孙博
辽宁省大连市枫叶初中 116000
Abstract: As the name suggests, English Test for International
Communication(ETIC) mainly focuses on English communication competence, which means the competence to complete various communication tasks. Therefore, as candidates, they are supposed to be clear how to demonstrate their social competence in the writing examination. While as the test holders, they have to make the test more comprehensive to select perfect employees. This paper tries to assess the writing task 3 in ETIC(Intermediate) based on Bachman & Palmer’s framework of language task characteristics (1999), consisting of five characteristics: setting, assessment rubrics, input, expected response and relationships between input and expected response. Meanwhile, some comments and suggestions will be included in this paper.
Key words: ETIC(Intermediate), writing task 3, characteristics, TLU
I. Brief Introduction of ETIC(Intermediate) writing task 3.
ETIC(Intermediate) writing communication test is composed of four tasks. In writing task 3, candidates are required to read an email or letter about 80 words and write a 70-word reply accordingly, in order to examine candidate’s ability to convey information under certain circumstances.
II. ETIC(Intermediate) writing task 3 Task characteristics
2.1 Characteristics of the setting
2.1.1 Physical characteristics
ETIC is computer-aided test, so the location, seating conditions, the noise level are all objective factors, which may be not exactly the same or each test taker.
2.1.2 Participants
Definitely, in writing task 3, the test takers are the participants of the task. They need to read the given email or letter, so they just need to grasp the key information in the discourse and needn’t to negotiate with the writer. In this case, the test taker’s familiarity with and level with expertise in the given topic can be used to characterize the intended audience. Apart from participants mentioned above, people who are involved in administering the test are also participants that are likely to affect the test taker’s performance.
2.2 Characteristics of the Rubrics
2.2.1 Instructions
“The instructions are the means by which the test takers are informed about the procedures for taking the assessment, how it is structured, how it will scored, and how the results will be used.”(Bachman&Palmer, 2015)
sample of instruction of writing task 3 (The Official Guide to ETIC, China Language Assessment，2017）
“Read part of an email below from Anna Brown, an account executive of Buzz Advertising
Write an email to Ms. Brown:
.expressing apology for not attending the meeting;
.explaining the reason why you were absent;
.requesting additional information on the updated budget
Write about 70 words within 20 minutes”
2.2.1.1 Language
The instructions of the task are presented in the target language, English. Since the the instructions are not part of input, the instructions are explicit and easy to understand, not challenging.
2.2.1.2 Channel
The characteristics of oral test is aural as well as visual, for test takers need to listen to the audio and respond, while the characteristics of writing test is visual. In completing writing task 2, test takers need to look at the screen and read the given email or letter and finish the reply.
The criteria and procedures for producing the record may also affect how test takers respond to the test. In writing task 3, if test takers know their writing will be scored in terms of content, structure and language accuracy, they will surely have more chance to pass.
2.2.2 Structure
ETIC(Intermediate) consists of two parts, orally communicative test and writing communicative test. Writing test is made up of four tasks. The sequence of tasks is determined by the test taker’s response and the computer because ETIC(Intermediate) is a computer adaptive test. In writing task 3, there is an email or letter about 80 words, test takers are supposed to get the vital information and write a response to it.
2.2.3 Recording Method
In ETIC(Intermediate) writing task 3, the test taker’s performance is rated on several rating scales. Criteria of rating A can be seen in the following table, translated from The Official Guide to ETIC, China Language Assessment，2017.
“rating A of ETIC(Intermediate) Writing rubrics”
rating content structure Language currency
A *Well developed connection to the topic.
*Fully fulfill writing requirements.
*Develop clear ideas and convey correct information with sufficient supporting details.
*clearly and well-organized
* related ideas are grouped together logically and coherently
*standard format
*accurate choice of words
*flexible usage of sentence patterns
*correct grammar
2.3 Characteristics of the Input
2.3.1 Form
The form of the input of writing task 3 is usually language-based, because this part require test takers to read an email or letter and write response.
2.3.1.1 Language of input
The language involved in writing task 3 is the language to be assessed or target language, English.
2.3.1.2 Length/Time
The given email or letter is about 80 words, and test takers are required to write a reply about 70 words within 20 minutes. That is to say, test takers are need to finish reading or writing one word every 8 second.
2.3.1.3 Type
The type of input of the writing task 3 consists of input of interpretation and prompt. First, the test takers need to comprehend the given email or letter in order to respond. While writing the response, the test takers are offered specification of the purposed of the response, the kinds of information that need to be provided, which all belong to prompt.
2.4 Characteristics of Expected Response
2.4.1 Type of Response of ETIC(Intermediate) writing task 3
In ETIC(intermediate) writing task 3, the task is linguistic and an extended production written response which consist of a 80-word email or letter input and 70-word reply.
