Essay Example on Modern Technology: Testing and Teaching in Linguistics

In the modern world, technological advancements have changed both the method of testing and teaching in linguistics. At the same time, practitioners have tried their best to embrace every opportunity which provides more innovative ways of doing that. With modern technology, there have been unique features offered, making it efficient to test and assess the wide range of language skills required for the particular use. However, the increased curiosity of testing and assessing the English language as a foreign language and the importance placed on this area, modern technology has been used to address the issues of speed, practicality and efficiency. This paper will examine the effectiveness of modern technology in English as a foreign language testing and assessment.

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Since the decade of the 1960s, computers have been used in the language assessment. However, the widespread computer incorporation in most educational institutions in the late 1970s and 1980s due to the emergence of personal computers took place (Chapelle & Erik, 2017). In the case of English as foreign language teaching and learning to be specific, the inclusion of the computers has brought a positive change. For instance, they are making it efficient in changing from traditional paper and pen examination to other methods that have encouraged the modern technological advancements. Furthermore, Modern technology has made it efficient of English as a foreign language testing and assessment since it allows students to work at their own pace. In schools, ' students are also able to provide themselves with the tasks of their levels and even give them the prompt feedback they need.

The modern technology has also made it efficient by using multimedia in presenting authentic situations of language use. It has also helped in the enhancement, facilitating, and contextualizing the testing and assessment of English as language ability. With modern technology, learners can conduct an individualized analysis of English as a language, the errors made, and even performance that can automatically provide the feedback to them. The modern technology has also made it easy to generate reports containing detailed information about every student to the teachers. However, it has made it effective since the student can learn beyond the traditional classroom. The technology also has enhanced English as foreign language assessment with the integration of the automated test analysis, feedback, and conversational agents.

According to the Horizon report by Adams Becker 2017, there has been exciting growth of using data from different learning environments to collect information about the learning process since the learners reveal their progress. The technology through the ICT department uses multiple modalities to create simulations or real-life situations that can be used to record and evaluate students. For example, through modern technology, learners can record themselves in pronunciation or speaking classes which the information recorded can be used to assess their progress. Also, they can be able to interact with other learners online and display their work in a blog, and that can help in the assessment.

In the research of efficiency of modern technology in English as a foreign language, Chapelle & Voss Identified themes that are used. The computer-adaptive language testing where it helps in the interaction between the input and the answers given by the learner. There is the automated writing evaluation which is used to support the human rating in assessing the section of the test in terms of grammar among other features. There is also the automated speaking evaluation used for the speech evaluation, which varies from person to person. However, since technology is continually evolving, the need for more specialized professionals understanding the new technology in language testing and learning is required.

References

Becker, S. A., Cummins, M., Davis, A., Freeman, A., Hall, C. G., & Ananthanarayanan, V. (2017). NMC horizon report: 2017 higher education edition (pp. 1-60). The New Media Consortium.

Chapelle, C. A., & Voss, E. (2016). 20 years of technology and language assessment in language learning & technology. Language Learning & Technology, 20(2), 116-128.