AboutahaAESL7004-8-4
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This document discusses different types of assessment used to measure student progress, including formative and summative assessment. It describes traditional standardized assessments as measuring facts and memorization through multiple choice questions, lacking representation of classroom activities. Alternatively, authentic assessment reflects real-life contexts, utilizes higher-order thinking skills, and allows teachers flexibility in tools that meet diverse student needs. Characteristics of authentic assessment include encouraging transfer of learning, emphasizing problem-solving and integrating skills in meaningful, student-selected tasks.
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AboutahaAESL7004-8-4
- 2. "Assessment is the systematic measurement of educational progress over time, including the progress of individual students and groups of students, as well as the effectiveness of instructional program" (O'Malley & Valdez Pierce, 1996)
- 3. Assessment Tools are Classified into Two Key Groups
- 4. Before or during instruction Formative Assessment After instruction and learning Summative Assessment Types of Assessment Use
- 5. Traditional VS. Alternative/ Authentic SL Assessment 1. Traditional SL assessment or standardized assessment •Includes a wide variety of tests such as true/false , matching, and multiple choice. •Examines facts and memorized information. • Lacks the full range of higher critical thinking skills •Lacks the representations of classroom activities and tasks
- 6. Examples of Traditional SL Assessment
- 7. Validity Standardization PredictionObjectivity Reliability Traditional Tests should meet the following essential criteria:
- 8. 2. Alternative/ Authentic Assessment •Reflects students' leaning, achievement, motivation and attitudes on classroom activities. •Represents real-life contexts •Utilizes higher order -thinking skills •Meets the needs of diverse learners •Allows teachers to chose an appropriate tool for students with different learning styles or learning disabilities.
- 10. Characteristics of Authentic Assessment Encourages Transfer of Learning Emphasizes Problem Solving Integration Of Knowledge & Skills Constructing Knowledge Higher Order Thinking Positive Interaction Student – Selected Tasks Meaningful / Real World Tasks
- 11. Characteristics of Performance-Based Assessment •Engages student in higher order-thinking with open- ended tasks •Enables students to explain, justify, criticise, and defend their opinions •Applies different measuring criteria and rubric •Involves activities that have no single correct answer. •Integrates the four language skills in meaningful and authentic tasks.
- 13. Observation •An effective teacher is engaged in observing and following up her students' performance. •It can be systematic and planned procedures for students' interaction with classmates, responses, and verbal and nonverbal behavior (Brown, 2007).
- 14. Self and Peer-Assessment Self and peer-assessment is a process where students or their peers grade tasks or tests based on a teacher's rubric
- 15. Journals and Blogs Language Learning Logs Reflections About Oneself Responses to reading texts Grammar Discussion
- 16. Questions 1. What are the defining attributes of traditional and authentic assessments? 2. Why use authentic assessment? 3. What are the characteristics of authentic tasks? Give examples of authentic tasks 4. What is the difference between testing and assessment?
- 17. References Alberta. Alberta Education. (2007). English as a Second Language. Guide to Implementation: Kindergarten to Grade 9. Retrieved from http://education.alberta.ca/media/653515/esl_shgi.pdf Brown, H.D. (2007). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy (3th ed.). White Plains, NY: Pearson Education Inc. Harmer, J. (2007). How to teach English. Edinburgh Gate: Pearson/Longman.
- 18. O'Malley, J.M. & L. Valdez Pierce. (1996). Authentic assessment for English language learners: Practical approaches for teachers. USA: Longman. Mueller, J. (2006). Authentic assessment toolbox. Retrieved from http://jonathan.mueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/ Susan, D. L, Fabiola, E, Mayra, C., & Xiaoqin, S. (2006). Assessing English-language learners mainstream classroom. International Reading Association, 60(1), 24-34. doi: 10.1598/RT.60.1.3
Editor's Notes
- When building an assessment, language teachers have to bear in mind the characteristics of appropriate assessment. The purpose of assessment should be constructive in itself, rather than deconstructive. Assessment should give students the opportunity to demonstrate what they have already known and how they have learned (Harmer, 2007, p. 174). Assessment provides feedback for both students and teachers throughout the course. It diagnoses students' learning in terms of points of strength and weakness, as well as evaluating teachers' instructional methods. In addition, it guides and motivates students to be actively involved in their own learning.
- Criterion-referenced test measure items relevant to the learning outcomes without comparing between students. Its goal is to obtain a description of certain skills and knowledge each student can demonstrate (Linn& Gronlund, 2000). A criterion-referenced assessment can be scored through checklists, grades, scales or rubrics. Examples: Writing Skill Test, Listening and Speaking Test. -Norm-referenced test compares the examinees’ performance with other groups of examinees typically with the same age or grade level. Examples: SAT, IQ, TOEFEL and ACT exams. The test used multiple choice formats and in some cases open-ended and short questions.
- Assessment includes information about students’ performance and achievement. It is a continuous process that is used daily to collect information about students’ English language proficiency and their accomplishments in content areas (Alberta Education, 2007). Two types of assessment are used: formative assessment and summative assessment. Formative assessment provides ongoing feedback to help students identify their strengths and weaknesses, thereby improving their learning. Whereas, summative assessment is conducted at the end of a unit or term. Its goal is to provide information to students about their achievement in English language and subject areas.
