CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT - Manitoba Education and · PDF fileengaging their attention and encouraging them to share their work and ... In the classroom, ... Classroom Assessment • SENIOR

CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTA Cyclical Process 4Meaningful Assessment 5Guiding Principles for Assessment and Evaluation of

Second Language Learning 6Assessment Tools and Strategies 9

SENIOR 1 TO SENIOR 4 SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE • Classroom Assessment

Classroom Assessment – 3

Assessment is a systematic process of gathering information aboutwhat a student knows, is able to do, and is learning to do. Assessmentinformation provides the foundation for decision-making and planningfor instruction and learning. Assessment is an integral part ofinstruction that enhances, empowers, and celebrates student learning.

Using a variety of assessment techniques, teachers gather informationabout what students know and are able to do, and provide positive,supportive feedback to students. They also use this information todiagnose individual needs and to improve their instructional programs,which in turn helps students learn more effectively.

Assessment must be considered during the planning stage ofinstruction when learning outcomes and teaching methods are beingtargeted. It is a continuous activity, not something to be dealt with onlyat the end of a unit of study. Students should be made aware of theexpected outcomes of the course and the procedures to be used inassessing performance relative to the learning outcomes. Students cangradually become more actively involved in the assessment process inorder to develop lifelong learning skills.

Evaluation refers to the decision making which follows assessment.Evaluation is a judgment regarding the quality, value, or worth of aresponse, product, or performance based on established criteria andcurriculum standards. Evaluation should reflect the intended learningoutcomes of the curriculum and be consistent with the approach usedto teach the language in the classroom. But it should also be sensitive todifferences in culture, gender, and socio-economic background.Students should be given opportunities to demonstrate the full extentof their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Evaluation is also used forreporting progress to parents or guardians, and for making decisionsrelated to such things as student promotion and awards.

Diagnostic assessment may occur at the beginning of a term or a unitof study, or whenever information about the prior learning of a studentis useful. Various types of diagnostic assessments (tests, journals,performance-based assessment, etc.) may be used to collect thatinformation. Teachers may use diagnostic assessment to

! find out what students know and can do

! identify student strengths and plan instruction which builds on andextends those strengths

CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT

Classroom Assessment • SENIOR 1 TO SENIOR 4 SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE


! target difficulties, identify the precise nature of them, and planinstruction to meet those difficulties

! make informed decisions regarding where to focus instructionaltime and effort

Formative assessment is similar to diagnostic assessment but differs inthat it provides ongoing feedback to the teacher about the effectivenessof instruction. Formative assessment encompasses a variety ofstrategies, used selectively to accomplish one or more of the followingpurposes:

! monitor student learning and provide feedback to students andparents

! identify areas of growth

! motivate students and provide incentive to study

! help focus attention and effort

! emphasize what is important to learn

! provide practice in applying, demonstrating, and extendingknowledge, skills, and attitudes

! encourage goal-setting and monitor achievement of goals

! reflect on program structure and effectiveness, and modify or adjustteaching as necessary

Summative assessment occurs most often at the end of a unit of study.The primary purposes are to determine the knowledge, skills, andattitudes that have developed over a period of time, to summarizestudent progress.

A Cyclical ProcessThe evaluation process is cyclical in nature. Each phase is linked to anddependent on the others.• In the preparation phase, decisions are made about what is to be

evaluated, the type of evaluation to be used, the criteria againstwhich student learning outcomes will be judged, and the mostappropriate assessment techniques for gathering information.

• The assessment phase involves developing or selecting assessmenttools, deciding when and how assessments will be conducted, thencollecting, organizing, and interpreting the information on studentperformance.

• During the evaluation phase, the teacher makes a judgment on theprogress of the student and the level of achievement reachedrelative to the learning outcomes.



• The reflection phase provides teachers with the opportunity toconsider the success of the evaluation process used and to makemodifications to subsequent teaching and evaluation.

Meaningful AssessmentAssessment should occur in authentic contexts that allow students todemonstrate learning by performing meaningful tasks. Meaningfulassessment achieves a purpose and provides clear and usefulinformation. For example, it may identify misunderstandings instudent learning, and provide corrective feedback and direction forfurther instruction. Assessment improves instruction and learning.

Meaningful content and contexts for assessment help students byengaging their attention and encouraging them to share their work andtalk about their learning processes. Students need to take an active partin assessment. When students understand assessment criteria andprocedures and take ownership for assessing the quality, quantity, andprocesses of their own work, they develop self-assessment skills. Theultimate goal of assessment is to develop independent life-long learnerswho regularly monitor and assess their own progress.

