Commonly Used Techniques in Testing Foreign Language Skills and Communicative Language Teaching

Abstract

Teaching and testing foreign language skills are long and challenging processes that cannot be separated from each other. Many traditional test items and alternative methods are utilized for various testing purposes. However, for a successful evaluation, alternative method and traditional assessment types should be handled in communicative language teaching for a successful evaluation. The basics of Communicative Language Teaching are important to increase foreign language learners’ communicative competence. In this sense, this review illustrates traditional testing item types after defining the difference between test and assessment. Secondly, testing language skills and components are put under a critical perspective. Then, the basics of Communicative Language Teaching are explained. Eventually, suggestions about adopting all testing types and methods for an effective assessment are discussed. Also, technology-based assessment tools are recommended for an authentic assessment. Correspondingly, the review mainly tries to shed light on testing language skills and language components. Moreover, it aims to help foreign language teachers prepare exams that follow the basic principles of Communicative Language Teaching.