ENHANCING READING COMPREHENSION ASSESSMENT: A FOCUS ON EVALUATION IN UNICERT® LUCE

Authors

  • Tomáš Hamar Comenius University Bratislava, Faculty of Medicine, Slovakia
  • Zuzana Pekařová Comenius University Bratislava, Faculty of Medicine, Slovakia

Keywords:

reading, reading comprehension, testing, UNIcert, Language for Specific Purposes

Abstract

This article presents an in-depth analysis of reading comprehension tests across multiple academic institutions included in the UNIcert® network based in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, focusing on their structure, task types, and effectiveness in assessing students' abilities. Through the examination of various test versions, the study identifies common trends, challenges, and opportunities for improvement in reading comprehension assessment practices. Key findings reveal the importance of task diversity, clarity in instructions, and integration of skills such as critical thinking and writing. Recommendations for enhancing reading comprehension assessments are provided, emphasizing the need for balanced task complexity and alignment with learning objectives. By implementing these recommendations, academic institutions can develop more robust assessment strategies that accurately evaluate students' reading comprehension skills and support their overall academic success.

References

ALDERSON, Charles. 1984. Reading in a foreign language: a reading problem or a language problem? In ALDERSON, Charles. – URQUHART, Andrew. (esd.) Reading in a Foreign Language. London : Longman, 352 pp. ISBN 978-058-255-372-9.

ALDERSON, Charles – URQUHART, Andrew. 1988. This test is unfair: I’m not an economist. In: CARRELL, Patricia L. – DEVINE, Joanne – ESKEY, David E., (eds.) Interactive Approaches to Second Language Reading. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, pp. 168-182. ISBN 978- 1139524513.

ALDERSON, Charles. 2005. Assessing Reading. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 398 pp. ISBN 0-521-59999-7.

AZIMOV, Elkhan G. 2015. New Uses of Information Technology in Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language: Social Networks and Major Online Courses. St. Petersburg : MAPRIAL, pp. 26-30. ISBN 978-5-9906635-9-1

CLAPHAM, Caroline. 1996. The development of IELTS: A study of the effect of back ground on reading comprehension. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 317 pp. ISBN 978-0521561990.

COHEN, Andrew – GLASMAN, Hilary – ROSENBAUM-COHEN, Phylis R. – FERRARA, Jonathan – FINE, Jonathan. Reading English for specialized purposes: discourse analysis and the use of student informants. In: CARRELL, Patricia L. – DEVINE, Joanne – ESKEY, David E., (eds.) Interactive Approaches to Second Language Reading. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, pp. 152-167. ISBN 978- 1139524513.

Council of Europe. 2020. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment – Companion Volume. Cited: 3 February 2024. Available online: https://rm.coe.int/common-european-framework-of-reference-for-languages-learning-teaching/16809ea0d4

CUMMINS, Jim. 1979. Linguistic interdependence and the educational development of bilingual children. In Review of Educational Research, Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 222-251. ISSN 1935-1046.

CUMMINS, Jim. 1991. Conversational and academic language proficiency in bilingual contexts. In AILA Review, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 75-89. ISSN 1461-0213.z

DOUGLAS, Dan. 2000. Assessing Language for Specific Purposes. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 328 pp. ISBN 978-05-117-3291-1.

GAVORA, Peter. 2012. Čo sa skrýva pod porozumením textu. In GAVORA, P. a kol. Ako rozvíjať porozumenie textu u žiaka. Nitra : Enigma, pp. 51-92. ISBN 978-80-891-3257-7.

HANKEROVÁ, Kristína – KOVÁČ, Stanislav – PAVLÍK, Radoslav. 2022. Dyslexia a grafémovo-fonémové vzťahy v anglickom a slovenskom jazyku. Bratislava : Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave, 167 pp. ISBN 978-80-223-5543-8.

HALLIDAY, Michael Alexander Kirkwood. 1979. Language as social semiotic. London : Edward Arnold, 256 pp. ISBN 978-0713162592.