The Teacher’s Role in AssessmentIn the classroom, teachers are the primary assessors of students.Teachers design assessment tools with two broad purposes: to collectinformation that will inform classroom instruction, and to monitorstudents’ progress towards achieving year-end learning outcomes.Teachers also assist students in developing self-monitoring and self-assessment skills and strategies. To do this effectively, teachers mustensure that students are involved in setting learning goals, developingaction plans, and using assessment processes to monitor theirachievement of goals. Teachers also create opportunities for students tocelebrate their progress and successes.

Teachers learn about students’ learning and progress by regularly andsystematically observing students in action, and by interacting withthem during instruction. Because students’ knowledge, and many oftheir skills, strategies, and attitudes are internal processes, teachersgather data and make judgments based on observing and assessingstudents’ interactions, performances, and products or work samples.

Teachers demonstrate that assessment is an essential part of learning.They model effective assessment strategies and include students in thedevelopment of assessment procedures such as creating rubrics orchecklists. Teachers also collaborate with parents and with colleaguesregarding student assessment.



Assessment and Evaluation Purposes and AudiencesThe quality of assessment largely determines the quality of evaluation.Valid judgments can be made only if accurate and complete assessmentdata are collected in a variety of contexts over time. Managingassessment that serves a multitude of purposes and audiences is achallenging task. Teachers must continually balance not only theassessment of their students’ progress in the development ofknowledge, skills and strategies, and attitudes but also their ownpurposes and audiences for information collected during assessment.

Guiding Principles for Assessment and Evaluation of SecondLanguage LearningClassroom-based assessment provides regular feedback and allowsteachers and students to reflect on progress and adjust instruction andlearning accordingly. See the chart, entitled Principles of Assessmentthat Assist Learning and Inform Instruction, on page 8. When planningfor assessment for second language learning, it is important to considerthe following points:• The teacher should use a variety of assessment techniques that

clearly reflect the communicative, learner-centred, task-basedapproach to second language learning. For example, when using atask-based approach, written interpretation would be tested byhaving students use the information in a written text to carry out atask, rather than by having students answer comprehensionquestions.

• The percentage of the final mark allotted to each component of thecurriculum should reflect the amount of time that the studentsspend on that component. For example, if students are spending70% of their time on oral activities, 70% of their final mark shouldbe determined by oral evaluation.

• Tests should measure what they say they are measuring. Forexample, if students are being tested for aural interpretation and thetest requires that they write down information they haveunderstood, they should be marked on whether or not they haveunderstood, not on whether the information written was correctlyspelled.

• Evaluation should take place in the context of meaningful activities.For example, grammar points dealt with in the course of a unit canbe evaluated by looking at whether or not they are correctly used inthe task the students are doing, not in fill-in-the-blank or otherdecontextualized exercises.



• Different kinds of learning outcomes should be evaluated indifferent ways. For example, knowledge-related learning outcomescan be assessed by objective tests; attitudes are better assessed byobservation.

• Students should be involved in determining the criteria that will beused for evaluating their work. This can be part of the planningprocess at the beginning of each unit. Students should have a clearunderstanding of the types of evaluation procedures that will beused throughout the unit.



Principles of Assessment that Assist Learning and Inform Instruction

1. An Integral Part ofInstruction and Learning

2. Continuous and Ongoing

3. Authentic and MeaningfulLanguage LearningProcesses and Contexts

Assessment . . .• is meaningful to students• leads to goal setting• fosters integration with other

curricular areas and applicationto daily life

• reflects instructional strategiesused

• uses a wide variety of methods• reflects a definite purpose

Assessment . . .• occurs through all instructional

activities (observations,conferences, responses, logs)

• occurs systematically over aperiod of time

• demonstrates progress towards achievement of learning outcomes

Assessment . . .• focuses on connecting prior and

new knowledge (integration ofinformation)

• focuses on authentic context and tasks

• focuses on application ofstrategies for constructingmeaning in new contexts

4. Collaborative andReflective Process

5. Multidimensional,Incorporating a Varietyof Tasks

6. Developmentally andCulturally Appropriate

Assessment . . .• encourages meaningful

student involvement andreflection

• involves parents as partners • reaches out to the community• focuses on collaborative review

of products and processes todraw conclusions

• involves a team approach

Assessment . . .• uses a variety of authentic

tasks, strategies, and tools• is completed for a variety of

purposes and audiences• reflects instructional tasks

Assessment . . .• is suited to students’

developmental levels• is sensitive to diverse social,

cultural, and linguisticbackgrounds

• is unbiased

7. Focused on Students’Strengths

8. Based on How StudentsLearn

9. Offers Clear PerformanceTargets

Assessment . . .• identifies what students can

do and are learning to do• identifies competencies in the

development of knowledge,skills, and attitudes

• considers preferred learningstyles

• focuses on celebrations ofprogress and success

• provides for differentiation• provides information to

compare a student’sperformance with his/her other performances

Assessment . . .• uses sound educational

practice based on currentlearning theory and brainresearch

• fosters development ofmetacognition

• considers multiple intelligencesand learning styles

• uses collaborative andcooperative strategies

• considers research on the role of memory in learning

• reflects current models oflanguage learning

Assessment . . .• encourages student

involvement (setting criteria,measuring progress, workingtowards outcomes and standards)

