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The last plenary in our TEAM 2014 event.
Citation preview
Curriculum and
Assessment
MELİKŞAH UNIVERSITY, KAYSERI, 29-31 JANUARY, 2014
Dr. Simon Phipps
Outline
! why curriculum is important ! assessment in universities in Turkey ! importance of beliefs ! case study of curricular change ! implications for assessment system
Overview of the 3 days
Wednesday 29 Thursday 30 Friday 31
09.00-10.00
Language assessment in Turkey: Issues/challenges
CEFR: Applying standards to testing
Curriculum and assessment
10.15-11.15
Principles of test design Test design & test writing Test development cycle
11.15-12.00
Workshop: Tests of grammar & vocabulary
W/shop: Tests of receptive skills
W/shop: Test of productive skills
13.00-14.15
Groupwork Groupwork Groupwork
14.30-15.15
Groupwork
Groupwork Groupwork
15.15-16.00
Group presentations & feedback
Group presentations & feedback
Group presentations & feedback
Why curriculum is important?
! Need to know what to test ! Validity - Measure what’s important
! EALTA Guidelines ! What is the purpose of assessment?
! How does the purpose relate to the curriculum? ! Are there any test specifications? ! How well is the curriculum covered?
! Need to know levels ! Link to CEFR
English language assessment in Turkish universities: some challenges
! How to decide the assessment system
! What do we value? What do we want to test? ! EAP? ! Speaking? ! Formative assessment? ! Positive backwash?
2
A1 A2 B1 B2 intake university study
placement proficiency achievement
progress
Beliefs, curriculum and assessment
curriculum
testing
Beliefs
about language
about learning
about curriculum
about testing
objectives
Language & skills
levels Formative/summative
Task types
exit level expectations
Feedback on test performance
Test speaking?
A case study of curricular change 2012
Rationale: ! feedback from Ts - lack of:
" ‘clear definition of each level’
" ‘systematic development of strands within/across levels’
" ‘link between skills and language’ (esp. lower levels)
Documents used: ! previous curriculum documents
! CEFR specifications
! in-house course-books books
! commercial course-books
Stages we went through: specification of;
! levels linked to CEFR ! defining features of each level ! outcomes for each skill
! objectives for each level and each strand ! constructs for each strand at each level
! level words
Further work included: ! choice of main course-books
! identification of gaps in course-books
! development of teaching ideas/suggestions
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT TASK-GROUPS
GRAM VOC PRON READ LIST WRIT SPEAK
Elem
Pre Int
Interm
Upp Int
Pre Fac
Main changes
! development of strands across levels
! Elementary, Pre-Int (threshold levels, more focus on lexis/grammar)
! identification of differences between levels
! Intermediate, Upp-Int, Pre-Fac (more focus on skills, academic devt.) Level CEFR Approach to syllabus Orientation
Elem A1 Lexico-grammatical General English
Pre-Int A2 Lexico-grammatical General English
Interm B1 Skills-based Intro to academic
Upp-Int B1+ Skills-based Academic
Pre-Fac B2 Skills-based Academic
Curriculum booklet
Rationale – lack of shared understanding, local myths, etc
Content ! curriculum beliefs - for all strands ! specifications and constructs - for all levels, strands ! lexical specification - for levels, topics, course-book units ! outcomes - for all 4 skills
! mid-level, end-of-level expectations - for all levels, strands ! teaching ideas - for all strands
Beliefs statements
Specifications Constructs
Outcomes mid-/end-
level expectations
Lexical specification
Teaching ideas
... aims to guide teachers in course preparation, lesson planning and teaching by briefly outlining our curriculum philosophy. It defines the fundamental characteristics of our teaching /learning context, outlines how language systems/skills interact, and highlights essential features of teaching each of these language systems and skills. Overview of strand across levels
A separate chart with more details • construct • sub-skills* • type of texts • type of topics and concepts • strategies* • supporting language work • mid/end level expectations:
each chart is organised vertically acc. to • skill development • language consolidation • model for writing/speaking
Prose statements for each skill at each level.
Accompany chart-form specifications 4 sub-sections: R/L/W/S • development of strand across levels • construct of strand at each level.
Constructs organised as follows: • introduction • texts/topics • skill development • supporting language • reading/listening as model for writing/speaking • outcomes
Guidance for Ts, sts, mats writers, testers - which words worth spending time on
- encourage sts to study outside class. - not expected to explicitly teach all items
Organised according to level Grouped according to topic
Indication of unit of course-book
Core EAP skills: • Reading: textbooks and articles • Listening: to lectures and taking notes • Writing: structured essays/term papers • Speaking: giving oral presentations • taking part in seminars/tutorials Organised according to: • operations: what sts are required to do • conditions: factors which facilitate ops • tasks: specific classroom activities
expectations for each strand/ level - ‘mid-course’ expectations. - ‘end-of-course’ expectations.
inform test writers (quiz/CAT/LP) guide Ts/TUs what to teach when
.
Teaching ideas for all strands
General suggestions Specific ideas for each
level
All strands/levels
Reading – all levels ! Reading – ELM ! Reading – PIN ! Reading – INT ! Reading – UPP ! Reading – PF
Listening Writing Speaking Grammar Pron
Reading – all levels ! Reading – ELM ! Reading – PIN ! Reading – INT ! Reading – UPP ! Reading – PF
Listening Writing Speaking
Test maps across levels
!
PreInt LP Quizzes CATs ECA 5 x 5 = 25% 3 x 5 = 15% G/V
2 x 25 = 50% LRWGV Speaking 10%
100 LRWGV
Int LP Quizzes CATs ECA
5 x 5 = 25% 3 x5 =15% Lang/Skill 2 x 30 = 60% LRWGV
100 LRWGV
UppInt LP Quizzes CATs ECA 5 x 5 = 25%
3 x5 =15% Lang/Skill 2 x 30 = 60% LRWGV
100 LRWGV
PreFac LP Quizzes CATs COPE
5 x 5 = 25% 3 x5 =15% Lang/Skill 2 x 30 = 60% LRWGV
LRW, G/V, Speaking
Elem LP Quizzes CATs ECA 5 x5 =25% 3 x 5 = 15% G/V 2 x 30 = 60% LRWGV 100 LRWGV
Implications for assessment 1
Assessment matrix
Reading ELM PIN INT UPP PF mid end mid end mid end mid end mid end
Topics/texts Narrative Descriptive Informative Discursive Sub-skills/strategies
2
Test specifications for: # each skill and sub-skill/text-type # each language objective
Implications for progress & achievement tests
ELM Mid-course expectations (informing first progress test)
End-of-course expectations (informing second progress test and ECA)
Reading
Writing
Listening
Speaking
Grammar
Lexis
Pron
3
Test specifications for: # each skill and sub-skill/text-type # each language objective
Implications for test revision
Audit of existing tests needed: ! Revisions to some tests ! Creation of new tests ! Creation of new test types
! Pronunciation through listening
! Rethink of formative assessment ! Learning portfolio
! Vocabulary journal
! Project work
4
Importance of beliefs
curriculum
testing
Beliefs
Some useful resources
! CEFR http://www.coe.int/T/DG4/Portfolio/?L=E&M=/documents_intro/common_framework.html
! Manual for relating language examinations to the CEF http://www.coe.int/T/DG4/Portfolio/?L=E&M=/documents_intro/Manual.html
! The European Language Portfolio http://www.coe.int/T/DG4/Portfolio/?L=E&M=/main_pages/introduction.html
Thank you! Dr. Simon Phipps
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