Exploration Of Integrated Writing In Language Tests

Language testing now attaches great importance to measuring test takers’integrated ability, and the traditional ways of tests are unable to satisfy this purpose, therefore, multi-media is now applied to language testing with the purpose of testing multi-language skills. Writing, traditionally a test of written ability, is now not limited to measuring a single ability. Thus integrated writing appears in some exams like some college entrance examination, Internet-based College English Test4(IBCET4) and IBCET6. But unfortunately, there are not many researches on integrated writing up till now. Therefore, it is of theoretical and practical significance to do researches on integrated writing.This thesis aims to do empirical researches on integrated writing by analyzing data, questionnaires and interviews concerning Listening and Writing in IBCET4in the following aspects:correlation between listening and writing in paper-based CET4(PBCET4), comparison between Listening and Writing in1BCET4and writing in PBCET4. The researches are carried out under the guidance of criteria of language tests, constructivism and communicative language ability (CLA). After the analysis of the researches of the performance on model tests of90freshmen, the empirical results can be concluded as follows:First, listening and writing in CET4are of high positive correlation, so do Listening and Writing in IBCET4and writing in PBCET4, but integrated writing can discriminate students’ writing ability more distinctly, and difficulty index is a little higher.Second, as a whole, all the students have made progress in writing, but low and intermediate have made much rapid progress as compared to those advanced level students. And their improvement is mainly in the content of the writing and language use. That is to say, low and intermediate level students benefit more from the adding of audio video materials, which provides them ideas to help them write better.Third, integrated writing helps students to interact between listening and writing, which is in accord with the content of constructivism and CLA. Students are highly motivated to practice listening before writing. And the validity of integrated writing has been achieved.In the conclusion part, the author provides personal suggestions as to the development of mtegratea writing.