• encourages application beyondthe classroom

• provides a basis for goal setting

• provides students with a sense of achievement

• provides information thatcompares a student’sperformance to predeterminedcriteria or standards



Assessment Tools and StrategiesChoosing assessment strategies and tools requires that teachersconsider the range of classroom situations that students will experience.A variety of tools and resources may be used.

Examples of Student Assessment TechniquesThere are a number of ways of organizing student assessment and avariety of tools that can be used to carry it out. The choice of techniqueswill depend largely on what is being evaluated. Students can beassessed by observing them as they are engaged in classroom activities,by measuring how well their work meets specific criteria, or by givingthem different kinds of tests. They can be assessed individually or ingroups. The assessment can be done by the teacher, by the studenthimself or herself, or by other students. A number of different tools canbe used to record the results of the assessment, for example, checklists,rating scales, or anecdotal records.

The following are some examples of techniques specifically designed toassess different aspects of second language learning. Each techniquecan be used to assess other aspects of learning than the examplegiven. For example, observation checklists can be used to assess groupactivities, reflection on learning strategies, the spelling, grammar, andpunctuation of written texts, and so on.

Projects

Performance Paper-and-PencilTests

Observation andPerceptions

PersonalCommunication

Standardized Tests

End-Of-Unit Tests

Teacher-Made Tests

Individual Conferences

Small-Group Discussions

Interviews

Adapted from Heartland AEA, 1992

Student Participation/Involvement

Classroom Interaction

Drawing

Demonstrations

Speeches

Experiments

Written Reports

Debates

Video/Audio Tapes

Assessment Tools and Resources



Anecdotal RecordsAnecdotal records are systematically kept notes of specific observationsof student behaviors, skills, and attitudes in the classroom. Anecdotalrecords provide cumulative information regarding progress, skillsacquired, and directions for further instruction. Anecdotal notes areoften written as the result of ongoing observations during the lessonsbut may also be written in response to a product or performance thestudent has completed. Systematic collection of anecdotal records on aparticular student provides excellent information for evaluation oflearning patterns and consistency of student progress. Well-keptanecdotal records provide a valuable, practical, and specific referenceabout a student.

Checklists, Rating Scales, and RubricsChecklists, rating scales, and rubrics are assessment tools that statespecific criteria that allow teachers and students to make judgmentsabout developing competence. They list specific behaviours,knowledge, skills, attitudes, and strategies for assessment, and offersystematic ways of organizing information about individual students orgroups of students.

Checklists usually offer a yes/no format in relation to the specificcriteria and may be directed toward observation of an individual, agroup, or a whole class. Checklists may be single-use or multiple-use.

Rating scales allow for an indication of the degree or frequency of thebehaviours, skills and strategies, or attitudes displayed by the learner.They may be used to gather individual or group information, and areusually single-use. Multiple-use rating scales may be achieved byhaving students or teacher complete the same rating scale at differenttimes during the school year and making comparisons.

Rubrics are an expanded form of rating scale that list several specificcriteria at each level of the scale. They may be used to assessindividuals or groups and, as with rating scales, may be compared overtime.

The quality of information acquired through the use of checklists,rating scales, and rubrics is highly dependent on the quality of thedescriptors chosen for assessment. Their benefit is also dependent onstudents’ direct involvement in the assessment and interpretation of thefeedback provided.



Ejemplo de normas de evaluaciónNormas de evaluación para la lengua y la cultura españolas

Norma de evaluación para el trabajo cooperativo

Norma de evaluación para presentaciones orales-Respuestas sencillas

Sí No

Pronunciación precisa

Gramática precisa

4 3 2 1

Igualdad en ladistribución deltrabajo

cantidad de trabajocompartido demanera equiparable

cantidad de trabajoun poco desigual

cantidad de trabajodesigual—hecho ensu mayor parte poruno o dosestudiantes

cantidad de trabajodesigual—unestudiante ha hechotodo el trabajo

Se mantiene en latarea

Todo el tiempo la mayor parte deltiempo

a veces poco involucrado(a);rara vez se mantieneen la tarea

Interacción bastante intercambiode ideas; muestrarespeto por losdemás

algún intercambiode ideas;respetuoso(a) conlos demás

poco intercambio deideas; se distraefácilmente; es unpoco descortés conlos demás

muestra poco interés;es descortés con losdemás

Norma de evaluación para presentaciones orales-Juego de rol cultural

4 3 2 1

Pronunciación precisa todo eltiempo, casi comoun hispanohablante

comprensible, conpocos errores

algunos errores,pero se le entiende

pronunciación pobremuy adaptada a suprimera lengua(inglés, francés, etc.)

Fluidez ejecución fluida bastante fluida pausas no naturales insegura; vacilante;intervalos largos

Inteligibilidad se le entiendefácilmente

se le entiende se le entiende condificultad

no se le entiende

Vocabulario uso amplio delvocabulario meta

algún uso delvocabulario meta

uso mínimo delvocabulario meta

no usa el vocabulariometa

Credibilidad(muestraconocimiento de lacultura)

juego de rol creíble;refleja la cultura

juego de rol creíble;refleja un poco lacultura

poca credibilidad;poca conexión conla cultura meta

no creíble; no hayconexión manifiestacon la cultura meta

Desempeño animoso, entusiasta;buen contacto visual

entusiasmo general;algún contactovisual

poco entusiasmo;contacto visuallimitado

lee de sus fichas;monótono; no haycontacto visual

Adaptado de Nebraska K-12 Foreign Language Frameworks



Ejemplo de normas de evaluaciónNormas de evaluación para la lengua y la cultura españolas (continuado)

Norma de evaluación para el material escrito-General

4 3 2 1

Gramática perfecta usa bien la materiaque se estudia

algunos errores enla materia que seestudia

parece no entenderlo que se estudia

Vocabulario uso creativo delvocabulario

vocabulario al nivelactual de estudio

algún uso delvocabulario actual;faltan palabrasclaves

uso mínimo delvocabulario meta alnivel actual deestudio; usoincorrecto de laspalabras

Ortografía perfecta muy pocos erroresen la ortografía y enel uso de la tilde(acento ortográfico)

algunos errores enla ortografía y en eluso de la tilde(acento ortográfico)

muchos erroresen la ortografía y enel uso de la tilde(acento ortográfico)

Norma de evaluación para el material escrito-Escritura creativa (estudiantes de 3er. y 4to.Años)

Sobresaliente3

Satisfactorio2

Deficiente1

Ortografía/Pronunciación

ortografía y puntuacióncasi siempre correctas

algunos errores en todaspartes

descuidado; abundanteserrores

Gramática al nivel de estudio osuperior con muy pocoserrores

algunos errores-nosiempre hay concordanciaentre sujeto y verbo y/osujeto y adjetivo, usa aveces tiempos verbalesincorrectos; no siempremuestra nivel de estudioactual

la escritura está al niveldel 1er. o 2do. año;muchos erroresgramaticales-los sujetos,verbos y adjetivosgeneralmente noconcuerdan; la escrituraestá en su mayoría en eltiempo presente

Esfuerzo más del requerido satisface los requisitos faltan algunas partes; eltrabajo parece hecho a laligera

Creatividad descripciones creativas yoriginales; personajesrealistas; bien ilustrado;ordenado

alguna creatividad;descripciones sencillas; ensu mayor parte claro yordenado

no muestra creatividad oplanificación;descripcionesincompletas; personajesirreales; ilustraciones alazar o no hayilustraciones




Ejemplo de normas de evaluaciónEscalas de clasificación

Cuadro 7A. Ejemplo de una escala de clasificación inclusiva

4 — Supera las expectativas No hay errores en la expresión (p.e. gustos/antipatías y/o preguntar responderpreguntas); pronunciación casi como un hispanohablante; uso de las estructurasmás allá de la habilidad esperada; usos culturales apropiados casi como de unhispanohablante; siguió instrucciones, excedió lo esperado.

3 — Excelente Casi todas las expresiones de gustos/antipatías y/o preguntar/responderpreguntas son correctas; se le entiende fácilmente con errores poco frecuentes enla pronunciación, las estructuras y en el uso del vocabulario; se demostraron demanera apropiada casi todos los usos culturales; siguió todas las instrucciones.

2 — Bueno Algunos errores en las expresiones de gustos/antipatías y/o preguntar/responder preguntas; inteligible con errores perceptibles en la pronunciación, lasestructuras, y/o en los usos del vocabulario; se demostraron de manera apropiadaalgunos usos culturales; siguió casi todas las instrucciones.