2.4.2 Reading and Writing Skills Coverage
Writing task 3 combined a reading passage with a writing task, which requires the test takers certain reading and writing skills. (Young&Wire, 1998) claims that reading skills are regarded as a careful and subconscious process of applying linguistic skills to extract the main idea and important details. Since the purpose of ETIC is to select the appropriate people for certain positions, the test should put great emphasis on the test taker’s skills. According to the introduction and the writing rubrics of writing task 3 on the official website of ETIC , the reading and writing skills that may be required are as follows.
Reading skills:
1.Identify the main idea of the reading material.
2.Understand the author’s intention and attitude.
Test takers need the reading skills above to understand the given email or letter, and also be clear of the author’s intention and attitude so that they can give proper reply.
Writing skills:
According to the rubrics, the writing skills are assessed in three aspects, content, structure and convention.
“rating A of ETIC(Intermediate) Writing rubrics”
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2.5 Relationship Between Input and Expected Response
2.5.1 Type of external interactiveness
ETIC (Intermediate) writing task 3 is non-reciprocal task for the following reasons. After reading and writing the email and letter, the test takers will neither receive the feedback nor back-and -forth interplay. The reading content they are given doesn’t change the following reading and writing tasks.
2.5.2 Scope of relationship
Relatively, writing task 3 can be considered as broad scope assessment task. The given email or letter only require test takers focus on the main idea, and reply to it. Therefore, details of the reading part are not that essential.
2.5.3 Directness of relationship
Obviously, the writing task 3 of ETIC (Intermediate) includes both directly and indirectly relationship between input and response. Based one example of task 3 mentioned above, the first instruction are relatively direct. The first instruction of writing is to express apology, so the test takers can directly write the response. While the second instruction is to explain and the third requires additional information need test taker’s own topical knowledge.
III. Evaluation of ETIC(Intermediate) writing task 3
3.1 Objective of writing task 3
As teachers and test holders, when examining content from an educational perspective, our major focus is what we intend students to learn or what we intend to assess, which is our objective. According to Benjamin Bloom introduced “Taxonomy or Educational Objectives”in 1956, questioning can be defined as remembering, understanding and applying which are relatively lower-level cognition, as well as analyzing, evaluating and creating which are relatively higher-level cognition. From the sample instructions of writing task 3, it is easily conclude that writing task 3 require test takers to understand the content, analyze the content and create their own email based on the given content. Therefore, from the six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, writing task 3 successfully assesses both lower level and higher level objectives.
3.2 Evaluation from the perspective of Validity
“Validity is an integrated evaluative assessment of the degree to which empirical evidence and theoretical rationales support the adequacy and appropriateness of inferences and actions based on test scores or other modes of assessment.”Messick (1989) Writing task 3 is evaluated from construct validity and face validity.
3.2.1 Construct Validity
As long as the task assess the skills that it should be assessed and necessary in most of the important official tests, we can say the test or the task have construct validity. As mentioned above, the writing task 3 requires the test takers have the ability to understand the content and identify the main idea of the content, then create a new email with to the topic, with accurate grammar and clear information. Therefore, it can be said that this writing task test the must reading and writing ability.
3.2.2 Face Validity
Holden (2010) points out that face validity refers to the transparency or relevance of a test as they appear to test participants. When it comes to ETIC writing test, its purpose is to test the communicative writing ability. From this perspective, writing task 3 is qualified in face validity, for the genre of this part is email or letter, all real-life situation practical writing. No matter in the workplace or in our life, we can’t live without it. Seemingly, from this aspect, writing task 3 just measure the essential ability or skill which ought to be measured.
3.3 Interactiveness of ETIC(Intermediate) writing task 3
Interactiveness refers to the correspondence between the test takers and the task itself. While doing the task, if the test takers are required to apply their language ability, strategic competence, topical knowledge as well as they language background, we can say the task has high interactiveness. When it comes to ETIC (Intermediate) writing task 3, which is a communicative writing task, therefore, the test taker’s cultural background or language background must be required. In order to finish the writing task, the task takers have to finish reading the given email or letter, which also combine their reading ability with their writing competence. Additionally, the genre of this task is practical writing like email or letters, with the purpose to communicate and convey information, which also demand ability to interact.
IV. Comparison of ETIC (Intermediate) writing task 3 and NEMT practical writing
It is said that the test is valid if it is relevant with some official tests. As is known, NEMT is one of the most important examinations in China. In NEMT, sometimes practical writing tasks will appear. There are some similarities as well as difficulties between the two writing tasks.
The similarity taken into consideration is that both of two writing tasks require candidates to write a email or letter with some instructions or explanations.
There still exist some differences. Firstly, all the instructions of ETIC are in English, NEMT in Chinese. Additionally, NEMT will give more detailed instructions, which lower the difficulty of the writing task. What’s more, ETIC requires the candidates to write based on a reading input, combining reading with writing. According to the differences, personally,I think ETIC is more valid and effective, not just translate. ETIC(Intermediate) writing task 3 can be regarded as a 2 D or 3 D writing task, which require students or candidates more comprehensible competences.
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