Tests

Learning English is a tough task, and one of the things that makes it tough is goal setting. It is really hard to set clear concrete goals for something that you cannot do. It is harder when the task is in a different language because then the thoughts are all foreign, and you cannot think about what they are to set them as goals. How can our students get around this?
I have thought about this for some time now, and some ideas are starting to bubble up. Today, though, I want to keep myself limited to the theme of tests.
You see, we just had a set of tests last week for the kids classes. I make them optional, so no-one feels pressure, but I have found that many of the kids opt-in to the tests. Come test day they are nervous, but they also feel excited, and they love the challenge.
One day, when I get more preparation behind me, I would love to set tests more frequently than once a year.
For our adult students, I often encourage them to take the TOEIC test. I suggest twice a year, or once a year, depending on the student’s inclinations. I suggest taking the test as a way of helping them to set goals, and take a more active role in their learning. The scores they get serve as goals for them and that helps them focus their attention on the activities they need to do to achieve the goals.
What do you think?