1 — Todavía no Pocas o ninguna expresión de gustos/antipatías y/o preguntar/responderpreguntas de manera correcta; casi o totalmente ininteligible; los usos culturalesfueron impropios o no se demostraron del todo; poca evidencia de seguirinstrucciones.

Cuadro 7B. Ejemplo de una escala de clasificación analítica

4Supera las

expectativas

3Excelente

2Bueno

1Todavía no

Expresa gustos/antipatías

sin errores casi todosexpresadoscorrectamente

algunos errores, lamayoría expresadoscorrectamente

pocos o ningunocorrectamenteexpresados

Es inteligible(pronunciación,estructuras, uso devocabulario)

casi como unhispanohablante;usa estructuras másallá de la destrezaesperada

se le entiendefácilmente, errorespoco frecuentes

inteligible conerrores perceptiblesen la pronunciación,las estructuras, y/oen el uso devocabulario

casi o totalmenteininteligible

Demuestra usosculturalesapropiados

usos casi como unhispanohablante

casi todos sedemostraron demanera apropiada

algunosdemostrados y demanera apropiada

impropios o nodemostrados

Sigue instrucciones excedió lo esperado sigue todas lasinstrucciones

sigue casi todas lasinstrucciones

poca evidencia deseguir instrucciones

Las escalas de clasificación analíticas dan más información sobre criterios específicos y se deben usarcuando los estudiantes y los profesores quieren retroalimentación sobre sus habilidades y debilidadesen un desempeño, producto o proceso. Los niveles de desempeño (las normas) se describen para cadauno de los criterios. “Una escala analítica requiere que los evaluadores den por separado evaluacionesde los diferentes aspectos del trabajo. Los criterios que incorporan varios resultados son analíticos”.(Herman, Aschbacker and Winters, p. 70)




Ejemplo de norma de evaluaciónAutoevaluación de la actividad oral

Evalúate en cada una de las siguientes categorías:

!!!!! fantástica!!!! muy buena!!! buena!! regular! necesita mejorar

!! !! ! !! ! ! !! ! ! ! !

Contenido• El contenido estuvo completo.• Las ideas estuvieron bien organizadas. " " " " "

Inteligibilidad• Fui inteligible para mi compañero.• Fui inteligible para mi profesor/a. " " " " "

Vocabulario y expresiones• Usé expresiones recién aprendidas.• Usé nuevo vocabulario recién aprendido. " " " " "

Gramática• Usé construcciones que son un reto para mí. " " " " "

Fluidez• Hablé una cantidad razonable.• Hablé con poca vacilación. " " " " "

Registro• Usé formas de expresión familiares y formales,

según el caso. " " " " "

Desarrollado por Karen Jogan, Albright College, Reading, PA.



Ejemplo de norma de evaluaciónEvaluación del informe oral


Orador(a): ______________________________________________________________________

Examinador(a): __________________________________________________________________

Fecha: _________________________________ Clase: ________________________________

Titulo de la tarea: ________________________________________________________________

Entendí de qué se trataba el informe. Sí ______ Un poco ______ No ______

Me gustó como el orador/la oradora ________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Para mejorar, el orador/la oradora podría __________________________________________

Evalúa el formulario del informe oral de 5 (fantástico) a 1 (necesita mejorar)

Esquemas presentados 5 4 3 2 1

Palabras clave enunciadas 5 4 3 2 1

Organización clara 5 4 3 2 1

Uso de material visual/ilustraciones 5 4 3 2 1

Referencia mínima a apuntes escritos 5 4 3 2 1

Extensión apropiada 5 4 3 2 1

Se respondío a las preguntas 5 4 3 2 1

El orador parece interesado en al tema 5 4 3 2 1

Originalidad, creatividad 5 4 3 2 1

El orador sustenta una opinión 5 4 3 2 1



Ejemplo de norma de evaluaciónEvaluación de una historia

Nombre: ________________________________ Fecha: _______________________________

Evalúa la historia:

!!!! fantástica!!! buena!! promedio! necesita mejorar

!! !! ! !! ! ! !

La historia estuvo bien organizada. " " " "

La historia tuvo un comienzo, un desarrollo y un final. " " " "

La historia fue interesante y entretenida. " " " "

La historia incluyó una variedad de expresiones. " " " "

Las ideas en la historia estuvieron claramente expresadas. " " " "

La historia pudo ser commprendida por otros. " " " "

Me gustó la historia porque ________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Desarrollado por Eliason, Eaton, & Jogan, TESOL, 1997.



Ejemplo de norma de evaluaciónPara expresar un punto de vista

Desarrollado por Eliason, Eaton, and Joga, TESOL, 1997.

