Assessment and Performance-based Instruction

1. Assessment and Performance-based Instruction Dr. Yu-Lan Lin Boston Public Schools ylin@boston.k12.ma.us

2. Assessment Literacy • Ability to understand the principles and practices of testing and assessment • Ability to identify appropriate assessments • Ability to analyze data • Ability to apply data in teaching • Ability to improve overall instruction

3. Good Assessments Inform Students • Useable feedback on learning • Language proficiency • Developmental growth • Achievement

4. Good Assessments Inform Teachers • Program evaluation • Articulation • Improvement • Measure student learning • Effects of best practices • Standards-based teaching

5. Non-Traditional Assessments • Alternative Assessment • Authentic Assessment • Summative Assessment • Formative Assessment • Performance Assessment

6. Why Performance-based Assessments • Demonstrate what students CAN do with language • Reflect students’ language learning process • Motivate students to work hard • Capture students’ energy and interest • Reflect real-life situations • Integrate all skills

7. Types of Performance Assessment • Performances: original plays, stories, show-and-tells, etc. • Portfolios: letters, journals, notebooks, reports, etc. • Projects: travel plans, brochures, research, etc

8. Performance Task Elements • A title • Task objectives • Student role: • Audience: • Setting: • Description of Activity: • Scoring rubrics • Background description:

9. Performance Guidelines • Comprehension • Comprehensibility • Accuracy • Vocabulary use • Cultural knowledge • Discourse

10. Holistic Scoring Rubrics • 3. Exceeds expectations • Message effectively communicated • Rich voc • Highly accurate • Content supports interest level • Self-correction

11. Holistic Scoring • 2 Meets Expectations • Message generally comprehensible • Voc appropriate • Some patterns of errors • Content adequate • Occasional self-correction

12. Holistic Scoring • 1 Does Not Meet Expectations • Message communicated with difficulty • Voc inappropriate • Patterns of error • Content repetitious • Self-correction rare

13. Holistic Scoring • 0. Unratable sample • No consistent use of target language • Only isolated words • Off task

14. Analytical Rubrics for Speaking • Comprehensibility • Ideas and Content • Pronunciation and Word Choice • Syntax and Accuracy • Presentation and Fluency

15. Analytical Rubrics for Writing • Comprehensibility • Ideas and Content • Word Choice and Discourse • Syntax and Accuracy • Presentation and Mechanics

16. Comprehensibility • 4. effectively conveys message and requires NO interpretation • 3. clearly conveys message and requires MINIMAL interpretation • 2. requires interpretation • 1. barely comprehensible

17. Ideas and Content • 4. clear, accurate, focused with details • 3. details support the main ideas • 2. has basic development but not enough details • 1. lacks central topic

18. Word Choice and Discourse • 4. creative use of words and cohesive devices • 3. adequate use of words, some cohesive devices • 2. repetitive words, no cohesive devices • 1. erroneous/poor choice of words, incomplete sentences

19. Syntax and Accuracy • 4. excellent command of language use • 3. good control of language structure • 2. developing use of language structure • 1. merging use of language most of the time

20. Presentation and Mechanics • 4. effective use of style with fewer or no errors in spelling • 3. effective use of language in completing thoughts • 2. frequent errors in writing mechanics • 1. much inaccuracy in writing mechanics in presenting thoughts.

21. Presentation and Fluency • 4. effective use of style without pausing or stumbling • 3. effective use of language in completing thoughts • 2. frequent pauses with incomplete thoughts • 1. long pauses with incomplete thoughts