Language and Vocabulary in Assessment Development and Review
Language and vocabulary in assessment refers to ensuring the words, sentence structure, and linguistic complexity of your test questions match what’s necessary to assess the intended standard – without creating unnecessary barriers that prevent students from demonstrating their actual knowledge.
Distinguish between language that’s essential to your content and language that creates unnecessary obstacles. If you’re testing math problem-solving, the vocabulary should focus on mathematical terms students need to know, not complex literary language that makes the word problem harder to decode.
Use clear, direct sentence structures when possible. A science question about plant growth shouldn’t require students to navigate complex grammatical constructions unless sentence analysis is what you’re actually testing. Keep reading level appropriate – unnecessarily sophisticated vocabulary can mask whether students understand the science concept.
However, don’t oversimplify academic vocabulary that students need to learn. If your social studies standard requires understanding “democracy” or “constitution,” use those terms rather than avoiding them. The key is intentional vocabulary use that serves your learning goals.
Language and Vocabulary in Assessment Development and Review
Language and vocabulary in assessment means crafting questions with precise, clear language that allows students to focus on demonstrating their knowledge of the academic content, not decoding confusing or poorly written text.
When Developing Assessments Consider the following:
Grammar and Mechanics: Write with consistent verb tenses throughout each question. Proofread carefully to eliminate spelling and grammatical errors that can confuse students or make your school look unprofessional.
Clarity and Conciseness: Strip away unnecessary words. Instead of “In the event that a student might potentially consider the possibility of solving this mathematical equation,” write “To solve this equation.” Avoid vague language like “some things” or “various factors” – be specific about what you’re asking.
Appropriate Language Style: Use standard academic language, not casual expressions. Avoid colloquialisms like “kids” (use “students”) or idioms like “piece of cake” that English learners might interpret literally. Choose active voice when possible: “The scientist conducted the experiment” rather than “The experiment was conducted by the scientist.”
Grade-Level Appropriate Vocabulary: Match vocabulary to your students’ developmental level unless specific academic terms are part of your standard. Don’t use “utilize” when “use” works just as well for younger students.
Word Precision: Avoid words with multiple meanings that could confuse students. Instead of “right” (correct vs. direction), use “correct.” Replace unclear pronouns – don’t write “After the experiment, it was recorded” when you mean “After the experiment, the results were recorded.”
Sentence Structure: Keep sentences straightforward. Break complex ideas into shorter, clearer sentences rather than creating long, multi-clause constructions that students must untangle.
Consistency: Use the same term throughout for the same concept. Don’t switch between “graph,” “chart,” and “diagram” when referring to the same visual.
During Item Analysis Review:
Look for questions where students who understand the content still struggle due to language complexity. If strong students in your subject area consistently miss questions because of confusing wording rather than content knowledge, revise the wording for clarity and simplicity while maintaining academic rigor.
Pay special attention to performance patterns among English learners, but remember that academic language is part of what all students need to develop. The goal isn’t to eliminate all challenging vocabulary, but to ensure language complexity doesn’t exceed what’s necessary for the assessment purpose.
Red flags: Questions with unnecessarily complex sentence structures, vocabulary that’s above grade level without serving the content goal, or multiple-meaning words that could confuse students about what you’re actually asking.
Your goal: Language should support, not hinder, students’ ability to show what they know about your academic content.