Nombre: ___________________________ Fecha: ___________________ Tema: _______________

Evalúate en el proceso:

Pienso que tuve éxito en expresar mi opinión. " "

Mi opinión tuvo varios argumentos de apoyo. " "

Mis argumentos de apoyo estuvieron bien organizados. " "

Fui persuasivo(a) y convincente. " "

La estructura de mi oración fue gramaticalmente correcta. " "

La mejor parte de mi presentación fue _______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Pude mejorar mi presentación si yo __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

muyexitoso

no muyexitoso



Ejemplo de norma de evaluaciónLista de verificación del relato de una historia: Autoevaluación

Nombre: ________________________________ Fecha: _______________________________

Titulo del libro: __________________________ Autor: _______________________________

Por favor marca una “X” en la casilla que describe tu habilidad para hacer lo siguiente:


Por micuenta

Con ayuda deun(a) compañero(a)o de mi profesor(a)

Todavía nopuedo hacer

esto

Puedo nombrar a los personajesprincipales.

Puedo describir la escena.

Puedo informar sobre lasacontecimientos en ordencronológico.

Puedo identificar los asuntos oproblemas principales.

Puedo describir el desenlace.

Puedo expresar mis sentimientossobre la historia y compararloscon otra historia o suceso en mivida.

Puedo identificar mi partefavorita de la historia o a mipersonaje favorito y decir porqué.



ConferencesConferences provide opportunities for students and the teacher todiscuss learning strengths and areas for improvement, and to setlearning goals. In conferences, it is possible to learn a great deal aboutstudents’ understanding of information, attitudes toward learning, andthe skills and strategies students employ during the learning process.Conferences provide opportunity for individualized teaching, forguiding students to more challenging materials, and for determiningfuture instructional needs.

Conferences are usually short informal meetings held with individualstudents, or a small group of students, and involve diagnostic listening,questioning, and responding. Interviews, on the other hand, areconferences that are conducted to gather specific information. Theymay involve a set of questions you ask for a specific purpose. Forexample, you may need information about the student’s readingpatterns and difficulties and and may use a formal conference orinterview to ask questions directly related to a particular aspect of thestudent’s performance.

Sometimes more formal interviews are conducted regarding studentattitudes and metacognitive behaviors. These are often presented as aset of questions or activities to which the student may respond orallywith the teacher recording responses.

Whether conferences are informal or formal, they are most beneficialfor assessment purposes when they are held on a regular schedule andboth student and teacher come prepared with materials to share andquestions to ask. Systematic conference notes form a permanent recordof the content of the conference and set goals for future learning.Conferences provide opportunities to assess the appropriateness of thetasks and observe other areas of concern.

Once students are familiar with good conferencing procedures, peerconferencing is an alternative for students to obtain feedback anddiscuss progress and goals.



ContinuaContinua or continuums are a series of descriptors that attempt todescribe the behaviours that students exhibit as they are developingcommunicative competence. Teachers can use them systematically toobserve and make judgments about students’ progress. Althoughcontinua are designed to list descriptors according to developmentalprinciples, most students do not develop in a linear fashion. Individualstudents may exhibit a range of indicators from a number of phases atany one time. Key indicators describe behaviours typical of a phase andprovide a way of mapping student progress through the various levels.Students may not move through phases at a regular pace. Theindicators do not describe evaluative criteria through which everystudent is expected to progress in sequential order, but they do provideevidence of an overall developmental pattern.

Performance AssessmentsPerformance assessment is defined as an assessment activity thatrequires students to construct a response, create a product, or perform ademonstration. Since performance assessments generally do not yield asingle correct answer or method for solution, evaluations of studentproducts or performances are based on judgements guided by criteria(McTighe and Ferrara 34).

Performance assessments are concerned with how students apply theknowledge, skills, strategies, and attitudes that they have learned tonew and authentic tasks. Performance tasks are short activities(generally between one and three class periods) that provide anopportunity for students to demonstrate knowledge, skills, andstrategies. They are highly structured and require students to completespecific elements. They may be content-specific or interdisciplinary andrelate to real-life application of knowledge, skills, and strategies.

Performance assessment tasks can be organized into three categories:products (such as dioramas, slide shows, reports, videotapes, etc.),performances (such as dramatic readings, interviews, debates, etc.), andprocesses (such as problem solving, cooperative learning, etc.).



PortfoliosF. Leon Paulson defines portfolio as “a purposeful collection of studentwork that exhibits the student’s efforts, progress, and achievements inone or more areas. The collection must include student participation inselecting the contents, the criteria for judging merit, and evidence ofstudent self-reflection” (60).

