A Critical Evaluation Of The Effects Of Discrete Point Testing On Autonomous Language Learning

In our country, discrete point testing, in which each item is independent and focuses on aspecific component of language, is the most widely used testing method in foreign languagelearning.With the development of quality-oriented education, more and more language educatorshave shifted their attention onto developing individuals' ability to learn by themselves. As ahot issue and new tendency of language teaching, autonomous language learning has becomeincreasingly popular in foreign language education circles. Since autonomous learning is animportant approach to language learning for many learners and that autonomous learning goesclosely with self-assessment measures, what kind of approach should be used inself-assessment will have great effect on the whole progress of autonomous language learning.At present, many foreign language learners blindly choose multiple-choice items, a typicalformat of discrete point testing, as a convenient approach of self-assessment. However, theinherent disadvantages of discrete point testing make it unlikely to be of much help to thelearners in their self-assessment.This dissertation is aimed to analyze the limitations of discrete point testing as anapproach of self-assessment and expose its harmful effects upon autonomous languagelearning.This dissertation consists of five parts:Chapter â…  is about the phenomena of wide use of discrete point testing in the realm ofautonomous language learning.Chapter â…¡ introduces the definition and history of discrete point testing and a comprehensivereview of the limitations and disadvantages of discrete point testing.Chapter â…¢ analyzes the functions of self-assessment in autonomous language learning. Sincethe purpose of self-assessment is giving learners the information on theirstrengths and weaknesses, it should provide sufficient diagnostic details andefficiently appraise the learner's ability.Chapterâ…£ is the analytical part of the empirical research, discussing the researchmethodology, data collection.Chapterâ…¤ offers analysis of the results and discussion, that is, with the disadvantages andinherent weaknesses, discrete point testing cannot provide information to helpstudents to facilitate, guide or improve their autonomous language learning aseffectively as people generally assume.