How Do I Assess Language Learning?
Assessing language learning in the classroom is something that we have to take under consideration before, during and after a unit has been taught. This is what we refer to as Diagnostic, Formative and Summative assessments.
Diagnostic Assessment: it is done at the beginning of a lesson. Here, the teacher can use quizzes, tests or collect students' work to have an idea on what area to focus the lesson on.
Formative Assessment: it is done throughout the process of a lesson. This assessment is done without marking the students on their work. The students also have the opportunity of giving feedback to their classmates and do self-assessments on their own learning.
Formative Assessment: it is done throughout the process of a lesson. This assessment is done without marking the students on their work. The students also have the opportunity of giving feedback to their classmates and do self-assessments on their own learning.
Summative Assessment: It is a compilation of what the students have learned at the end of a unit or lesson. Students can demonstrate their learning through homework assignments, portfolios or group activities that are to be graded.
Another useful form of assessment is the PBLA-Portfolio Based Language Assessment. The PBLA is a significant factor in language training classrooms, especially those publicly funded programs. This type of assessment is formative, and due to its nature, it is performed on an ongoing basis.
As usual and as part of every unit, we had to check with our PLN and ask about the types of assessments, techniques and/or methods used in the classroom to assess students. One member of my PLN said that for her the most difficult and trickiest skill to assess is speaking and listening.
Assessing speaking: If she's covering a unit in Health - making or canceling appointments with the Doctor's office, a tool that she has found very successful is whereby the assessment task is recorded. This can be by using a recording device in the classroom or through a telephone message left on the teacher's phone where the students record the task required are just examples.
Assessing listening: Another activity that she enjoys and finds very helpful is the ESL Jigsaw puzzles. She uses a short text that's target to level and divides the text into four groups. Her classroom is also divided into four groups as AAAA, BBBB, CCCC, and DDDD. Each group spends time reading, practicing, and memorizing their part in the text. Then, the groups split up to have a member from each group, so you have ABCD together. At this point, she takes the text (papers) away from the students, and they have to share what they have learned with their group. Once the sharing is done, the Ss with work together to answer comprehension questions as part of the activity.
This unit also addresses the way feedback should be given to the students. Shawna Williams in her presentation on Action Oriented Feedback (2015) states that in order to move students forward, teachers must provide Ss explicit comments about the student's current state of learning and be specific with the class goals and criteria. She suggests avoiding giving students vague feedback and to use the Sandwich Approach Feedback instead. At the same time, limit yourself to point out 1-2 specific areas that the student needs to improve on.
ESL Jigsaw Puzzle
Action Oriented Feedback
As usual and as part of every unit, we had to check with our PLN and ask about the types of assessments, techniques and/or methods used in the classroom to assess students. One member of my PLN said that for her the most difficult and trickiest skill to assess is speaking and listening.
Assessing speaking: If she's covering a unit in Health - making or canceling appointments with the Doctor's office, a tool that she has found very successful is whereby the assessment task is recorded. This can be by using a recording device in the classroom or through a telephone message left on the teacher's phone where the students record the task required are just examples.
Assessing listening: Another activity that she enjoys and finds very helpful is the ESL Jigsaw puzzles. She uses a short text that's target to level and divides the text into four groups. Her classroom is also divided into four groups as AAAA, BBBB, CCCC, and DDDD. Each group spends time reading, practicing, and memorizing their part in the text. Then, the groups split up to have a member from each group, so you have ABCD together. At this point, she takes the text (papers) away from the students, and they have to share what they have learned with their group. Once the sharing is done, the Ss with work together to answer comprehension questions as part of the activity.
This unit also addresses the way feedback should be given to the students. Shawna Williams in her presentation on Action Oriented Feedback (2015) states that in order to move students forward, teachers must provide Ss explicit comments about the student's current state of learning and be specific with the class goals and criteria. She suggests avoiding giving students vague feedback and to use the Sandwich Approach Feedback instead. At the same time, limit yourself to point out 1-2 specific areas that the student needs to improve on.
ESL Jigsaw Puzzle
Action Oriented Feedback
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