The physical structure of a portfolio refers to the actual arrangement ofthe work samples and can be organized according to chronology,subject, types of student product, or goal area. The conceptual structurerefers to the teacher’s goals for student learning. For example, theteacher may have students self-assess a work sample, then self-reflect,and then set a goal for future learning. The work-sample self-assessment and the goal sheet may be added to the portfolio.

Students generally choose the work samples to place in the portfolio.The teacher may also choose to have specific work samples placed inthe portfolio.

The charts that follow provide examples of elements that may beincluded in a second language portfolio, a sample assessment rubric,and ideas for exhibitions and projects.



Carpeta de trabajo del estudiante

Oral Presentations/ Multimedia Presentations/Presentaciones orales Presentaciones audiovisuales

debates/debates videotapes/videocasetesaddresses/discursos films/películasdiscussions/conversaciones audiotapes/cintas de casetemock trials/simulacros de juicio slides/diapositivasmonologues/monólogos photo essays/composiciones con fotosinterviews/entrevistas print media/medios de difusión impresosspeeches/conferencias computer programs/programas de computación

storytelling/narracionesoral histories/historias oralespoetry reading/lecturas de poesíabroadcasts/transmisiones

Visual and Graphic Arts/ Representations/Artes visuales y gráficas Representaciones

paintings/pinturas maps/mapasstorybooks/libros de cuentos graphs/gráficosdrawings/dibujos dioramas/dioramasmurals/murales models/representaciones a escalaposters/carteles mock-ups/maquetassculptures/esculturas displays/exhibicionescartoons/historietas bulletin boards/tableros de anunciosmobiles/móviles charts/diagramas, esquemas

replicas/reproducciones

Performances/ Written Presentations/Representaciones teatrales y artisticas Presentaciones escritas

role-playing, drama/ expressive (diaries, journals, writing logs)/juego de roles, dramatización de expesión (diarios, diarios de registro)

dance, movement/ transactional (letters, reports, surveys, essays)/danza, movimiento de transacción (cartas, informes, encuestas,

ensayos)choral readings/ poetic (poems, myths, legends, stories, plays)/

lecturas en voz alta en grupos poéticas (poemas, mitos, leyendas, historias, obras de teatro)

music (choral and instrumental)/música (coral e instrumental)

Adapted from Nebraska K-12 Foreign Language Frameworks, 1996.



Ejemplo de normas de evaluaciónEvaluación de la calidad de las carpetas de trabajo

Evaluación de la calidad de las carpetas de trabajoEsta norma de evaluación sugiere normas y criterios que los profesores pueden usar para evaluar lascarpetas de trabajo. Se deben presentar las normas y criterios a los estudiantes antes de que empiecena desarrollar sus carpetas de trabajo.

Superior Excelente Bueno(a) En desarrollo

Apariencia visualmente muyatractiva, deaparienciaprofesional

atractiva, ordenada un poco atractiva uordenada

desordenada, nomuestra esfuerzo

Creatividad la creatividadabunda, muchopensamientooriginal y/odesarrollodetallado

mucha creatividad,pensamientooriginal y/odesarrollodetallado

alguna evidenciade creatividad,pensamientooriginal odesarrollodetallado

poca o no hayevidencia decreatividad,pensamientooriginal odesarrollodetallado

Contenido todos los artefactosde calidad elegidosdemuestran unnivel derazonamiento alto

los artefactos decalidad elegidosdemuestran unrazonamiento claro

algunos de losartefactos elegidosdemuestranrazonamiento claro

pocos o ningunode los artefactoselegidosdemuestranrazonamiento claro

Organización organizaciónimpresionante quehace que la lecturafluya de maneracontinua

organizada,transición claraentre los trabajos ylas partes de lacarpeta

bastanteorganizada, buenatransición entre lostemas

nada en orden,parece juntadocasualmente, nohay transición

Integridad tiene las muestrasobligatorias,demuestra muchoesfuerzosuplementario conmuestrasadicionales

tiene la muestraobligatoria,algunas muestrasadicionales

tiene las muestrasobligatorias

faltan algunasmuestrasobligatorias

Reflexión alto nivel depensamientoanalíticorespaldado conevidencia sólida

tiempo evidente enreflexionar,honesta; detallesexcelentes

muestra reflexiónadecuada

muy breve, hechacon apuro, nosincera u honesta

Adaptado de Nebraska K-12 Foreign Language Frameworks, 1996.



Ideas for Exhibitions and Projects

The following list provides teachers with ideas for products, performances, and processes that can beincorporated as authentic tasks into projects and exhibitions. Teachers using this list will provide stu-dents with meaningful, relevant classroom experiences that can be applied in real-world contexts andactively involve students in the learning process.

