Tests for English Students

[Niko]

Are Tests Really Needed?

I must admit, in the last 12 months I've been teaching English, not once have I held a test for students.

My students range from 3 to 15 years of age. Some classes are groups, whereas others are privates. I definitely don't agree with giving tests to children less than 10 years old. Tests will only scare children and have adverse affects on them.

Like I said, I have not held any tests in the past 12 months. My students come to me to learn English. If I help students achieve their goal to learn English without the need of tests, does that mean I'm a failure? Definitely not.

I know in the general schooling system, students are overwhelmed by tests. In fact, many students are probably just memorising for tests rather than learning for comprehension and understanding.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, don't feel obliged to give tests to your students. Each lesson you teach, you should be continuously evaluating student understanding, so that you know which areas require further instruction and when you can introduce new topics. Makes sense to me!

Jeff G.
(English Teacher - Singapore, Japan)