Alternative assessments include things like checklists, journals, blogs, videos, portfolios, conferences and self-assessments. They require higher-level thinking and real-world contexts. There are three basic types of assessments: selected response, constructed response, and personal response. Each has strengths and weaknesses for measuring language skills. The presenter emphasizes using different assessments wisely and providing students with feedback.

1. THE ALTERNATIVES IN
LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT
Article by James D Brown and Thom Hudson
Presentation by Alex Thomas

2. ALTERNATIVE
ASSESSMENTS
 Checklists Peer Assessments
 Journals Logs
 Blogs Audio Tapes
 Videos Teacher Observation
 Portfolios Self-Assessment
 Conferences Diaries

3. ALTERNATIVE
ASSESSMENTS
 Require problem solving and higher level thinking
 Use real-world contexts or simulations
 Encourage public disclosure of standards and criteria
 Require students to perform, create, produce or do something
 Multicultural sensitive when properly administered

4. IN LANGUAGE TESTING
 New Innovative Types of Tests:
* Cloze Tests, c-tests, cloze elides, dictations, reduced-
forms dictations, oral proficiency interviews, role-play tests, group
tests, portfolios, conferences, diaries and self-assessments.
We should view it as Alternatives in Assessment
All different types of tests are important to keep in mind because
they all have their own strengths and weaknesses

5. THREE BASIC ASSESSMENT
TYPES
 1. Selected Response – True/False, Matching, Multiple Choice
 2. Constructed Response – Fill in, short-answer, performance
assessments
 3. Personal-Response – conference, portfolio, and self and peer
assessments

6. SELECTED -RESPONSE
ASSESSMENTS
 Students do not create language here
 Most appropriate for measuring reading and listening skills
 Quick to administer and score
 Disadvantages- Maybe be difficult for the test writer to construct
and it doesn’t require the test taker to use any productive language.

7. CONSTRUCTED -RESPONSE
ASSESSMENTS
 Most appropriate for measuring speaking and writing skills
 Guessing Factor is lessened
 If short answer questions are not carefully made, students may
produce a variety of different responses

8. PERSONAL -RESPONSE
ASSESSMENTS
 Requires students to produce language and responses will all be
different
 Personal and individualized assessment
 Can assess learning processes throughout the term of instruction
 Conferences can be with teacher one on one. Students can reflect on
learning processes and skills. Disadvantage- very time consuming
 Portfolios help motivate. Interesting and cause collaboration.
Disadvantages- how to grade portfolios and time consuming.

9. WASHBACK
 “Washback is the effect of testing and assessment on the language
teaching curriculum that is related to it. It is also called backwash,
test impact, measurement-driven instruction, curriculum alignment,
and test feedback.” (667)

10. WASHBACK
 A negative Washback- if the assessment procedures in a
curriculum do not correspond to a curriculum’s goals and objectives
 A positive Washback- when the assessment procedures correspond
to the course goals and objectives.

11. CONCLUSION
 Many different types of assessments, all with advantages and
disadvantages
 We should view all types of assessments as alternatives and choose
them wisely
 Giving students feedback is very important

12. QUESTIONS
 What is one example of an alternative in assessment that you have
seen or administered that worked really well in a classroom? What
made it so successful?
 What are your thoughts on Selected Response assessments when it
comes to language learning?