Abstract
The demand for literacy in a developing country like Nigeria has multiple results such as the expansion, by leaps and bounds, of the average Nigerian classroom. This paper highlights the reasons for large classes in Nigerian secondary schools, the educational and psychological dimensions of language testing in large classes, the challenges of such classes and how they affect achievement and in the long run, the standard of education. It also tasks the proficiency levels of English Language teachers especially in the area of testing and points out new paradigms in language testing, particularly in large classes from the two perspectives of human and infrastructural development, and teacher empowerment and initiatives. The study suggests methods of improving language testing in large classes through pragmatic techniques.
Highlights
Language testing is not a new subject for research as studies abound in this area
Large classes constitute a perennial problem in the Nigerian educational system, which is not different from most third world nations
It is necessary to examine the processes and prospects involved in administering language tests in large classes in Nigeria and strategies that can help manage such classes
Summary
Language testing is not a new subject for research as studies abound in this area. Large classes constitute a perennial problem in the Nigerian educational system, which is not different from most third world nations. The problem of testing is situated in the fact that some of the teachers are not competent in that area or the volume of paper work (marking) for the teacher is more, and in that the students do not get enough practice exercises in the four language skills and do not perform well in exams. This reality is even more pronounced in such a country like Nigeria where English is a second language and the level of proficiency in it is sometimes minimal. It is necessary to examine the processes and prospects involved in administering language tests in large classes in Nigeria and strategies that can help manage such classes
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