Performance-based Curriculum Standards

1. Performance-based Curriculum Standards Prof. Denise E. Murray National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research Macquarie University http://www.nceltr.mq.edu.au

2. Why standards? A lesson of 3 railway systems Working coherently or going in different directions?

3. What does this teach us? • No articulation • Costs to clients • Variable quality • No accountability • Chaos • Danger

4. Why performance-based standards? • Old model Inputs Program

5. Why performance-based standards? • New model Outcomes Program Not HOW achieved; but WHAT achieved

6. Types of performance-based standards • Program: • Teacher knowledge • Student learning • Coherent syllabus Context • Teacher: • Teachers’ knowledge, skills & dispositions • Content: • What learners know and can do

7. Intersection of standard types Program Content Teacher

8. Content standards • Learner knowledge • Learner skills What learners know and are able to do

9. Standards development process • Determine theoretical framework • Identify outcomes/goals • Define outcomes as standards • Develop descriptors to explain standards • Define performance indicators • Define performance benchmarks/levels • Develop syllabus

10. Theoretical framework: An example (ESL Standards for Pre-K-12 Students, p.6) • Language is functional • Language varies • Language learning is cultural learning • Language acquisition is a long-term process • Language acquisition occurs through meaningful use and interaction • Language processes develop interdependently • Native language proficiency contributes to second language acquisition • Bilingualism is an individual and societal asset

11. Identify outcomes • Who are the stakeholders? • What are learners’ needs & wants? • Language structures? • Skills? • Genres? • Registers? • Speech acts/functions? • Socio-cultural appropriacy? • Process/product? • Generic skills? • Non-language outcomes?

12. Conceptual Framework TESOL Standards for Teachers of Adult Learners

13. Outcome & standard (TESOL draft Standards for Teachers of Adult Learners) Outcome/Domain/Goal: Planning Standard: Teachers plan instruction to promote learning and meet learner goals, and modify and adjust instruction plans in relation to learner engagement and achievement.

14. Descriptors (TESOL draft Standards for Teachers of Adult Learners) Teachers must be able to plan lessons and curriculum to facilitate learning of content, both language and subject matter. Teachers of adults teach a variety of different content, depending on the context of the program. For example, in survival programs, teachers help learners navigate in social and business situations in the U.S., such as banking and transport. In workplace settings, teachers help learners acquire vocational knowledge in addition to how to use language in that workplace. Teachers must be able to plan instruction that takes into account students’ backgrounds, prior knowledge, and current interests. Teachers must plan for both long and short term learning goals and include in that planning a repertoire of instructional strategies to address individual learner difference. Teachers must be able to diagnose what learners already know and what they don’t in order to be able to plan lessons that meet learner needs. When learning goals are met, teachers must be able to make decisions quickly about how to proceed and adjust instruction in relation to ongoing learning. To help achieve learning goals, teachers develop activities that encourage learners to use English and content knowledge beyond the classroom. When current learning goals are met, teachers must be able to develop new learning goals.

15. Performance indicators (TESOL draft Standards for Teachers of Adult Learners) • identify and articulate learning goals for both language and other content • design short-term and long-term plans to promote learning • integrate learners’ background & prior knowledge in planning • integrate learners’ current interests in planning • integrate learner needs in planning • organize lesson plans to allow enough time for student learning, review and assessment • identify what learners already know • select appropriate resources • design and sequence instructional strategies and activities to deliver content and to address individual differences • select activities that accomplish the learning objectives • adjust planning based on student progress and feedback • connect individual lessons to course, curriculum, and program objectives • develop plans that encourage learners to use English beyond the classroom • establish expectations for student behavior

16. Outcome & standard: Grades 4-8 (ESL Standards for Pre-K-12 Students) Outcome/Domain/Goal: To use English to communicate in social settings Standard: Students will use English to participate in social interactions

17. Descriptors (ESL Standards for Pre-K-12 Students) • Sharing and requesting information • Expressing needs, feelings, and ideas • Using nonverbal communication in social interactions • Getting personal needs met • Engaging in conversations • Conducting transactions

18. Sample progress indicators (ESL Standards for Pre-K-12 Students) • Ask peers for their options, preferences, and desires • Correspond with pen pals, English-speaking acquaintances, and friends • Write personal essays • Make plans for social engagements • Negotiate solutions to problems, interpersonal misunderstandings, and disputes • Elicit information and ask clarification questions

19. ESL Framework of Stages (Australian Language Levels Guidelines, 1991) Communication goals: To enable learners to obtain information by searching for specific details in spoken or written text and then process and use the information obtained.

20. ESL Framework of Stages: Upper secondary(Australian Language Levels Guidelines, 1991)

21. ESL Framework of Stages: Upper secondary(Australian Language Levels Guidelines, 1991)

22. The assessment process (Managing the Assessment Process, p. 5)

23. “Assessment is a celebration of learning” (Broadfoot, 1991)

24. Planning assessment (Managing the Assessment Process, p. 16) • Identify learning objectives • Identify purpose of assessment • Develop timeline for task, collection of data, and use of data • Select instructional strategies • Choose/develop appropriate assessment tasks • Set performance criteria • Develop performance levels/benchmarks

25. Assessment : Key concepts • Testing • Assessment • Evaluation • Proficiency • Achievement • Formative • Summative • Norm-referenced or criterion-referenced • Validity • Reliability

