Summary

1. Chapter 2 of "Assessment in the Language Classroom" by Cheng and Fox (2017):
Section 1: “Creating a Classroom Assessment Plan"
1. Identify the course learning outcomes: When identifying the course learning
outcomes, the authors recommend that teachers involve their students in the process.
This can help to ensure that the learning outcomes are clear and relevant to students
and can also help to promote a sense of ownership and engagement in the learning
process.
Ex: In a high school English class, the teacher might involve their students in identifying the
course learning outcomes by asking them to reflect on the skills and knowledge they hope to
gain throughout the semester. The teacher can then use this information to develop clear and
specific learning outcomes that are relevant to the students.
2. Determine the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students need to demonstrate:
When determining the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students need to
demonstrate, the authors recommend that teachers consider both formative and
summative assessments. Formative assessments are designed to provide ongoing
feedback to students and help them improve their learning, while summative
assessments are used to evaluate student learning at the end of a unit or course.
Ex: In a college-level history course, the teacher might use a mix of formative and summative
assessments to evaluate student learning. For example, the teacher might assign a series of
short writing assignments throughout the semester to provide ongoing feedback to students
and help them develop their writing skills. The teacher might also use a final exam to assess
students' knowledge and understanding of the course material.
3. Select appropriate assessment methods: When selecting assessment methods, the
authors recommend that teachers consider a variety of assessment types, including
traditional tests and quizzes, performance-based assessments, and portfolios. They
also emphasize the importance of aligning the assessment method with the specific
learning outcome and the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students need to
demonstrate.
Ex: the teacher might use traditional tests and quizzes to assess students' knowledge of
scientific concepts, but might also use performance-based assessments, such as experiments
or demonstrations, to evaluate students' ability to apply these concepts in real-world
contexts.
4. Develop assessment criteria: When developing assessment criteria, the authors
recommend that teachers be clear and specific in their descriptions of what
constitutes successful performance. They also recommend that teachers consider
involving students in the development of assessment criteria, as this can help to

2. promote a shared understanding of what is expected and can also help to clarify the
purpose and value of the assessment.
Ex: In a middle school art class, the teacher might involve students in developing the
assessment criteria for a project. The teacher might provide a rubric with basic criteria, such
as use of color and composition, but then work with students to refine and expand on these
criteria. This can help to promote a shared understanding of what is expected and can also
help students take ownership of their learning.
5. Provide feedback to students: When providing feedback to students, the authors
recommend that teachers provide feedback that is timely, specific, and focused on the
learning outcome and the assessment criteria. They also recommend that teachers
provide feedback in a way that promotes student engagement and ownership of the
learning process, such as by involving students in the development of the assessment
criteria or by providing opportunities for students to reflect on their learning.
Ex: In a language immersion program, the teacher might provide feedback to students by
recording their conversations and listening to them later to identify areas for improvement.
The teacher might provide specific feedback on pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary use
and provide opportunities for students to practice and improve their skills.
6. Use assessment results to make adjustments to teaching strategies: When using
assessment results to make adjustments to teaching strategies, the authors
recommend that teachers use the data from assessments to identify areas where
students are struggling and to develop targeted interventions to support student
learning. They also recommend that teachers use the assessment data to reflect on
their own teaching practices and to identify areas where they may need to make
adjustments.
Ex: In a high school math class, the teacher might use data from assessments to identify areas
where students are struggling and develop targeted interventions to support student
learning. For example, if a large number of students are struggling with a specific concept, the
teacher might create additional practice materials or reteach the concept using a different
approach.
7. Review and revise the assessment plan regularly: When reviewing and revising the
assessment plan regularly, the authors recommend that teachers involve all
stakeholders in the process, including students, parents, and other educators. They
also recommend that teachers be open to making changes to the assessment plan
based on new information or feedback and that they communicate any changes to all
stakeholders in a clear and transparent manner.
Ex: In a college-level language program, the teacher might regularly review and revise the
assessment plan in collaboration with other faculty members and program administrators.
The teacher might seek feedback from students and alumni to identify areas for improvement
and then make changes to the assessment plan based on this feedback. The teacher might

