Assessment & Language Learning

Assessment & Language Learning
By: Bishara Adam
1

Issues in Assessing Children’s
Language Learning
Age: Motor, language, conceptual and social
development
Content of language learning: skills,
vocabulary, language use at discourse level
Methods of teaching: games, songs, stories to
carry language content and practice.
Aims of language learning: social, cross-
cultural and language learning aims
Learning theories: social interaction
2

Principles For Assessing Children’s
Language Learning
Assessment should be seen from a learning-centered
perspective.
Assessment should support learning and teaching (the
process and outcomes of assessment can motivate learners;
an assessment activity can be a language use model,
assessment activity and feedback from it can support further
learning, the outcomes of assessment can help teachers plan
more effective lessons and can inform the evaluation and
improvement of courses and programs).
3

Principles For Assessing Children’s
Language Learning
Assessment is more than testing: The test results do not
reflect the big picture.
Assessment should be congruent (in harmony) with
learning; interactional rather than isolated.
Children & parents should understand assessment issues:
Parents need to know what teachers are doing and why.
4

Key Concepts In Assessment
Assessment – testing - evaluation: Evaluation is the process
of systematically collecting information in order to make
judgments.
Formative (on-going) and Summative (end result)
assessment
Diagnostic (how much can be done for further learning)
tests and achievement (what can a learner do) tests
5

Key Concepts In Assessment
Criterion- referenced (expected response) and norm-
referenced (comparing) assessment
Validity (do we assess what we want to?)
Reliability (scoring, numerical marks)
Fairness (rating and scoring)
6

Self Assessment & Learner Autonomy
Better understanding among pupils
Higher motivation
Better understanding by teacher
Better preparation among learner
Better relationship – teachers & learners
Realistic goal setting by children
Collecting portfolios by children
7

Teacher Assessment Of Language Learning
Assessing in relation to goals
Selecting an assessment focus
Assessment by observation (systematic)
Creating opportunities for assessment during classroom activities
Record keeping (checklists)
8

Alternative Techniques Of
Assessment For Young Learners
Non-verbal response (for silent period)
Oral interview (using visual clues)
Role-play
Written narratives
Presentations
Student-teacher conference: structured- interviews.
9

Alternative Techniques Of
Assessment For Young Learners
Self-assessment: A pupil who learns to assess his or her own
work moves from being “other regulated” to “self-regulated” or
autonomous.
K-W-L Charts (Know, Wonder, Learn)
Learning Logs
Dialogue Journals
Peer and group assessment
Student portfolios
10

Making Feedback Helpful To
Learners
Corrective feedback: to correct their
language use- accuracy; not only
pointing out errors but also showing
why it is incorrect.
Evaluative feedback: judgment on
the pupils’ performance.
Strategic feedback: advice on what
to do to improve the performance.
11

Assessment & Language Learning

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