalized… and it makes my job tough! I do work for my students’ interest, not for the government’s!…
Although Candice is disappointed with her results, she did receive a C in reading comprehension and a B in written expression, with only three answers away from an E and a C… given the nature and the content of the written expression test she took last week, she is an achiever and I am really proud of her!
Congratulations Candice!
“L’inconstance perd tout, en ne laissant mûrir aucune semence”
Henri-Frédéric Aniel
It is 2:40 pm and I just got a phone call from Melody… I had to update you on the latest news. Yesterday afternoon, I had a session with her and we worked on her upcoming oral interaction test… she had mentioned that she had gotten 33 on both exams: reading comprehension and written expression… and she thought it was weird! Then I told her that, if she had had a score of 33 on the reading comprehension test, it was impossible that she had received a B (I do not remember the exact lower score for that level, but it is not 33 for sure)… Anyways, when she got back home, she did check her results sheet… believe it or not, both results were for the same test: written expression! This morning she contacted them asking why she had not received her results for the reading comprehension exam… she said that she was nervous because there was still a possibility that she had missed the B… or, even worse, that they had lost her results and she would have to take the test a second time… Finally, they sent her results… she got her B, missing the C by only one point!!!… She pointed out that it was even more frustrating, knowing that she could have had a C after all!… Oh well… are they confused or not?… I said it many times and I will say it again: “Reality is beyond fiction!”… It is so absurd that we have no other choices, but laugh!…