- Traditional assessment depends basically on testing learners' acquisition of certain information required in a given curriculum. Traditional assessment has certain disadvantages that make students feel panic and frustrated. It neither provides a complete picture of learners' performance nor examines learners' deep understanding; it encourages only memorization and superficial learning (Murphy, 2009). Therefore, language teachers have to adopt alternative assessment tools because they provide "direct insights on students literacy development and showcase students' progress and accomplishments (Susan et al. 2006, p.28). Alternative assessments provide teachers with a clear picture of students' interaction and development in the four language skills. For example, reading is "a complex interactive process" (p.28) that demands a completely integrated interaction between the reader, the given text, as well as "the mental processes involved in comprehension" (as cited in Susan et al. p.28). On the other hand, all forms of traditional assessment are conducted by the test-givers who hold the responsibility of structuring the tests. Conversely, when performing an authentic assessment, learners are given the choice of constructing meaningfully what they have learned.
- Proficiency test is composed of standardized multiple choice items on the four skills of language, and sometimes a piece of writing. For examples: TOEFEL and IELTS. They are now computer- based. The two skills reading and listening are computer-scorable; whereas, writing and speaking skills are human-scorable. Diagnostic test diagnoses a particular problem of a language. Some learners experience difficulty in pronunciation or in grammar, and they demand manipulation; therefore, such problems should be a part of a curriculum. For example, the teacher asks students to write a topic, and then she/he pinpoints difficulties on which a leaner needs a special focus. This type of test identifies learners’ points of weaknesses and strengths. Placement test aims to place learners into an appropriate level Achievement test examines classroom related materials and curriculum within a time frame. Achievement test can be set up after finishing the course to make sure that the objectives are met. Aptitude test is given to a person before any exposure to the foreign language. The test aims to measure a learner’s ability to learn a second language, and predict his/her future success in language learning. Two major examples of language aptitude tests: a) the Modern Language Aptitude Test, b) the Pimsleur Language Aptitude Battery (as cited in Brown, 2007).
- To be objective in using such assessment test, tests must be standardized and administered the same way every time in order to reduce any potential bias. The results of the tests must be taken from a sample population that is representative of the population who will be taking the test. Tests must be reliable and produce consistent results. This means that an assessment tool administered to the same examinees a second time would produce the same results and not influenced by outside factors (Cohen, 1994). Tests must be valid in order to measure what is intended to measure. Tests must be used for appropriate purposes. For example, if a test is supposed to measure the students’ ability in verbal skills, then it must clearly demonstrate that it does actually measure students’ ability in verbal skills and not the non-verbal skills. Tests should make an accurate prediction of test-takers’ performance. Tests should be objective and not discriminatory on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, and religion.
- It is important to use a combination of the two forms of assessment as they complement each other to meet the needs of diverse learners and serve different purposes. For example, on traditional assessment, learners have to select the best response either from multiple choice questions or true or false...etc. and select the right answer. Whereas, authentic assessment requires learners to show their understanding by performing a complex task relevant to real-life situations. Such real -life tasks are representative of meaningful application ( Mueller, 2006). To use a simple example, if a hiring a agency in education has to choose a novice teacher from all the newly graduates who passed the theoretical portion of graduation requirement, the agency would choose the novice teacher who also finished the requirement of teaching practicum.
- Most importantly, performance-based assessment enables diverse learners to demonstrate what they can do, as well as what they know according to their learning styles and preferences. It allows the students to demonstrate the application of knowledge rather than the memorization of facts. Furthermore, it involves students in the process of self and peer-evaluation.
- Among the most popular forms of alternative assessments is Portfolio. It is a systematic, purposeful collection of students' work over the course time. The content of the portfolio varies according to the given assignments and the level of students. As noted by Brown (2007), portfolio for adult ESL learners, includes pieces of writing such as essays, poems, personal reflection, book reviews, as well as video recordings of students' oral presentation. For bilingual learners, they have to demonstrate their knowledge of L1 and L2 through writing logs, audiotapes or videotapes, as well as reading logs to show their level of proficiency in L1 and L2.
- A competent teacher should be able to observe his/her students while doing class activities. As a professional, he/she needs to take systematic notes, use charts and checklists to support his/her observations, and give a reliable and useful feedback to students (Brown, 2007). The teacher should observe the following: -Students' oral production -Students' responses with the whole class, group or peers. -Students' learning styles and attention span -Cultural and nonverbal factors in communication (Brown, 2007)
- Self-evaluation and peer-assessment are highly recommended in alternative assessments. Students should be guided to show how to evaluate their progress and criticize their performance. While engaging in self-evaluation practices, students develop independence, self-involvement, and self-reflection. However, teachers should bear in mind that students may experience difficulties due to the variation in their linguistic ability. Thus, teachers have to "model responses to self-assessment tasks and then provide students with group, peer, and finally independent practice" (Susan et al., p. 32). Such concept of assessment encourages autonomy and motivate students to follow their performance independently, and make sound corrections when needed.
- Journals and logs serve as a communication between students and teacher. They allow teachers to provide various types of feedback. The teacher should direct his/her students on how to start each entry, the length of each response, as well as any potential format. In addition, the teacher collects journals either biweekly or monthly, and return them as soon as possible. The teacher shows students how to respond to teacher's feedback and comments (Brown, 2007).