Assessing !

-an garage Leannin6

tne Gf the mosi challenging tasks for lahguage instructors is finding effective wayo to determine what end how rn*ch th*ir
tudents are actually learning. lnstructors need to think carefulty about what kinds of knowledge their tests allow students to
emonstrate.

his section provides guiCance on ways of u*ing traditional tests and elternaiive forms of assesstrent.

Traditiomal Tests

raditional pencil-and-paper tests ask students to read or listen to a selection and then answer questions about it, or to choose
r produce a corect gran'irnatical form or vocabulary item. Such tests can be helpful as ffleasures of students' knowledge of
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lowever, instructors need to consider r,vhether these tests are accurate reflections of authentic ianguage use. Th+ tests usually
o not present reading cr:nrprehension and listening comprehension questions until after students have read or listened to the
election. in reai life. however. people know what informaiion they are seeking hefore they read or listen. That is, thev have
pecific infarmelion gaps in mind as they begin, and those gaps define ihe purpose for reading or listening.

'o
make language tests more Iike authentic.listening and reading activities, instructors ean give students the comprehension
uestions before they listen tb or read the selection. This procedure sets up the informaiion gaps that students will then seek to
11 il$ Iiley ilttleri or tetr{J.

rstructors also need to be careful about what pencil-and-paper iests are actuaily testing. A quiz on which siudents listen to a
election and then respond to written questions is testing reading ability as well as listening skills and will give a lower-than-
porapriate sccre for stuclents whose oral comorehension is stronger than their reading cornprehonsion. A test cn which
tudents read a selection and then answ€r multiple-choice questions is testing their knowledge of the language used in tlre
uestions as rvell as ihat used in the seleciion itself. li the language used in the questionq is not keyed to students' profici*ncy
:vel, the test wiil not refleci their ability accurately.

anguage insiruciors aiss encounier siucjenis who cio weii on peneii-anci-paper iesis of grammar anei sentence siructure, bui
rake rnistakes when using the same forms in oral inieraction. ln guch case$, the test is indicating wh*t students know abouf the
rnguage, but is not providing an accurate measure of what ihey are able to actually do with it.

Vhen the goalaf language insiruction is the development of communicative competence- instructors can sunplenrent (or, in
ome casss, repiace) traciitional tests with alternative assessment rnethor*s that provide more accur&te measures of progress
rward communication proficiency goais. This can be done by combining formative anei summative types of assessment.

iumrnative assessniefti

. Takes piace at the +nd af a predetermined period of instruciion (for example, midterm, final)'
e Ratss the student in relation to an external standard of correctness {how many right answers are giv*n)
o ls the approach taken by most tradiiional and standardized tests

:orntative ass€ssrnernt

e Takes place on an ongoing basis as instruction is proceeding

R-ates the str-:dent rn terms of fr-rncticnal ability to commr:nicate, r-rsing criteria thal the str:dent has helped to rclentity
"e Helps students r**ognize way* of inrproving their learning
e ls the approach taken by alternative assessment methods

Alternative Asse$sment

rlternative assessmeilt uses activities that reveal what students can do with language, emphasizing their strengths instead of
reir weaknesses. Alternaiive assessment instruments are not only designed and struetured differerrtly from traditionai tests, but
rre elso graded or ssored differently. Because alternative assessment is performEnce based, it helps instructors emphasize that
ie pLrrrii oi izrrigudge iear'rlifig ,s u0ri'rrilurliuixirurr icri rilgarrrr'rgiui pur'poses.

rlternative asse$sment methods work weil in learner-centered classrooms because they ar* based on the idaa that stud*nts
an evaluate their own learning and iearn from the evaluation process. These methods give learners epportunities to reflect on
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 oth their [inguistic develapment and their learning processes (what helps them learn antl what might help them learn better).
Iternaii're assessment thus gives instructors a way to connect assessment with review of learning strategies.

'eafures of a ltern atiue assessmenL'

* Assessment is based on authentis tasks that demonstrate learners' ability to accornplish cornrnunieation goals
r lnstructor and learners focus on communication, not on right and wronE answers
c Learners heip to set the criteria for successful completion of communication tasks
c Learners have opportunities to assess themseives and their peers

lesigning fas&s for alternative assessff?enf

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rctually do wiih language. Fortunately, many of the activities that take place in communicative ctassrooms lend themselves to
ris type cf assessmeni. These activities replicate the kinds of challenges, and allow for the kinds of solutions, that learners
rould encounter in cornmunication outside the classroom,

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following c;'ite!"ia defin* authentic assessment activities:

G They are built around tepics or issues of interest ts the students

e The!, replicate real-world cor*munication contexts and situations
. They invcive muiii-stage tasks anei reai probiems thai require creaiive use of ianguage raiher ihan sinrpie repetiiion
o They require learners to produce a quality product or perforrnance
o Their evaluation criteria and standards are known to ihe student
e They involve interaction between assessor (instruetor, peers, self) and person assessed
. They allov.c fcr celf-evahration and self-correction as ihey proceed
'n tradu c in g a ltern ativeasses$rnefi t
aliernative assessment, students are expecied to participate actively in evaluating themselves and one another. Learners
,rViih
rvho are used io fraditional teacher-centered classrooms have not been expected to take rdsponsihility for assessment before
rnd rnay need time to adjust to this new role. They also may be skeptical that peers can provide ihenn with feedback that will
gnhanco their learning.

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that alternatlve assessrnent wili make an effective contribution to ihe learning process.

e lntroduce alternaiive assessrnent graduaiiy while continuing to use more traditional forms of assessment. Begin by using
checklists and rubrics yourself: move to self and peer evaluation later.
c Create a supportite classroom environment in which siudents feel comforiable with one another.
n Explain the rationale for alternative assessment.
e Engage students in a discussion of aseessment. Elicit their thoughts on the values and limitatiorrs of traditional forrns of
assessment and help them see ways that alternative assessntent can enhance evaluaiion of what learners can do with
rur ruuuue.
u Give siudenis guidance on how to reflect on aRd evaluate their own performance and that of others (see specifics in
sections on peer and self evaluation).

As students find they benefit from evaluating themselves and their peers. the instructor can expand the amount of alternative
assessment used in the ciassroom.

Altern ativeAssessffaei? t fu1 ethod s

Effective alternative assessment relies on observation$ that are recorded using checklists and rubrics.

Checklists
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Checklists are often used fCIr observing performance in order to keep irack of a student's progress or work over time. They can
alsa be used to determino whether students have met established criteria on a task.
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 c construct a checklist, identify the different parts of a specific communication task and any other requirements associated with
Create a list of these with columns for marking yes and no.

or example, using a resource list provided by the instructor, students contact and interview a native speaker of the language
rey are studying, then report back to the class. ln the report, they are to

c Briefly describe the interviewee (gender, place of birth, occupation, family)

c Explain when and why the interviewee came to the United States
. Describe a chaiienge the person has faceci as an immigrani
e Describe horry the person maintains a connection with his/her heritage

tudents are told ihat they will need to speak for a minimum of three minutes and that they may refer only to minimal notes while
resenting. A. checklist for assessing students' completion of the task is shown in the popup window.

thecklists can be useful for classroom assessment because they are easy to construct ancl use, and ihey align closely with
lsks. At the same time, they are iimited in that they do not provide an assessment of the relative quality of a student's
erfcrmance on a particular task.

Rubrics

Vhereas a checklist simply provides an indication of whether a specific criterion, characteristie, or behavior is present, a rubric
rrovicies a measure of quaiity of periormance on ihe basis of estabiisheci criteria. Rubrics are often useci with benchrnarks or
;amples that serve as standards against which student performance is judged

lubrics are primarily used for language tasks that involve some kind of oral or written production on the part of the student. lt is
rossible to create a generic rubric ihat can be used with multiple soeaking or writing tasks, btil assessment is more accurate
vhen the instructor uses rubrics that are fitted to the task and the goals of instruction.

fhere arefour main types of rufrics.

l. Hotistic rubrics

{olistic scales or rubrics respond to language performance as a whole. Each score on a holistic scale represents an overall
mpression; one integrated score is assigned to a performance. The emphasis in holistic scoring is on what a student does well-

{olistic rubrics commonly have four or six points. The popup window shows a sample four-point holistic scale created for the
)urposes of assessing writing performance

\ wefl-known example of a holistic scale is the A,merican Council on ihe Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency
Suidelines (1986). l-'lewever, the ACTFL guidelines are not appropriate for classroom use; because they are intended for large-
;cale assessment of overall proficiency and are not designed necessarily to align wiih curricular objectives or ciassroom
nstruction.

