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🇺🇸 TEFL/TESOL Certification · flashcards
TEFL/TESOL Certification Materials, Technology, and Assessment Flashcards
52 question-and-answer cards covering Materials, Technology, and Assessment as it is examined in TEFL/TESOL Certification. 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the Materials, Technology, and Assessment deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
Define test 'validity'.
The degree to which a test measures what it claims to measure (e.g., a speaking test actually assessing speaking ability, not reading).
Define test 'reliability'.
The degree to which a test produces consistent, dependable results across different occasions, markers, and versions.
What is 'practicality' as a test quality?
Whether a test is feasible to administer given available resources, time, cost, and ease of marking and interpretation.
What is 'washback' (backwash) in assessment?
The effect a test has on teaching and learning; positive washback encourages beneficial study/teaching, negative washback narrows it to mere test preparation.
What is the difference between 'direct' and 'indirect' testing?
Direct testing assesses the actual target skill (e.g., a real writing task to test writing); indirect testing measures underlying abilities thought to relate to the skill (e.g., a grammar item to infer writing ability).
Distinguish 'discrete-point' from 'integrative' testing.
Discrete-point testing assesses one element at a time in isolation (e.g., a single grammar point); integrative testing requires combining many skills at once (e.g., a cloze test or essay).
What is the difference between 'norm-referenced' and 'criterion-referenced' assessment?
Norm-referenced ranks a learner against other test-takers; criterion-referenced measures a learner against fixed criteria/standards regardless of others' performance.
What does the CEFR stand for and what does it describe?
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages; it describes language proficiency in six levels (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) using 'can-do' descriptors.
List the six CEFR levels in order from lowest to highest.
A1 and A2 (Basic User), B1 and B2 (Independent User), C1 and C2 (Proficient User).
Name two well-known international English proficiency exams and the skills they assess.
IELTS and TOEFL — both assess the four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. (Cambridge exams: KET, PET, FCE, CAE, CPE also map to CEFR levels.)
What is the difference between IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training?
Academic is for higher-education/professional registration (academic-style reading and writing tasks); General Training is for migration/work/secondary education (everyday and workplace texts).
Give two examples of 'objective' test item types.
Multiple choice, true/false, matching, and gap-fill (with a single correct answer) — they are scored without examiner judgment.
Give two examples of 'subjective' test item types.
Essays, short-answer/open-ended responses, and oral interviews — scoring requires examiner judgment (often using a rubric).
List two guidelines for writing good multiple-choice items.
Have only one clearly correct answer; make distractors plausible but unambiguous; avoid grammatical clues, 'all/none of the above', and overly long stems; keep options similar in length/structure.
What is 'alternative assessment' and give one example.
Non-traditional, often performance-based assessment that evaluates learners through real tasks over time. Examples: portfolios, projects, self/peer assessment, journals, and observation checklists.
What is a 'portfolio' as an assessment tool?
A purposeful collection of a learner's work over time that shows progress, effort, and achievement, often including learner self-reflection.
What is a 'rubric' in assessment?
A scoring guide listing criteria and descriptions of performance levels, used to evaluate subjective tasks consistently and transparently.
What is 'reflective teaching'?
A process in which teachers systematically examine their own practice—collecting evidence, questioning assumptions, and making informed changes—to improve and develop professionally.
Name two common tools/methods for teacher self-evaluation and reflection.
Keeping a teaching journal/diary, audio/video recording lessons, self-evaluation checklists, soliciting student feedback, and action research.
What is 'peer observation' and one of its main benefits?
One teacher observing another's lesson to give and receive feedback; benefits include sharing ideas, gaining fresh perspectives, and non-judgmental professional development without the pressure of formal appraisal.
State two principles for giving effective post-observation feedback.
Be descriptive and specific (not vague), start with positives, focus on observable behavior rather than personality, be constructive, and encourage the observed teacher's own reflection/self-evaluation.
In a TEFL career/job search, what is a 'TEFL certificate' and what is the recognized minimum hours?
A qualification certifying training to teach English as a foreign language; a widely recognized standard is a minimum of 100+ hours, with CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL being well-respected examples.
Name three key elements employers look for when hiring an EFL teacher.
A recognized TEFL/TESOL qualification, relevant teaching experience, native-like/strong language proficiency, a clear CV and cover letter, and cultural adaptability/professionalism in interview.
State two principles of professional ethics and cultural sensitivity for an EFL teacher.
Respect students' cultures, beliefs, and customs; avoid imposing your own values; maintain confidentiality and fairness; be inclusive and non-discriminatory; and behave professionally toward learners and colleagues.
What this deck covers
The Materials, Technology, and Assessment deck follows the TEFL/TESOL Certification Materials, Technology, and Assessment syllabus — 4 chapters and 14 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 13.0 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 165 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
Materials, Technology, and Assessment flashcards FAQ
How many Materials, Technology, and Assessment flashcards are in this TEFL/TESOL Certification deck?
52 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these TEFL/TESOL Certification flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 52-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the Materials, Technology, and Assessment cards cover?
They follow the TEFL/TESOL Certification Materials, Technology, and Assessment syllabus — 4 chapters and 14 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.