3.1 Types of tests

There are different types of tests. The most important ones are:

Proficiency tests: This type of test was made to test people's abilities in a language and show their skills and performance of the language, no matter if they have a previous training in the subject.

A good example is the TOEFL test, which shows the proficiency in the English language. The equivalent of this type of tests in Japanese is the JLPT, made by the Japanese government.

Achievement tests: Are tests made by authorities to get feedback about students' performance and what they have achieved. There are two subcategories under this type of tests: final achievement and progress achievement. The first one is applied at the end of the course in order to know if the objectives were achieved, and the second one is applied in the middle of the course.

"Prueba ENLACE" is clear example of this type of tests. With that test, the Mexican government can get results from students all over the country, compare them and change the educational strategies in order to get better results next time.

Diagnosis tests: This test does not have an impact on the students' grades and it is made just to know the abilities of the students at the beginning of a course, so the teacher can know the level of the students before starting the classes.

Diagnostic tests are commonly used at schools in the first days of classes, so each institution has their own tests for this. Also, many teachers prefer to made their own diagnostic tests according to their own needs.

Placement tests: This kind of tests are used to "place" students in group according to their proficiency at the beginning of the course, so the content of this one can meet the expectations and needs of the students taking the course.

Many institutions have their own tests. However, some tests as CENEVAL are used not only to decide if the students are admitted into school, but to place them into groups. In the other hand, speaking about language courses, a tests which shows a result based on the Common European Framework for Languages can be used to place students into groups.