Another Question...this one about testing

This one from Joe (again)! My most faithful reader, it seems. He wants to know specifically about the how I do testing and some examples.

Answer:

My tests are very, very simple. I do a written test with things like matching vocab, fill in the blanks, finish the sentence, make a question if I write an answer, circle the correct word that fits in the sentence.

I also do speaking tests. Every class, I'll have at least a couple questions that the students will talk about in pairs or small groups. Example: if we're studying about describing people, the question will be, "What does your mother look like?" Or shopping, "What's your favorite place to shop? Why? What do you buy there?"

I'll then use these questions for the final exam. It basically ends up being 3 or 4 random questions from the list of 10 or 15 and I score them on a 4 point scale. If I go with "What's your favorite place to shop?" and they answer, "I don't know." 0 points. "Walmart" 1 point. "I shop at Walmart." 2 points. "My favorite place to shop is Walmart because it's cheap." 3 points. My favorite place to shop is Walmart because it's cheap, and they have a large selection of things so it's very convenient. 4 points.

Make sense?