3. also communicate any changes to students and other stakeholders in a transparent and clear
manner.
Overall, the "Creating a Classroom Assessment Plan" section in Chapter 2 of "Assessment in
the Language Classroom" by Cheng and Fox provides a comprehensive guide for teachers to
create assessments that are aligned with course learning outcomes and that promote student
learning and engagement.
Chapter 2 of "Assessment in the Language Classroom" by Cheng and Fox (2017):
Section 1: “aligning assessments with course learning outcomes”
1. Identify specific learning outcomes for the course: Instructors should begin by
identifying specific learning outcomes for the course. These outcomes should be
clear, specific, measurable, and achievable within the timeframe of the course.
• Students will be able to speak with confidence and fluency on a variety of
everyday topics.
• Students will be able to understand and respond appropriately to spoken and
written English in a variety of contexts.
• Students will be able to write clear and grammatically correct paragraphs and
essays.
2. Determine the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students need to demonstrate:
Once the learning outcomes have been identified, instructors should determine
what students need to know and be able to do in order to achieve those outcomes.
This may involve breaking down the learning outcomes into smaller, more specific
learning objectives.
• The ability to use a variety of grammatical structures accurately and
appropriately.
• The ability to understand and produce spoken and written English at an
appropriate level of fluency and complexity.
• The ability to analyze and interpret written texts and respond to them
effectively in writing.
3. Select appropriate assessment methods: Instructors should select appropriate
assessment methods that are aligned with the learning outcomes and objectives.
The authors recommend using a variety of assessment methods, including
formative and summative assessments, to provide a comprehensive view of
student learning.
Oral presentations or interviews to assess speaking skills
• Written assignments or essays to assess writing skills

4. • Multiple-choice tests or short answer questions to assess understanding of
grammatical structures
4. Use assessment criteria that are clearly linked to learning outcomes: Assessment
criteria should be clearly linked to the learning outcomes and objectives. Rubrics
can be a helpful tool for ensuring that assessment criteria are specific and aligned
with the desired learning outcomes.
 For the outcome "Students will be able to speak with confidence and fluency on a
variety of everyday topics," assessment criteria might include pronunciation,
grammar, vocabulary, and fluency.
 For the outcome "Students will be able to understand and respond appropriately to
spoken and written English in a variety of contexts," assessment criteria might include
comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, and cultural knowledge.
5. Provide regular feedback to students: Providing regular feedback to students is an
essential part of the assessment process. Feedback should be specific,
constructive, and aligned with the learning outcomes and assessment criteria. The
authors recommend that instructors provide both formative and summative
feedback to students throughout the course.
• Specific comments on areas that need improvement in written work.
• Oral feedback on pronunciation or grammar during an oral presentation.
• Suggestions for further reading or study based on areas where the student
needs to improve.
6. Use student feedback and assessment results to make adjustments to teaching
strategies and assessment methods: Instructors should use feedback from
students and assessment results to make adjustments to their teaching strategies
and assessment methods. This can help to improve the quality of instruction and
assessment, and ensure that students are able to achieve the desired learning
outcomes.
• Offering additional practice exercises or activities in areas where students are
struggling.
• Changing the format or content of an assessment if it is not providing a clear
picture of student learning.
• Modifying instructional strategies if they are not effectively supporting student
learning.
7. Review and revise the assessment plan regularly: Instructors should review and
revise the assessment plan regularly to ensure that it is meeting the needs of

