Abstract:

The article is dedicated to training of graduate students as future teachers of foreign languages to use the method of language computer testing that has become popular due to its high efficiency. This method is regularly applied both for individual or group activities online and offline, and for self-studying, so important for everyone learning a foreign language. It is also broadly used to comprehensively assess language skills during an admission of foreigners to an educational institution, an issuance of work or residence permit, a selection process for vacancies.

Taking into consideration the diversity of applications of language computer testing and the importance of decisions based on its results, it is necessary to train graduate students theoretically and practically to use the method correctly and effectively in their future work. The purpose of this study is to develop a methodology for that training.

The authors used the following methods: analysis of scientific literature, comparative analysis of modern cloud platforms and distance learning systems providing language testing, modelling, algorithmization, experimentation, statistical analysis of computer tests’ results.

For graduate students’ theoretical studies, the authors selected such topics as the purpose and objectives of testing, types of tests and the technologies of conducting them, kinds of tasks and their composition, the evaluation of the nonstructural sub-tests by an expert teacher and a perspective of using artificial intelligence technology for this purpose, a statistical analysis of test results and the quality of tasks, interpretation of the final scores and making decisions based on them.

For the workshop, the authors adapted their own product, a system of computer testing of Russian as a foreign language. This allows graduate students to master the process of creating and conducting tests in all sections (vocabulary and grammar, reading, listening, writing, speaking) by means of multimedia computers. Special attention is devoted to an automatization of an expert teacher’s work who evaluates the performance of nonstructural sub-tests (writing and speaking).

As an example of a distance learning system supporting computer testing of those who study foreign languages, the authors chose Moodle. It provides a rich set of task types and powerful tools for statistical analysis of test results and quality. In the authors’ opinion, Microsoft Teams, a cloud platform for business communication, can demonstrate to future teachers of foreign languages how well computer testing can be integrated into the learning process.

The practical result of the study is the development of a module training graduate students to use language computer testing effectively. It was tried during online and offline courses for linguists specializing in methods of teaching a foreign language. The algorithms and language computer testing programs applied in the module were previously used in a large-scale centralized testing of applicants and in a training of experts in testing learners of Russian as a foreign language.

Keywords:

Graduate student, expert teacher, language computer testing, multimedia tests, statistical analysis of test results.