Feedback from the supervisor, Prof., Doctor of Philology. Pavlovskaya I.Yu.
at the thesis of bachelor Anna Vladimirovna Volchkova on the topic
“Game-based digital tests in English for high school students”
 Level of education: bachelor's degree
 Direction 45.03.02 “Linguistics”
 Main educational program 5096 “Theory and methods of teaching foreign languages and cultures (English)”
  The final qualification paper fulfilled by Anna Vladimirovna Volchkova, presented for defense, is devoted to the study of methods and techniques of language testing offered to the general user, and specifically to the design and probation of grammar test tasks for senior schoolchildren, presented in the form of computer games. The relevance of this study is due to the fact that the universal principles of testing and assessment of foreign language communicative competence have their own characteristics in the context of teaching the younger generation, who are focused on digital products, and also to the fact that search for forms of control that can motivate older schoolchildren requires new developments.
The goals, objectives and results of the study comply with the requirements of the educational standard of St. Petersburg State University and the educational program in terms of mastering established competencies.
Anna Vladimirovna Volchkova's thesis contains 54 pages of main text, the bibliography includes 40 titles in Russian and English, including dictionaries, reference books and Internet sources, and 18 pages of appendices, including test samples, statistical tables and screenshots of computer games. The main text is illustrated with 11 tables and two figures. The structure of the main text of the work consists of an introduction, 2 chapters with conclusions, and a resume. The composition is balanced, the first and second chapters have approximately the same volume. The introduction contains all the necessary qualification characteristics of the research project (goals, objectives, subject, object, practical value, methodological basis). The content is presented logically, does not contain gross violations of the norms of the Russian language, and there are practically no typos. 
The student worked systematically, attended seminars and consultations with her supervisor, mastered a large volume of scientific sources and conducted an experiment on her own.
In the first chapter, “Theoretical foundations of teaching grammatical skills to schoolchildren using game forms,” the author analyzes the subject of research - the development of grammatical skills in the English language. In the same chapter, the author examines the basic principles of international testology and language testing practice. In addition, the author analyzes in detail the game form of presenting the material and other forms of increasing motivation for the focus group of the study. Thus, the linguistic, psychological and didactic foundations of the proposed practical development are considered. The chapter is written competently and interestingly.
In the second chapter, “Designing a digital gaming test for the development of grammatical skills,” the author moves on to a testological experiment conducted on the basis of the Academic Gymnasium named after D.K. Faddeev with the participation of 24 subjects. The test specification is presented competently and in detail, including the structure, test objects, types of tasks, and criteria for evaluating answers. It is especially necessary to note the author's good command of methods for statistical analysis of test results. A.D. Volchkova uses not only the method of classical test analysis developed by Spearman, but also the later and currently relevant method of analysis by Georg Rasch.
Statistical analysis showed a high degree of reliability, good discriminant power of questions and a moderate level of question difficulty, which is ideal for test-type control instruments.
A survey of schoolchildren on the subject of motivation for educational activities according to the methodology developed by T. O. Gordeeva, O. A. Sychev, T. K. Gizhitsky, T. K Gavrichenkova in 2017 based on the Academic Motivation Scale (ASH) by R. Vallerand showed that that in this sample of respondents the dominant motivations are those of knowledge (16%), self-development (16%), achievement (15%) and self-esteem (13%). From this, the author concludes that digital tests in a game form are a good way to motivate schoolchildren in grades 10-11 to complete tasks on grammatical skills.
 The author’s conclusions reflect the content of the work and are worthy of the attention of both testologists and all foreign language teachers.
The work meets all the requirements for bachelor's thesis at St. Petersburg State University, including its formatting. I believe that the thesis can be accepted for defense and deserves an “Excellent” (A) rating with a recommendation to continue studying in a master’s program.
Scientific adviser,
  Doctor of Philology, prof. I.Yu. Pavlovskaya
  06/04/2024.