ABSTRACT
In its most basic formulation, the assessment of language knowledge and skills provides information on whether teaching and learning have been successful. However, the purposes of and audiences for assessment vary widely and, as a result, so do the types of assessment instruments and procedures. Defining the terms assessment and evaluation across linguistic boundaries is complicated by the lack of correspondence in key terminology. Although English has two terms with distinct definitions, Spanish does not, rendering both as evaluación. To both delimit the scope of this chapter and clarify possible linguistic confusion, assessment is to be understood as the process of documenting learners’ second language (L2) knowledge and skills, usually in measurable ways, with the goal of marking progress or making improvements. Assessments can be formal or informal, externally administered or self-administered; they tend to focus on the context in which the assessment has taken place, such as the language classroom. Evaluation is understood as the process of making judgments (in Spanish, valoraciones) based on criteria and evidence with the purpose of making decisions about individuals or programs.
