Are we following bad examples?

This entry is based on Brown, H. D. (2000). Principles of language learning and teaching. (4ed). Chapter 3: Designing Classroom Language Tests. pp 42-65. New York: Pearson ESL. 

In previous entries I have talked about alternatives in assessment and the importance of using activities different from a test to measure students’ performance. However, it does not mean that we should avoid using tests in our classroom assessment; the alternatives in assessment are necessary to triangulate results and obtain a more reliable measurement.

By reading this chapter I noticed some wrong things I have been doing while evaluating my students. For instance, my purpose when applying a test was just to assign a grade because I need to present reports for parents and coordinators of the institute. The objective was, of course, to enhance students’ learning but I forgot one of the most important tools of learning: feedback. I focused more on pointing out where the mistake was and I did not tell the student how to improve their proficiency from those mistakes.

Regarding the task chosen for the tests, I did not analyse the appropriateness of every single item; sometimes I realised that an item were not chosen correctly after the exam. Actually, the majority of the tasks I have used in my class are those that my professors used when I was learning English in the first semesters of my career –and I think most of my partners do the same–. Now, a question comes to my mind ¿Where those tasks and tests chosen appropriately for us?

I particularly remember in first semester that there were like four different courses and a different professor for each one. One professor was in charge of making a part of the test (writing, reading, grammar, and listening. Speaking was made by the professor of each group) taking into account that all the groups were following the same book. Nevertheless, professors teach in different ways and in one exam, the professor in charge of the writing part made a task different from the ones we did with our professor during the classes. The result was that students who took the course with the professor that made the writing part outperformed the other students. I want you to give me your opinions about the following questions that come to my mind:

¿The tests we had to take in the first semesters were appropriately chosen for us? Why? If not, ¿should we use the same kind of test task that our professors used with us? ¿how can a university train future professor by giving them bad examples of how to assess students?

Teachers and Students' Perception regarding Portfolio Assessment

The way students see portfolios is really important if we want to use this alternative in assessment in our classrooms. Students’ point of view towards the use of this tool is related to their performance on it. When a student thinks it is useful and meaningful for his/her learning process and thinks it is an enjoyable way to learn, the motivation will be a positive aspect that would enhance student’s achievement. In other words, if students think they are not learning by doing a portfolio, they will no feel motivated to do it; they will just do it for the grade and not for the learning itself.

Other important aspect that influences students’ perception and motivation towards the usage of portfolios is the content. That is the reason why students should take part in the selection of content (Soruç, 2011); choosing the content cooperatively the students will be enthusiastic about doing their assignments and the teacher will get more reliable outcomes from them.

The way teachers carry out the process of preparation and evaluation impacts on students’ perception as well. Teachers must plan clearly what will be the methodology, the purpose of carrying out this procedure, the objectives of every single assignment and, of course the way they are going to be evaluated. Creating a detail rubric for grading, for example, is a good way to make students feel comfortable when the teacher grade their performance; otherwise, they would feel that the teacher is being subjective in their perception. Having a detail rubric will help students to know which are the objectives their teacher want them to achieve –even, the student could self-evaluate their performance because they could know whether they achieve the objectives or not–.

Now, the way teachers perceive portfolios is decisive in the way they conduct it. In my opinion, if a teacher thinks it is useless for learning, it is better not to use it alternative in assessment because it will influence negatively students’ perception about portfolios and washback. As the research carried out by Soruç (2011) it was found that the majority of the students and teachers have positive opinions about the use of portfolios and that they offer many advantages for learners having a positive impact on students’ skills. However it could not be a meaningful experience if it is not well prepared and assessed. Remember teachers what is important is not the grade but the leaning, and it requires appropriate feedback, a lot of effort from our part, and responsibility, that is to say, vocation.   

Alternative in Assessment

Tests have been the most used way to assess students –and for some teachers the only one way–. The new teachers should look for another way to, not only measure students’ performance, but also to assess them and give the appropriate feedback. The alternatives in assessment proposed by Brown could be a good tool to implement in our classes. Portfolios, journals, interviews, conferences, self-assessment, and peer assessment could be sometimes difficult to use in Colombian classrooms, but if we are creative we can find the way to make them practical and reliable.

By using these alternatives in assessment the teacher could interact more with the students and know more about their thoughts, feelings, and could follow their learning process closer. Also, the teacher would have the opportunity to assess every single class and not only the day of the test. It will enhance students learning process because they are not going to study for the test but for life. It also makes it possible to give the appropriate feedback in the moment it is needed.

Taking into account the large groups that Colombian public schools have and the difficulty that applying these techniques bring, teachers should decide in advance the goals they want their students to achieve, and also give them a lot of input and instruction in the usage of them to make them more practical and interesting.

The following is a video in which the alternatives in assessment are described: