Assessing Language Skills: Trends and

Challenges

Effective Teaching

What makes our teaching effective? How do we know that we are

effective teachers? What do effective teachers do?

Voices from Teachers “I’m an eclectic teacher.” “My class is very communicative.” “I use task-based teaching.” “I always support my students.” “I use authentic activities and

materials.” “My classes are student-centered.” “I promote autonomous learning.”

“My activities are very engaging.” “I never use Filipino in my

classroom.” “My students like my classes.” “I teach my students learning

strategies.” “My English is very good.” “I always plan my classes.” “I studied at University [Insert

Name].”

Key Questions

Are my students learning? What do my students know? What can my students do? What are my students’ strengths and

weaknesses? What can I do to help my students

learn the language?

Language Assessment

Language assessment is any process used to gather information about student learning to improve or facilitate language learning.

Standardized assessment Classroom assessment

Role of Language Assessment

Assessment plays a key role in the teaching and learning of a second or foreign language.

It is the only means teachers have to verify that their students are actually learning.

Through classroom assessment we can: Integrate teaching and learning. Improve student learning. Improve teaching.

Usefulness of Language Assessment

Language assessment is a very useful process that has the power to inform and the power to influence They provide information. They can generate changes. They can guide the decision-

making process.

Information

Language assessment provides valuable information about different aspects of the education system: Students Teaching Program

Changes Language assessment has the

potential to generate changes in individuals’ perceptions behaviors attitudes values motivation

Decision-Making Process

Language assessment provides guidance on the decisions teachers need to make in the classroom who passes/fails what to do next what to reinforce when to move on

Assessments are even more powerful if they are the only criteria used to make critical decisions that could have an impact in the educational system and its stakeholders.

Abuses Tests and testing systems are subject

to abuse because test scores and test interpretations are put to a host of different uses.

Tests are used unethically for other purposes than they were originally intended for.

To avoid abuses, the purpose of any test should be made explicit and public.

Misuses

To exercise power and control to control attendance to control discipline to punish to threaten

The Nature of Assessment Assessment of learning Assessment for learning Assessment as learning

Assessment of Learning

Assessment is summative in nature. It is used for accountability

purposes. It documents how much the students

have learned. The main goal of assessment is to

assign a grade

Assessment for Learning

Assessment is formative in nature. It is used to improve the language

learning process. It provides information about what

students have to learn, how much they have learned, and what they need to do to improve.

Assessment as Learning

Assessment is an integral part of the teaching-learning process.

Each assessment provides the learners an opportunity to continue learning.

Assessment provides students with an opportunity to use the language in “real-life” tasks.

The Assessment Process Gather information about what

students know and can do. Use different ways to collect

information. Quantify the information if needed. Interpret and judge the information. Make decisions based on these

interpretations. Repeat process.

Key Terms

Assessment: to gather information about students, about student learning

Testing: one way to gather information

Measurement: quantify the information

Evaluation: judge the information

Challenges

Persistent Problem There seems to be a disconnect

between theory and practice when it comes to assessment.

What teacher believe is not exactly what teachers practice.

Most language assessment practices are not appropriate.

Colombian Context There is a lack of teacher education

and teacher training in language assessment.

There is a lot of emphasis on language teaching, but not necessarily on language assessment.

There is a generalized negative perception about assessment.

There is a tendency to simply equate assessment to grades.

Recent Events

National Bilingual Program 2008: The year of evaluation Decree 1290

Invitation

Reflect on how you are currently using language assessment.

Make an effort to train yourself on using language assessment appropriately.

Make language assessment

General Recommendatio

ns

1.The assessment process is democratic Democratic assessment is an assessment

process in which all stakeholders participate actively.

It’s a process that is people-centered. It’s a way to empower stakeholders. It’s a process where students have control

of their own learning. It’s a process that allows students to reflect

on their own learning (i.e. self-assessment and peer-assessment) in order to improve.

