An often unappreciated and unavoidable part of all learning be it classroom or self-learning are the tests that go along with it. Loathed by some and revered by others these tests serve a crucial purpose in the learning process. Mandatory in all cases, these tests, are a necessary part of all learning to ensure students have fully understood the lesson content and absorbed the lesson completely.
Taking an English test online, whether it is part of a classroom course or an online course the pressure a student feels is the same. As with all exams, the hardest part is preparation. Students must first understand the purpose behind the test. Some tests are designed to check if students have fully understood the lesson content while others are designed to evaluate a student’s current level of understanding. The test results can be interpreted for various means. Sometimes such results can be used to determine what further areas a student must focus on. Sometimes these results can be used to categorise students into levels based on their comprehension to identify which course of study is the best.
The best approach to taking an English test online or in a classroom is for students to approach it with a positive attitude. Students who are usually intimidated by a test tend to get negative results. It is because they become resigned to failure and expect to get the answers wrong. Evidence shows that if a student approaches a test with a positive attitude, i.e. understanding why he or she is being tested. And what the test results are designed to show, such students maximize the efficiency of these tests and achieve the desired outcome. It does not necessarily mean passing or failing, it simply means that the test results will be correctly indicative of the student’s requirements and focus their attention to areas of improvement.
Such tests are a crucial part of online learning as they serve multiple functions. Firstly in online learning an initial English test online is a must to understand how the student must move forward and what the best course of education is, based on what areas the student needs to improve. Once these areas of development are clearly defined and understood the student can then focus on developing each area progressively. It is in gauging how effective this focus has been that the test is essential. It is always best to review one’s performance continuously to evaluate if the training is practical.
One such example of an online learning programme that continually reviews its effectiveness with students is English club TV. It is a website that provides students access to several well-designed programmes created with the aim of ultimately improving all aspects of English.