ISMAILOVA, Kholisakhon – BONDAREVA, Olga – BELOGLAZOVA, Liliya – POKROVSKIY, Georgy. 2018.Teaching Reading Skills to Foreign Non-Philology Students Using Internet Resources during Pre-University Training. In Espacios, Vol. 39, No. 14. ISSN 0798-1015.

JAVORČÍKOVÁ, Jana – BADINSKÁ, Mária – LIŽBETINOVÁ, Lenka – BRETT, David. 2021. The need for integration of reading, critical thinking and academic reading skills: a quantitative analysis of Slovak undergraduates' reading performance. In Journal of Language and Cultural Education, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 12–29. ISSN 1339-4584.

JAVORČÍKOVÁ, Jana – KOVÁČ, Stanislav. 2018. Motivation to read: facts and myths. In Radomskie Studia Filologiczne, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 27-35. ISSN 2299-1131.

JAVORČÍKOVÁ, Jana – KOVÁČ, Stanislav 2021. Ako čítame: analýza čitateľského výkonu dospelých v cudzom (anglickom) jazyku. In Philologia. Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 71-93. ISSN 1339-2026.

KOVÁČ, Stanislav. 2018. Kulturologické implikácie funkčnej a čitateľskej gramotnosti. In Skúsenosť inakosti: osobná a politická identita v kultúre, literatúre, preklade a humanitných vedách. Bratislava : Z-F LINGUA, pp. 252-262. ISBN 978-80-8177-050-0.

KOVÁČ, Stanislav. 2019. Vedomosti čitateľa a ich vplyv na porozumenie textu. In Jazykovedné, literárnovedné a didaktické kolokvium,Vol. 53. Bratislava : Z-F LINGUA, pp. 91-99. ISBN 978-80-8177-062-3.

KŠIŇANOVÁ, Marína. 2018. Problem-based learning and project-based learning at Faculty of Medicine Comenius University. In Rebus linguae: non-conference peer-reviewed collection of papers: 2. Vol 2, Bratislava: Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave, pp. 120-130. ISBN 978-80-223-4611-5.

MCDONOUGH, Jo – SHAW, Christopher 1993. Materials and Methods in ELT: a teacher’s guide. Oxford : Blackwell, 352 pp. ISBN 9781118357453.

PURPURA, James E. 2016. Second and Foreign Language Assessment. In The Modern Language Journal, Vol. 100, No. 1, pp 190-208. ISSN 1540-4781.

SELINKER, Larry – TRIMBLE, Louis. 1974. Formal Written Communication and ESL. In Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 81-90. ISSN 0047-2816.

ŠAJGALÍKOVÁ, Helena – CHMELÍKOVÁ, Gabriela. 2018. Špecifikácia jazykových programov podľa UNIcert® LUCE. Bratislava : Ekonóm, 78 pp. ISBN 978-80-225-4530-3.

SMITH, Frank. 2004. Understanding Reading: A Psycholinguistic Analysis of Reading and Learning to Read. London : Routledge, 388 pp. ISBN 978-0805847116.

ŠIKOLOVÁ, Mária – MIKULÁŠ, Martin. 2016. Specifikace zkoušek podle UNIcertLUCE. Bratislava : Ekonóm, 96 pp. ISBN 978-80-225-4348-4.

UNIcert® Framework guidelines. 2022. Published: 6 December, 2022, Cited: 3 February 2024. Available online: https://www.unicert-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/RO-UNIcert-Neufassung2022_Text.pdf

WIDDOWSON, Henry George. 1979. Explorations in applied linguistics. Oxford : Oxford University Press, 284 pp. ISBN 978-0194370806.

Downloads

Published

2024-05-10

How to Cite

Hamar, T., & Pekařová, Z. (2024). ENHANCING READING COMPREHENSION ASSESSMENT: A FOCUS ON EVALUATION IN UNICERT® LUCE. Apps - Academic Journal of Applied Linguistics and Languages, 2(1), 18–28. Retrieved from https://ojs.tuzvo.sk/index.php/apps/article/view/94