5. students and aligning with the learning outcomes. This may involve making
adjustments to the assessment methods, criteria, or feedback process.
• Adding or modifying learning outcomes to better align with the goals of the
course.
• Changing the types of assessments used to provide a more complete picture
of student learning.
• Adjusting the weighting of different assessments to better reflect their
importance in achieving the learning outcomes.
Overall, aligning assessments with course learning outcomes is an essential part of the
assessment process in the language classroom. By following these steps, instructors can
ensure that their assessments are measuring what students are expected to learn and are
providing them with useful feedback on their progress. This approach can help to improve the
overall quality of teaching and learning in the language classroom.
Chapter 2 of "Assessment in the Language Classroom" by Cheng and Fox (2017) is dedicated
to the topic of aligning assessment with course learning outcomes. The chapter highlights the
importance of creating a classroom assessment plan that is closely aligned with the goals of
the course and includes a variety of assessment methods to accurately measure student
learning.
Here are the key points covered in the chapter:
1. Identifying course learning outcomes: Teachers must clearly define the course
learning outcomes that they hope to achieve. These outcomes should be specific,
measurable, and aligned with the goals of the course. Students should also be involved in the
process of identifying the learning outcomes to ensure that the goals are relevant and
meaningful to them.
2. Determining the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students need to demonstrate:
Teachers must determine the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students need to
demonstrate to achieve the course learning outcomes. This involves selecting appropriate
assessment methods that are aligned with the learning outcomes and providing ongoing
feedback to students to help them improve.
3. Selecting appropriate assessment methods: Teachers must select appropriate
assessment methods that are aligned with the course learning outcomes. These methods
should provide a clear and accurate measure of student learning and can include a variety of
formative and summative assessments, such as tests, quizzes, projects, essays, presentations,
and observations.
 Oral presentations or interviews to assess speaking skills

6.  Written assignments or essays to assess writing skills
 Multiple-choice tests or short answer questions to assess understanding of
grammatical structures
4. Developing assessment criteria: Teachers must develop clear and specific assessment
criteria that are aligned with the learning outcomes and provide a clear indication of what
students need to do to demonstrate mastery of the material. This can include using rubrics,
checklists, or other forms of assessment criteria to help students understand what is expected
of them.
5. Providing feedback to students: Teachers must provide ongoing feedback to students
to help them improve their understanding and mastery of the material. This can include
providing verbal or written feedback on assessments, setting goals for improvement, and
providing opportunities for students to practice and apply their skills.
6. Using assessment results to make adjustments to teaching strategies: Teachers must
use assessment results to identify areas where students are struggling and adjust their
teaching strategies to better support student learning. This can involve developing targeted
interventions for individual students or groups of students and incorporating feedback from
students to improve the overall effectiveness of the course.
7. Reviewing and revising the assessment plan regularly: Teachers must regularly review
and revise their assessment plan to ensure that it remains aligned with the learning outcomes
and provides an accurate measure of student learning. This can involve seeking feedback from
students and colleagues, making adjustments to assessment methods and criteria, and
communicating changes to students in a clear and transparent manner.
Overall, the chapter emphasizes the importance of developing a comprehensive and well-
aligned assessment plan that helps students achieve the
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learning outcomes of the course. By following the principles outlined in the chapter, teachers
can create a more effective and meaningful learning experience for their students.
To provide some examples of how this can be applied in real context, consider the following
scenario: a language teacher is teaching a course on English grammar to a group of
intermediate-level students. The course learning outcomes include the ability to recognize
and use a variety of verb tenses, understand sentence structure, and use proper punctuation.
The teacher decides to use a variety of assessment methods, including formative assessments
such as daily quizzes and homework assignments, as well as summative assessments such as
a mid-term exam and a final project. The teacher develops clear and specific assessment
criteria for each assignment and provides ongoing feedback to students to help them
improve. Based on the assessment results, the teacher identifies areas where students are
struggling and adjusts their teaching strategies by providing additional examples and practice
opportunities. The teacher also regularly reviews and revises the assessment plan to ensure

7. that it remains aligned with the course learning outcomes and provides an accurate measure
of student learning.