26. Assessment issues • Leaner self-assessment • Peer assessment • Teacher assessment

27. Learner & peer self-assessment • Helps learners judge own strengths and weaknesses • Helps learners set realistic goals • Improves motivation • Develops learners’ responsibility for their own learning • Learners need explicit training • Instruments need to be transparent • Cultural influences — teacher-student roles

28. Learner self-assessment (Lewis 1990) Imagine you are applying for a job. How difficult are the following tasks for you? You must read the newspaper ( ) 10 Very Easy to look for a job. How ( ) 9 difficult is this for you? ( ) 8 ( ) 7 ( ) 6 ( ) 5 ( ) 4 ( ) 3 ( ) 2 ( ) 1 Impossible

29. Learner self-assessment (Lewis 1990) Imagine you are applying for a job. How difficult are the following tasks for you? You must talk in detail about ( ) 10 Very Easy your work experience. How ( ) 9 difficult is this for you? ( ) 8 ( ) 7 ( ) 6 ( ) 5 ( ) 4 ( ) 3 ( ) 2 ( ) 1 Impossible

30. Teacher assessment “If teachers are to be charged with the responsibility for constructing and administering their own assessment tasks, it is very important to provide adequate support in the form of professional development, materials development, rater training and to establish systems for ensuring the quality of the assessment tools used.” Brindley (forthcoming)

31. ESL Framework of Stages: Writing a short report(Australian Language Levels Guidelines, 1991) The local newspaper is running a series of articles on different schools in the area. Write a report on your school under the following headings: Location Facilities (e.g., buildings, classrooms, sports facilities, playgrounds) Students (e.g., numbers, uniforms, behaviour, achievements) Summary (e.g., good points, bad points) The report will be published in the local newspaper next week.

32. ESL Framework of Stages: Writing a short report(Australian Language Levels Guidelines, 1991) Stage 2 Stage 3 The teacher rates the learner response globally on the above continuum, guided by the following general criteria and key indicators. General criteria: Did the learner provide relevant information as required by the activity? Did the learner provide an element of interest in the presentation of the information? Was the learner’s response sufficiently accurate so as not to interfere with meaning? Was the learner’s response appropriate to the target audience? Was the learner’s response coherent? Did the learner need support from others? Did the learner display understanding of the structuring of information?

33. ESL Framework of Stages: Writing a short report(Australian Language Levels Guidelines, 1991) Stage 2 Stage 3 The teacher rates the learner response globally on the above continuum, guided by the following general criteria and key indicators. Key indicators: Learners at Stage 2 tend to: • have difficulty in selecting what to write about • have difficulty expressing judgment in writing • have a less defined concept of the structure and language of a report • have trouble manipulating language to fit under headings (e.g., may not put appropriate information under right headings; may have insufficient information under a heading)

34. ESL Framework of Stages: Writing a short report(Australian Language Levels Guidelines, 1991) Stage 2 Stage 3 The teacher rates the learner response globally on the above continuum, guided by the following general criteria and key indicators. Key indicators: Learners at Stage 3 tend to: • be able to write a formal report, though will still have some difficulty • be able to write for a formal, unknown audience • however tend to relate their points in their writing to themselves and their experiences, rather than to generalise • have some difficulty nominalising and keeping language indirect (e.g., The students have to wear uniform rather than Uniform is compulsory)

35. CSWE III: Community AccessCompetency 12: Can write a short informal letter

36. CSWE III: Community AccessCompetency 12: Can write a short informal letter

37. Elements Discourse features • can use appropriate staging • can use appropriate cohesive links Grammar and vocabulary • can use appropriate vocabulary • can use appropriate grammatical structures NSW AMES Nov 1997

38. Performance Criteria • uses appropriate staging and format • uses conjunctive links as appropriate • uses reference to track people and things • uses appropriate vocabulary relevant to topics and level of informality • uses grammatical structures appropriately NSW AMES Nov 1997

39. Range Statements • Minimum 50 words • Relevant • Recourse to dictionary • Time limit 10 minutes • No teacher assistance • May include a few graphological errors but errors should not interfere with meaning or dominate text NSW AMES Nov 1997

40. Evidence Guide Sample Tasks Learners write an informal letter such as: • a thank you letter • a letter of invitation to a friend or neighbour NSW AMES Nov 1997

41. Content Communication Goals Comprehension Intelligibility of response Linguistic accuracy Fluency CompletedNot |______|______|_____| Minimal Total |______|______|______| Minimal Total |______|______|______| Minimal High |______|______|______| Minimal High |______|______|______| Sample benchmarks

42. The learner participates in discussions. The learner uses appropriate nonverbal signals. The learner is able to negotiate meaning. The learner can agree/disagree appropriately. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Sample performance benchmarks

43. The learner can give personal opinions. The learner is able to convey factual information. The learner’s contributions are relevant. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Nunan, 1988. Sample performance benchmarks cont.

44. Sample Performance Criteria for Writing • Purpose, audience • Text organization • Development • Usage, mechanics & sentence structure

45. EAP 100– Essay: Performance criteria and levels (NCELTR, Macquarie University)

46. EAP 100– Essay: Performance criteria and levels (NCELTR, Macquarie University)

47. Portofolio assessment • is the use of records of a student’s work over time and in a variety of modes to show the depth, breadth, and development of the student’s abilities; • is the purposeful and systematic collection of student work that reflects accomplishment relative to specific instructional goals or objectives;

48. Portfolio assessment • can be used as an approach for combining the information from both alternative and standardized assessments; and • has as key elements student reflection and self-monitoring. Pierce & O’Malley 1992.