The list was compiled from a variety of sources (Jacobs, 1995; Maker & Nielsen, 1996); most are ideasfrom teachers who have used them in the classroom.

World language teachers are encouraged to use this list to create their own list of projects to fit courseoutcomes and the varied interests and talents of students.

The categories are only one way to arrange the list. Many products and performances can cross overinto other categories. In the world language classroom, culture is interwoven throughout the products,processes, and performances, as are the communicative skills.

Media/Technology

advertisements editorials news reports slidescable channels filmstrips newsletters slide showsCD-ROM creations infomercials newspapers TV showsclip art magazines opinion polls TV Guidecommercials marketing campaigns radio shows traveloguecomputer graphics movies screenplays videoscomputer programs multimedia presentations scripts Web home pages

Visual and Performing Arts

artwork: dances music compositions puppets/shows• painting displays musical instruments raps, jingle, chants• sculpture drawings musical performance cheers• ceramics flags musical plays record/CD/book coversbanners flip books musical symbols role playsbillboards flower arrangements origami silkscreen printsblock prints fugues pantomimes simulationsbulletin boards greeting cards paper skitscartoons illustrations papier-mâche creations sociodramaschoral readings jewelry photo essays song writingchorales labels photography stitcheryclay models logos plays tattoosclothing design masks pop-up books totem polescollages mobiles posters wallpaper patternscomic strips mosaics potterycostume creation murals props for plays

Speaking/Listening

audio/videotapes debates oral reports seminarschoral readings discussions panel discussions speechescourt-trial simulations flannel boards presentations story boardscooperative tasks narratives scenarios

Adapted from Nebraska K-12 Foreign Language Frameworks, 1996.



Ideas for Exhibitions and Projects (continued)

Reading/Writing/Literature

3-D research papers expository writing myths research reportsABC books fables narrative writing satiresbibliographies historical documents outlines storiesbiographies histories persuasive writing term papersbookmarks illuminated manuscripts poetry time capsulesbooks journal articles poetry anthologies time-lineschildren’s stories lists of books read portfolios written questionsdictionaries of terms lists of movies seen position papers writing systemsencyclopedias lyrics reaction papersessays memoirs reports

Hands-on/Kinesthetic

collections floor plans obstacle courses synchronized movementconstructions flower arrangements physical exercise terrariumscrafts games precision drill team toolsdemonstrations inventions project cube treasure huntsdioramas labs scale modelsenvironmental studies learning centres scavenger huntsfield trips models sewingflash cards museum displays sports/outdoor activities

Daily Life

application forms email letters of all kinds receiptsbills eulogies manuals recipe booksboxes/cartons family trees maps recipesbrochures foods/cooking menus resuméschecks government forms messages, voice/written schedulescleaning instructions obituaries schoolcontracts invitations pamphlets scrapbookscustoms journals parties shopping listsdaily routines junk mail petitions spreadsheetsdiaries labels photo albums surveysdirections last wills prescriptions work

laws questionnaires

Thinking Skills

analogies crossword puzzles graphic organizers secret codescategorizing/classifying decision making graphs self-discoverycause/effect design experiments graphs, 3-D synthesischarts diagrams homework synthesis of researchcompare/contrast elaboration lessons and test design tessellationcomparison charts evaluation patterns Venn diagramsconcepts evaluation of evidence plans visualizationcross-number puzzles experiments problem solving webbing/mind maps

extrapolation puzzlesfact files rating scalesgoal setting reflection



ClozeIn cloze procedure, words or parts of words are masked or blocked outin a sentence or a short passage. Students must use other cues or cluesin context, both in the text and from their background experience, toreplace or complete the missing words. As students read and come tothe blank in the sentence, they call on cueing systems and other sourcesof information to help decide what word would make sense in thesentence. With young students, perhaps only one word in the sentencewould be left out. With older students, as many as eight to tendeletions in a passage would be appropriate. Experience with clozepassages encourages students to maximize their use of the cueingsystems. Students choose which information sources and strategies aremost appropriate when meeting unknown words, rather thanoverusing graphophonic clues and sounding out words without anyreference to meaning or word order.

Think-Alouds Think-Alouds involve asking students to verbalize their thought aloudwhile engaged in a task. Think-Alouds are an effective instructionalstrategy, can provide insight into how readers process text, and serve asa very effective assessment strategy for written interpretation and useof strategies.

Documents

CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT - Manitoba Education and · PDF fileengaging their attention and encouraging them to share their work and ... In the classroom, ... Classroom Assessment • SENIOR