2. The assessment process must be clear

The purpose of the assessment What to assess How you assess When to assess How to score the assessment How to interpret the assessment How the assessment is used

3. Give appropriate instructions

Instructions should be clear. The language of the instructions

should match the language level of the students.

All students must have a clear understanding of what they have to do to demonstrate their knowledge, abilities or competence.

4. Make assessment an ongoing process

Teachers assess at the beginning of the teaching-learning process (diagnostic assessment).

Teachers assess during the process (formative assessment).

Teachers assess at the end of the process (summative assessment).

5. Assess using different criteria

Different assessment instruments.

Different types of tasks. Different ways to interpret

assessments.

Assessment Options (1)

Formal Assessment Informal Assessment

Observations Questions and answers Interactions Interviews Teacher-student conferences

Assessment Options (2)

Teacher-made tests, self-assessment, peer-assessment.

Selected-response tasks, constructed-response tasks.

Performance-based tasks (portfolios, essays, presentations, debates, info-gaps, role-plays, projects, etc.).

6. Use “authentic” assessments

It allows teachers to make valid inferences about your students.

It will enhance the students ability to transfer skills.

Authentic Assessment A form of assessment in which

students are asked to perform ‘real-world’ tasks or ‘real-classroom’ tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills.

Projects

Essays

InterviewsOral presentationsProblem solving

Demonstrations

Reports

Discussions

Debates

Role plays

Info-gaps

Jig-saws

Conversations

Examples

6. Contextualize assessments

It gives the assessment task a purpose.

It will allow students to make connections.

It will allow students to apply their knowledge.

Example

• Decontextualized: Write three sentences about Colombia.

• Contextualized: The school wants people to get to know our beautiful country. For this reason, the principal is asking students to write sentences to describe Colombia. Write three sentences about Colombia and post them in the bulleting board .

7. Use appropriate tasks The level of the tasks should be

appropriate according to the students’ needs and interests.

Tasks should reflect the students’ language level, age, interests, and cognitive development.

The tasks should give all students the opportunity to demonstrate all their language knowledge and abilities.

Tasks should be engaging and fun for students.

8. Use integrated assessments

Do not assess skills (e.g. reading, listening, writing, speaking, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation) in isolation.

Use tasks that require students to use more than one skill or sub-skill in order to complete it.

It’s more authentic.

9. Have clear scoring procedures

Teachers must have a clear systematic scoring scheme.

These scoring procedures should allow teachers to consistently score students’ performances.

This scoring scheme should inform teachers and students where the students should be, where they are, and what they need to do get there.

10.Align assessments to instruction

Assessment tasks should aligned to instruction.

Tasks should be similar to the tasks that are done in class.

The cognitive level of the assessment tasks are similar to the ones on the classroom tasks.

This allows students to transfer what they are learning in class during the assessment.

11.Empower your students Students are the central part of

the assessment process. Students should accept this

responsibility and take control of their learning process.

Make assessment a democratic process.

Use self-assessment and peer-assessment.

12.Provide feedback to your students (formative assessment)

immediate ongoing relevant

Feedback Teachers should provide guide and

feedback that will allow students to enhance the learning process: Feedback is immediate and ongoing. Feedback highlights the students’

strengths and limitations. Students should make sense of the

feedback. Provide qualitative feedback

(descriptive).

12.Assessment should be fair.

The assessment should provide all students an equal opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.

Assessment items or tasks should be free of any bias and should not offend anyone.

The items/tasks should not favor any specific group of language learners (female/male, old/young, etc.).

It’s Fair The assessment should provide all

students an equal opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.

Assessment items or tasks should be free of any bias and should not offend anyone.

The items/tasks should not favor any specific group of language learners (female/male, old/young, etc.).

Examples

Describe your favorite basketball team.

Write a paragraph describing your last vacation trip.

Describe what you do with your father on Sundays.

Write an essay explaining why men are better than women.

Your Challenge Make sure that you are trained on

how to use language assessments appropriately.

Contribute changing the negative perceptions that people have about assessment.

Start first by making sure you have a positive perception about assessment.

Use an assessment system that is truly democratic.