Item Writing Course - Getting to know the basics              

What knowledge and/or skills will I gain from this course?

The ALTE Item Writing Course - Getting to know the basics aims to help participants get started as item writers or develop already existing item writing skills.  After introducing theory basics, we’ll get down to looking at examples of tasks and doing some item writing.

Most sample tasks are in English, but the course has been developed in such a way that all of the techniques are applicable to writing tests for other languages too. Although the sessions are divided into Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking, we will also briefly discuss item writing for integrated skills.

How is this course delivered?

This course is delivered online via Microsoft Teams. It includes five sessions of 3 hours each (15 hours).

Who is the course tutor?

The course will be presented by Annie Broadhead.

Annie Broadhead is an Assessment consultant, ESOL teacher trainer, test developer and ELT author based in Cambridge, UK. Annie has run online courses in the Principles of Testing and ALTE Item Writer courses in several countries. She has experience of writing tests for all ages and at all levels. She is passionate about helping people produce good tests that have a positive washback effect on teaching and learning.

When is the next course?

The next Item Writing course will be in October 2024.

Can several people from the same organisation join this course?

For group bookings, ALTE advises to book a maximum of three places per organisation.

How can I register?

To register for this course, click here.

How can I pay?

Full payment is required on registration. We strongly recommend that payment is made online using a Visa, MasterCard or American Express. However, if it is not possible to pay with a credit/debit card when registering, please contact the ALTE Services Unit (servicesunit@alte.org) to request an invoice with bank transfer payment instructions.