Teachers’ Familiarity with Communicative Testing Techniques

Abstract

This paper is based on the findings of a study conducted in selected secondary schools in Lusaka district, Lusaka province, Zambia. The purpose of the study was to establish whether teachers were using communicative techniques in test construction. Data was collected using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Questionnaires were distributed to the teachers and focus group discussions were held with them while interviews were held with the heads of department. The major finding was that teachers were not familiar with communicative language testing. Apart from failing to define communicative testing, the majority of the teachers were not familiar with various aspects of communicative testing. Therefore, the study recommended that teacher training institutions should adequately train teachers in communicative testing. Further, courses in language testing should be developed in order to help expose students to recommended language testing techniques.