8. Chapter 2: What do we access?
1. What should we assess?
When it comes to assessing students, the answer depends on the specific learning
goals and outcomes of the course or program. Generally, assessment should be
designed to measure the extent to which students have achieved the intended
learning outcomes.
2. What is worth teaching and assessing?
 They suggest that teachers should prioritize teaching and assessing the core concepts
and skills that students need to achieve the course learning outcomes.
 Cheng and Fox recommend that teachers begin by identifying the key concepts and
skills that students need to master in order to achieve the learning outcomes. They
suggest that these core concepts and skills should be the focus of instruction and
assessment, while less important topics should be covered more briefly or excluded
altogether.
 To ensure that instruction and assessment are aligned with the learning outcomes,
Cheng and Fox suggest that teachers should use a variety of assessment methods,
including both formative and summative assessments. They recommend that teachers
should use formative assessments, such as quizzes and homework assignments, to
provide ongoing feedback to students and help them identify areas where they may
need additional support. They also suggest that teachers should use summative
assessments, such as mid-term and final exams, to measure student learning at the
end of a course or unit.
 In addition, Cheng and Fox emphasize the importance of creating clear and specific
assessment criteria that align with the learning outcomes. They suggest that teachers
should use these criteria to develop assessments that are closely tied to the material
covered in class and provide an accurate measure of student learning.
 Overall, Cheng and Fox's viewpoint stresses the importance of prioritizing the core
concepts and skills that are necessary for students to achieve the course learning
outcomes. By focusing on these key areas and using a variety of assessment methods
to measure student learning, teachers can help ensure that their instruction and
assessment are aligned with the learning outcomes and provide an accurate and
meaningful measure of student learning.
 They suggest that teachers should prioritize teaching and assessing the core concepts
and skills that students need to achieve the course learning outcomes.
 Cheng and Fox recommend that teachers begin by identifying the key concepts and
skills that students need to master in order to achieve the learning outcomes. They
suggest that these core concepts and skills should be the focus of instruction and

9. assessment, while less important topics should be covered more briefly or excluded
altogether.
 To ensure that instruction and assessment are aligned with the learning outcomes,
Cheng and Fox suggest that teachers should use a variety of assessment methods,
including both formative and summative assessments. They recommend that teachers
should use formative assessments, such as quizzes and homework assignments, to
provide ongoing feedback to students and help them identify areas where they may
need additional support. They also suggest that teachers should use summative
assessments, such as mid-term and final exams, to measure student learning at the
end of a course or unit.
 In addition, Cheng and Fox emphasize the importance of creating clear and specific
assessment criteria that align with the learning outcomes. They suggest that teachers
should use these criteria to develop assessments that are closely tied to the material
covered in class and provide an accurate measure of student learning.
 Overall, Cheng and Fox's viewpoint stresses the importance of prioritizing the core
concepts and skills that are necessary for students to achieve the course learning
outcomes. By focusing on these key areas and using a variety of assessment methods
to measure student learning, teachers can help ensure that their instruction and
assessment are aligned with the learning outcomes and provide an accurate and
meaningful measure of student learning.
 They suggest that teachers should prioritize teaching and assessing the core concepts
and skills that students need to achieve the course learning outcomes.
 Cheng and Fox recommend that teachers begin by identifying the key concepts and
skills that students need to master in order to achieve the learning outcomes. They
suggest that these core concepts and skills should be the focus of instruction and
assessment, while less important topics should be covered more briefly or excluded
altogether.
 To ensure that instruction and assessment are aligned with the learning outcomes,
Cheng and Fox suggest that teachers should use a variety of assessment methods,
including both formative and summative assessments. They recommend that teachers
should use formative assessments, such as quizzes and homework assignments, to
provide ongoing feedback to students and help them identify areas where they may
need additional support. They also suggest that teachers should use summative
assessments, such as mid-term and final exams, to measure student learning at the
end of a course or unit.
 In addition, Cheng and Fox emphasize the importance of creating clear and specific
assessment criteria that align with the learning outcomes. They suggest that teachers
should use these criteria to develop assessments that are closely tied to the material
covered in class and provide an accurate measure of student learning.
 Overall, Cheng and Fox's viewpoint stresses the importance of prioritizing the core
concepts and skills that are necessary for students to achieve the course learning
outcomes. By focusing on these key areas and using a variety of assessment methods
to measure student learning, teachers can help ensure that their instruction and

