Assessment Literacy

 How well do you understand evaluation? It is important for educators to employ a wide variety of assessment strategies in their classrooms. Your background in evaluating students may be extensive or limited. 

Formative Assessment 

The purpose of formative assessment is to check in on a student's progress in learning without relying just on numerical indicators like grades.  Feedback to and from students is a common component of formative assessment. For an essay they will be writing, students can be required to provide an outline first. The instructor will provide input on the group's structure but will not automatically deduct marks for poorly executed suggestions. Students are encouraged to provide comments to the teacher. In order to determine how much additional time should be spent on a concept, teachers may, for instance, have their pupils fill out a survey regarding what they have learnt and whether they are confused about anything.  

Summative Assessment 

In most cases, when we think of an evaluation method, the one that comes to mind is a summative assessment. It is used to gauge how much students have grasped. Higher stakes, graded assessments are called summative assessments. The point value of these things is higher than average. A formal presentation, a research article, or a midterm exam are all examples of acceptable methods of assessment.  

The purpose of a diagnostic test is to gauge a student's level of understanding at a given juncture in their education. Diagnostics are typically administered at the start of a unit to gauge students' prior knowledge before moving on to more advanced material. However, a teacher may deliver diagnostics during a period of time to measure effectiveness of teaching and learning.   

As teachers, we are well aware of the need of taking evaluation into consideration whenever we design new lessons or modify existing ones. Formative assessments make pupils aware of their progress toward a learning goal. Teachers can use summative evaluations to determine how their students have performed and what they should be graded on.

Traditional paper-and-pencil tests are a common way to gauge a student's level of understanding in a certain topic. But what about the types of learning activities we have been covering in this course, such as Project Based Learning (PBL) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)? What about the higher-order cognitive tasks that require students to apply their knowledge in novel ways, such as design, creation, or imagination? These tasks reside at the pinnacle of Bloom's Taxonomy. How can we evaluate students' progress in such situations? Alternative evaluations are typically the greatest solution.

What is alternative assessment? 

A student's language skills can be evaluated in a language class through the use of alternative assessment. This may be a difficult assignment that calls for a number of different abilities and/or a multi-step process. Language serves as a tool of communication in such endeavors. Students need to show that they are able to do more than just study for tests and quizzes in the target language before being awarded credit. Conferencing, journals, learning logs, and portfolios are alternative forms of assessment that place equal emphasis on the learning process and the final products of students.

Some forms of alternative assessment involve students in the evaluation process by having them examine their own performance in areas such as project planning, group dynamics, and presentation skills. As a result, students can take charge of their own education and learn to take responsibility within a collaborative setting. Students also benefit from the teacher's comments, which highlights their strengths and helps them address their weaknesses. 

Motivating students and instructors alike, alternative assessment typically produces student work that may be easily exhibited to parents and other members of the school or community. 

What are some common forms of alternative assessment?

Self-record-keeping, peer feedback and assessment, portfolios, and performance assessment are some of the alternative assessments that are likely to be used in English language schools.

Self-Record-Keeping

Students maintain their own records in this form of evaluation. They can complete a set of activities and record their thoughts on each one in writing in their pace. They can customize a variety of charts with their own data to monitor their development. Students can critique and improve each other's assignments.

Peer Feedback

Students present their own work to their peers as part of an alternative kind of evaluation. Both the creator and the reviewer gain from the peer reviewer's constructive feedback and edits. Both have an interest in perfecting their job and minimizing their mistakes. The reviewer can improve their communication skills by taking part in mock reviews and giving feedback in person. Reviewers can be kept focused on the most crucial areas of the task with the use of a checklist.

Portfolios 

In portfolios, students compile a variety of work completed throughout the course of an evaluation. The goal of the projects is to demonstrate the students' growth as they gain knowledge. Students' portfolios typically include both reflective writing on their own development and tangible examples of their work. Teachers typically provide students a criterion to follow when evaluating their portfolios and a checklist of required elements to include. The portfolios can be shared with parents, school principals, and administrators as evidence of students' growth.

Performance Assessment 

Students' demonstrate mastery of the course material is based on their performance on authentic assignments in this form of alternative assessment. Higher-order thinking skills, such creativity and originality, may be required to complete the tasks. The requirements for a successful performance are often laid out by the teacher. After a performance, both the instructor and the audience can give the actors and actresses their thoughts on how they did. 

Sources:

Opp-Beckman, L., & Klinghammer, S. J. (2006). Shaping the way we teach English: Successful practices around the world. The Office of English Language Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs United States Department of State, American English, americanenglish.state.gov

University of Oregon. (2009, January 14). Shaping the Way We Teach English: Module 10, Alternative Assessment [Video]. YouTube.

What every teacher needs to know about assessment (youtube.com)