LING 612 Language Testing Ch 2 by T. McNamara (2000)

After scoring the language assessment and finding out what the data tells about second language learners comes looking at the language and how it is used in the test. Test construct usually used in psychology can be used in social content of the testing for language assessment usage. This format tells you how language testing is used in practical application. This process is based on what the test "looks" at to give the results. That look can vary, therefore interpreting the test results and the content of the test varies depending on what the test is looking for.
In the 1960's psychometric-structuralist period which tests isolated skills such as grammatical structure or vocabulary knowledge and some macroskills of listening, reading, writing and speaking.
In the period after the 60's when foreign students started entering the Britain and US universities there was a need for productive capacities for language. This method added the pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and an understanding of the context as well. This resulted in integrative tests in writing and spoken forms.
In the 1970's an American, John Oller researched two factors in language testing, on-line processing of language in real time and "pragmatic mapping". He came up with the hypothesis which focused on cloze zone testing called "Unitary Competence Hypothesis." This the gap filling reading test. This however did not solve the problem of finding out what the communicative skills that testers have.
Job analysis gives testers opportunity to test in occupation situations where they are going to a foreign country to work focusing on the way to communicate in the job setting and the tools that are available in that setting. At this point in the chapter, I am trying to figure out if I would be interested in taking a test to enter a new university or to get a job in another country where language will be a factor. My question would be, is the test written in the language of the country or is it written in English while focusing on the language content of the new country?
Strategic competence is measuring capacity for strategic behavior in performance such as confidence and preparedness to take risks. This helps to negotiate meaning in context. Understanding the way that the test taker, interlocutors, test designer, and rater interact and come together might get us closer to getting a second language assessement that asesses the whole person in language use and the context used.
My thoughts on this chapter is that I am glad that the cloze method to assess language competence is not the only way to assess students and I am glad that that is realized. This makes me have high hopes that the SBA and HSGQE tests will get on board and realize that one test does not fit all.