10. assessment are aligned with the learning outcomes and provide an accurate and
meaningful measure of student learning.
3. How can assessment be integrated into the learning tasks?
 Assessment can be integrated into learning tasks by designing assessments that are
aligned with the learning goals and outcomes of the course. When designing learning
tasks, teachers should consider what they want students to learn and how they will
measure that learning. By doing so, teachers can ensure that the learning tasks are
designed in a way that supports the assessment of student learning.
 One way to integrate assessment into learning tasks is to use formative assessments,
which are assessments that are designed to provide feedback on student learning
throughout the learning process. Formative assessments can take many forms, such
as quizzes, polls, surveys, peer feedback, and self-assessment activities. These
assessments are used to monitor student progress and adjust instruction as needed
to better support learning.
 Another way to integrate assessment into learning tasks is to use authentic
assessments, which are assessments that are designed to simulate real-world tasks
and require students to apply what they have learned to solve a problem or complete
a task. These assessments can take many forms, such as case studies, projects,
simulations, and performances. Authentic assessments are designed to measure
students' ability to apply what they have learned in a real-world context and are often
more engaging and motivating for students.
 Teachers can also integrate assessment into learning tasks by using rubrics, which are
scoring guides that provide specific criteria for evaluating student work. Rubrics can
be used to provide students with clear expectations for their work and to guide the
assessment of student learning.
4. How can we align assessment in our classrooms to benchmarks
and standards, curriculum, external tests and textbooks?
 Align assessments with learning goals and outcomes: Cheng and Fox emphasize the
importance of designing assessments that align with the learning goals and outcomes
of the course. This involves reviewing benchmarks and standards, curriculum, external
tests, and textbooks to identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students are
expected to learn. For example, if the learning goal is to help students develop their
writing skills, the assessment should be designed to measure their ability to write
effectively. Teachers can use the writing standards and benchmarks provided by the
curriculum or external tests to ensure that the assessment measures the skills and
knowledge that are relevant to the learning goal. In this way, assessments are not just
measuring what students have learned, but also what they are expected to learn.
 Use rubrics to evaluate student work: Cheng and Fox recommend using rubrics to
evaluate student work as a way to align assessments with benchmarks and standards,
curriculum, external tests, and textbooks. A rubric is a scoring tool that describes the
criteria for a particular assignment and the levels of performance for each criterion.

11. By creating rubrics that align with these resources, teachers can ensure that the
assessments are measuring the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students are
expected to learn. For example, a writing rubric might include criteria such as
organization, use of evidence, and clarity, with performance levels ranging from
inadequate to excellent. By using the rubric to evaluate student writing, teachers can
provide feedback that is aligned with the learning goals and outcomes, as well as with
external standards and benchmarks.
 Use external tests to guide instruction: External tests can be a valuable resource for
guiding instruction by identifying the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students are
expected to learn. For example, the Common European Framework of Reference
(CEFR) provides a set of benchmarks for language learning that are widely used in
Europe and around the world. Teachers can use the CEFR to identify the learning goals
for their language course and to design assessments that measure the skills and
knowledge that are relevant to the CEFR levels. By using the results of external tests
to guide instruction, teachers can ensure that they are focusing on the skills and
knowledge that are most important for their students to learn.
 Use textbooks as a resource for assessment: Textbooks can be a valuable resource for
designing assessments that align with the content and skills covered in the textbook.
For example, a textbook on English grammar might include a chapter on adverbs.
Teachers can use this chapter as a guide for designing an assessment that measures
their students' understanding of adverbs. By using the textbook as a resource for
assessment, teachers can ensure that the assessment is measuring the skills and
knowledge that are most relevant to the course.
 Develop assessments that align with standards and benchmarks: Finally, Cheng and
Fox emphasize the importance of developing assessments that align with external
standards and benchmarks. This involves reviewing the standards and benchmarks for
the subject area and designing assessments that measure the knowledge, skills, and
abilities that students are expected to learn. For example, if the standard for science
is to demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method, then the assessment
should include questions that measure the students' ability to apply the scientific
method to a given problem. By aligning assessments with external standards and
benchmarks, teachers can ensure that they are measuring what students are expected
to know and be able to do.