Practical Idea on Alternative Assessment for ESL Students. Author: Tannenbaum, Jo-Ellen Instructor: Liane Haslauer Presenter: Natasha Liao Date: April 28th, 2008

Why is Alternative Assessment useful? * It's particularly useful with ESL students because it engages strategies that ask Ss to show what they can do. * Ss are evaluated on what they integrate and produce instead of on what they are able to recall and reproduce.

* It's particularly useful with ESL students because it engages strategies that ask Ss to show what they can do.

* Ss are evaluated on what they integrate and produce instead of on what they are able to recall and reproduce.

Alternative Assessment * Focus: documenting individual S growth over time, rather than comparing students with one another. * Emphasis: on Ss' strengths, rather than weaknesses. * Consideration is given to: learning styles language proficiencies cultural & educational background grade levels of Ss

* Focus:

documenting individual S growth over time, rather than comparing students with one another.

* Emphasis:

on Ss' strengths, rather than weaknesses.

* Consideration is given to:

learning styles

language proficiencies

cultural & educational background

grade levels of Ss

A Variety of Measures * Nonverbal assessment strategies * K-W-L charts * Oral performances or presentations * Oral and written produces * Portfolios

* Nonverbal assessment strategies

* K-W-L charts

* Oral performances or presentations

* Oral and written produces

* Portfolios

Nonverbal Assessment Strategies * Physical demonstration: students can point or use other gestures to express academic concepts without speech. * Pictorial products: teachers can ask Ss to produce and manipulate drawings, models, graphs, and charts to elicit content knowledge without requiring Ss to speak or write.

* Physical demonstration:

students can point or use other gestures to express academic concepts without speech.

* Pictorial products:

teachers can ask Ss to produce and manipulate drawings, models, graphs, and charts to elicit content knowledge without requiring Ss to speak or write.

K-W-L Charts * this strategy enables teachers to gain an awarness of Ss' background knowledge and interests * it helps teachers assess the content material learned

* this strategy enables teachers to gain an awarness of Ss' background knowledge and interests

* it helps teachers assess the content material learned

Sample K-W-L Charts * what I know: Lincoln was important His face is on a penny He's dead now I think Lincoln was a President He was a tall person. * what I want to know: Why is Lincoln famous? Was he a good President? Why is he on a penny? Did he have a family? How did he die? * what I've learned: Lincoln was President of the U.S. He was the 16th President. There was a war in America when Lincoln was President. He let the slaves go free. Two of his sons died while he was still alive.

* what I know:

Lincoln was important

His face is on a penny

He's dead now

I think Lincoln was a President

He was a tall person.

* what I want to know:

Why is Lincoln famous?

Was he a good President?

Why is he on a penny?

Did he have a family?

How did he die?

* what I've learned:

Lincoln was President of the U.S.

He was the 16th President.

There was a war in America when Lincoln was President.

He let the slaves go free.

Two of his sons died while he was still alive.

Oral Performances or Presentations Performonce-based assessments include: interviews oral reports role plays describing explaining summarizing retelling paraphrasing stories

Performonce-based assessments include:

interviews

oral reports

role plays

describing

explaining

summarizing

retelling

paraphrasing stories

Oral and Written Products Useful oral & written products for assessing ESL Ss: content area thinking & learning log reading response logs writing assignments dialogue journals audio or video cassettes

Useful oral & written products for assessing ESL Ss:

content area thinking & learning log

reading response logs

writing assignments

dialogue journals

audio or video cassettes

Portfolios * Portfolios are used to collect samples of S work over time to track S development. Materials can be included in a portfolio: Audio Writing samples Art work Conference or interview notes Checklists Tests and quizzes

* Portfolios are used to collect samples of S work over time to track S development.

Materials can be included in a portfolio:

Audio

Writing samples

Art work

Conference or interview notes

Checklists

Tests and quizzes

Conclusion Alternative assessment holds great promise for ESL Ss. The ideas and models are intended to be adaptable, practical, and realistic for teachers who are dedicated to creating meaningful and effective assessment experiences for ESL Ss.

Alternative assessment holds great promise for ESL Ss.

The ideas and models are intended to be adaptable, practical, and realistic for teachers who are dedicated to creating meaningful and effective assessment experiences for ESL Ss.

Thank you for listening !!!