English for specific purposes assessment.

Abstract

Most language assessment specialists agree on several principles of measurement, which include evidence for test reliability, validity, and impact. The purpose of ESP assessment is covered by target language needs situations, extremely important and necessary in order to conceive the tests correctly. The current paper is the result of an experiment assessment session at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj, Romania, with special reference to students in Horticulture, Landscape Architecture, Forestry, and Land Survey. The experiment starts from the idea that when students start an ESP course, they already know about 20-25% of the terminology, which they are supposed to acquire by the end of the academic year. Several types of tests and questionnaires are suggested in order to detect this terminology, on the one hand, and to find out information and data concerning students’ needs and directions for the course design and syllabus development, on the other. Pre-course tests for reading, writing, speaking, and listening are taken by all the potential course participants before the actual language course begins. They are used to seek information about the students’ specialist areas, work experience, personal background, and other relevant details that would play some role in conceiving the course and the following assessment stages. ESP assessment is conceived in such a way as to obtain relevant results for the teaching process.