The Roles of Online Placement Test in English Language Teaching

The influence of technology in the world today and most especially by students have made it paramount for learning institutions to inculcate technology in the English language teaching curriculum. Could it be that there is a dire need to dive away from the traditional way of chalkboard teaching system to a more interactive whiteboard teaching system? It is worth-noting that constant attraction of students to the internet has made it important for learning institutions to keep abreast with the changes with no exception to context of the study. Thus, on the one hand through literature, this study will review the innovative strategies behind the use of online placement test to determine the course level of students enrolled in English language courses. On the other hand, the study will compare the final examination performance of students to determine the effectiveness of the online placement test. This study intends to address the following research questions: (a) what criteria are used to determine the course level of students before commencing any English language course? (b) Do students prefer the use of online placement test for English course leveling? And (c) how does the English online placement test affect students' overall performances in the course? The study will adopt a triangulation approach which will comprise the use of surveys, in terms of questionnaires and the use of semi-structured interviews. Thus, the study on the roles of online placement test in English language teaching will shed new light on the importance of technology to enhance learning performances especially amongst students who live in a globalised and digitalised age in the Kingdom of Bahrain