Hoiistic scoring is primariiy usecj tbr iarge-scaie assessment when a reiativeiy quick yet consistent approach to seoring is
necessary. lt is less usefulfor classroom purposes because it provides little information to students about their performance.

2. Analytic rubrics

Analytic scales are divided into separate categories representing different aspects or dimensions of performance. For example,
dimensions for writing performance might include content, organization, vocabulary, grammar, and mechanics. Each dimension
is scored separatoly, then dimension scores are added to determine an overall score.,

Analytic rubrics have two advantages:

o The instructor can give different weights to different dimensions. This allows the instructor to give more credit for
dimensions that are more important to the overall success of the communication.task. Forexample, in a writing rubric,
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e They provide nncre information to students about the strengths and weaknessee of various aspects of their language
performance.
{owever, analytic scoring has atso been criiicized because the parts do noi necessarily add up to the wirole. Providing separaie
cores fcr different dimensions of a student's writing or spoaking performance does not give the teacher or the student a good
rssessment of the whole of a performance.

t. Frima{y tralt rubrics

r primary trait scoring, ihe instructor predetermines the main criterion or primary trait for successful pedormanee of a task. This
ipproach thus involves narrowing the criteria for judging perfcrmance to one main dimension.

:or example, csnsider a task that requires that a student write a persuasive letter to an editor of the school newspaper. A
,6ssible primary irait rubric for this task is shown in the popup window.

'his k-ind of n-rbric has t!"re adv.antage crf allrwing teachers and st::dents to foclr.s on o{1e aspect ar dimension of language
erformance. lt is also a relatively quick and ea6y way to score writing or speaking perfarmance, espeeially when a teacher
rants to emphasize one specific aspect of that performance.

',. Muttitrait rubrics

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multitrait approach is similar to the primary trait approach but allows for rating performance on three or four dimensions
ather than just one. Multitrait rubrics resemble analytic rubrlcs in that several aspects are scoi"ed individuaily. F{owever, where
rn analytic scale inciudes traditional dirnensions such as conient, organizaiion, and grammar, a muititrait ruhric involves
ilmensicns that ar"e mcre closely aiigned with features of ihe iask.

:or example, on an information-gap speakrng task where students are asked to describe a piciure in enough detail for a listener
: choose it from a set of similar pietures, a multitrait rubrio would include dimensions such as quality of description, fluency, and
rnguage contrcl, as the example in the popup window shows.

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rati ng */fem"l*ff ve assessrr?erlf imf o c/ass roo m a cti v i ti e s

rctructors shouid plan to introduce alternative forms of assessmeni graduaily, in conlunction'wiih traditionai forms of iesting.
ising a comDinaiion of aiternaiive assessments anc msre traciiionai measures aiiorvs tne instrucior to compare resuirs ancj
,btain a more comprehensive piclure of students' language performanee than either altemative or traclltional measures alcne
rould provide.

first. the instrr-rctor- shoul<j use ehecklists and rr:hric-s to evalr:ate sti.rdent serformance
t- - '- '-' hr-rt ncri ask sir.iclents t+ do s+lf and oeer
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'valuation. When creating checklists and rubrics, instructors can ask students to prO\ride input cn the criteria that should he
tcluded in each. This approach gives the insinictor time to beccme more comfortable with the use'of alternative assessments,
rhile modeling their use for students. The process helps students understand how ihey will benefit.from alternative assessment
,nd how they can use it effiectively.

lecause alternative assessment depends on direct observation, instructors can most easily begin to use it when evaluaiing
tudents' wr"iting assignments and indirridual .speaking tasks such as presenJations, Onc.e an instrt-lctor has reached a levol of
omfort with checklists and rubrics, they can also be used when observing students interacting in small graups. When doing this,
,owever, the instructor needs to be aware that group dynamics uvill have an effect on the performance of each individual.

)nce students are familier with the use of checklists and rubrics for evaluation, they can gradually begin to assess their own
)arning and provide feedhack to their peers. This aspGct of atternative assessment can easily be included in the evaluation
egment of a lesson. ln classrooms where traditional forms of assessment are required, this gives the instructor multiple ways of
reasuring progress without increasing the time students spend taking traditional tests.

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'eer.Assessmremf

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,eer$'work. The instructor must explain expectations clearly io them before they begin.
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)ne way to meke surs students understand this type of evaluation is to give students a Bra*trce sesslon with it. The insiructor
rovidee a sample writing or speaking assrgnment. As a group, students determine what should be assessed and how criteria for
uccessful completion of tlre comnrunicatlon task should be defined. Then the instructor gives studertis a sample completed
ssignment. $tudents ass+ss ihis using the criteria they have developed, and deiermine how to convey feedback ciearly to the
ctitious student.

iiudants can aiso benefit from using ruhrics or checklists to guicie their assessments, At first these can be provided by the
rstructor; once the students have more experience, they can develop them themselves. An example of a peer editing checklisi
:r a vniting assignment is given in ihe popup windour. Notice that the checklist asks the peei *..,aluatsr ta ccmment prinnar"ily on
ie content and organization of the essay. i'r helps the peer evaluator focus on ihese areas by asking questions about snecific
,oints, such as the presence of examples to support the ideas discussed.

ior peer evaluaticn to wark ef,rectively, ihe learning environmeni in the classroom must be supportive, {}tudents must f'eel
omfortable and trust one another in order to provide honest and constructive feedback. lnstructors who use group *oriork afid
leer assessment frequently can hetp students develop trusi by forrning them into small groupo early in the semesier and having
rem work in the sarne groups throughoui ihe term. This allows thenn to become rncre comfcrtable with each other and leads to
retter peer feeciback.

ielf Assessrnenf

itudents can become betier language learners when they engage in deliberate thaught about what they are learning and how
1ey are learning it. ln this kind of reflection, students step back from the learning process to think sbout their language learning
trategies and iheir progress as language learners. Such self assessment encourages students to beeorne independent learners
rnd can incrsase iheir motivation.

'he successful use of student self assessment depends on three key'elements.

u Goaisetting
u Guide$ praciice with assessment tcols
" Portfolios

ioal sett;ng

Soal setting is essential because students can evaluate their progress more clearly wh*n they have targets against which ts
neasure their oeformanca. ln addition. students' motivation to iearn increases vrhen they have self-defined. and therefore
elevant, learning goals.

\t first, studenis tend io create lofty long+ange goals ("to speak Russian)" that do not lend themselves to self assessnierrt, Ta
relp students develop realistic, short-term, attainabie goais, instructors can use a framework like SMART'goals outline shown ln
he popup winciovr-

)ne way to begin the process of inh"oducing students to self-assessment is to create student-teacher contracts. Contracts are
vritten agreements between students and instructors, which commoniy involve determining the numb*r and type of assignments
hat are requir*d f*r particular grades. For example, a student mav aoree to work toward the grade of "8" by completing a
;pecific nurnber cf assignrnents at a ievel of quality described by the instructor. Ccntraets can serve as a good way of helping
;tudents to begin to consider establishing goals for themselves as language learners.

Suided precti*a witk essessnrem* fco/s

itudents do not learn to monitor or assess their learning on their own; they need to be taught sirategies for self moniioring and
relf assessment. -tr-echniques for teaching students these strategies are parallel to those used for teaching learning strategies.
ihe instructor niodeis ihe technique (use of a checklist or rubric, fcr example); studenis then try the technique themselves;
ina!|y,, stuC*nts discus*'"+4rether end hcw..r.,ell ihe technique.,r,,crked *nd vvhat te dq dif;er-ently next time.

n addition to checkiists and rubrics for specific communication tasks, students can also use broader seif-assessment tools to
'eflect on topics they have studied, skills they have learned, their study habits, and their sbnse of their overall strengths and
ueaknesses. An example of such a tool appears in the popup window.

Students can ehare iheir"self-assessmerits with a peer or in a smail group, with instructions that they cornpare their i mpressrons
ilith other criteria such as test scores, teacher evaluatisns, and peers' opinions. This kind of practiee heips students to be ayvare
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