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DEVELOPING ASSESSMENT TOOLS FOR ESL

Liz Davidson & Nadia CasarottoCMM General Studies and Further Education

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ASSESSMENT STRATEGY

• How will I assess?

• What does the curriculum suggest?

• What methods will I use?

• What evidence will I collect?

• How will I structure the assessment?

Strategy = Plan

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WHO ARE MY LEARNERS?

What do I know about my learners? (This is important for selection of relevant resources for the

assessment and description for other users of assessments)

• skills levels

• strengths and weaknesses

• specific areas of need e.g. increased community participation, preparing for further study

• interests

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STEP 1: SELECT THE UNIT

What unit/s am I using? For example from 21936VIC Certificate I in ESL (Access)

VPAU495 Read and write short, simple messages and formatted texts

Read the whole unit and look for information to help you to plan your assessment

What do I expect learners to be able to do?

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STEP 2: ANALYSE THE UNIT

• Check the unit descriptor: What is the unit about?• Who does it apply to and for what purpose?

• Check the elements and performance criteria: What do learners need to do? What is the required level of performance?

• Evidence Guide: What am I looking for?

• What do I need to document and assess?

• Where do I find this information?

– critical aspects

– skills and knowledge

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STEP 2: ANALYSE THE UNIT

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Learners must demonstrate evidence of the ability to:•read simple messages and forms in English related to familiar topics such as personal details, daily routines, immediate social and study needs •construct simple messages of one or two simple phrases or sentences and complete forms using different formats as appropriate to need and context •use knowledge and skills to interpret and engage with simple messages and forms for immediate personal and social purposes

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STEP 2: CRITICAL ASPECTS OF EVIDENCE (CONT.)

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STEP 2: ANALYSE THE UNIT

Required skills and knowledge: what and why?Details and exemplars show the level of complexity required

• Linguistic

• Sociolinguistic and cultural

• Pragmatic

• Numeracy

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STEP 3: WHAT TEXTS?

• How will I select the text? What ‘messages’ and ‘forms’ are relevant and useful?

• Will the text help me to get the evidence I need?

• What task will I develop?

• Does this text include enough examples of language covered in the Required Skills and Knowledge and in the Range statement?

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STEP 3 : WHAT TEXT?LOOK ACROSS ALL SECTIONS OF THE UNIT FOR CLUES TO SELECTING TEXTS

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STEP 4: SELECT METHODS OF ASSESSMENT

• What methods will allow me to collect the evidence I need?

• Do they suit the needs of the learner?

• Are they fair?

• Do they provide the learner with the appropriate level of support?

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STEP 4: SELECT METHODS OF ASSESSMENT

Suggested assessment methods include:

• oral questioning to establish understanding of a written message such as audience, purpose and specific content

• oral questioning to establish evidence of understanding of information requirements of forms such as data required, where to write data, key vocabulary

• a portfolio containing evidence of completed messages and forms• oral questioning of strategies used to clarify meaning• additional verbal questioning to confirm required skills and knowledge

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ASSESSMENT METHODS

• How many assessment methods would you use?

• Which ones would you use and why?

• Which assessment methods work well for you?

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STEP 5: DEVELOP ASSESSMENT TOOLS

What is an assessment tool?

• Assessment tools are materials that enable you to collect evidence using your chosen assessment method.

• Assessment tools are the instruments and procedures used to gather and interpret evidence of competence.

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STEP 5: DEVELOP ASSESSMENT TOOLS

The instrument is the activity or specific questions used to assess competence by the assessment method selected. An assessment instrument may be supported by a profile of acceptable performance and the decision-making rules or guidelines to be used by assessors.

Task + assessor guidelines

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STEP 5: DEVELOP ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Procedures are the information or instructions given to the learner and the assessor about how the assessment is to be conducted and recorded.

Principles of fairness - clearly explained

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ASSESSMENT TOOLS

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STEP 5: DEVELOP ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Assessment Tool Components

1. Assessment Task- what they do

2. Assessor Guidelines – judgement – the evidence criteria used to judge the quality of

the performance

3. Instructions to Learner and Assessor – what they need to do, where it will take place/ conditions

4. The recording and reporting requirements

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EXAMPLE TEXTS ALL AUTHENTIC

• an email from the teacher about next week’s class• a series of ‘notes’ – one for a room change on whiteboard or

classroom door• a text message from teacher / class member about being late for class• a Birthday card• a worksheet with instructions• a class survey

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THE ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Assessor instructions planning sheet1. Collect a range of examples of messages and instructions from students’ immediate

environment in both print and electronic format2. For this unit the students are going to read the texts and then answer some questions

verbally about what the text is for and what it means and some questions about words and expressions

3. Students will also complete some forms and write some messages4. You will take notes for assessment purposes and you will provide feedback to the

student afterwards5. Students can ask questions for guidance, can use a dictionary and can have extra

time to complete the activity6. Samples will need to be kept in a folder by the student7. Decide how this will be timed over the course of the program – e.g. weekly

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THE ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Assessment tool : Student task and instructions

This task is part of your assessment for the unit VPAU495 Read and write short simple messages and formatted texts

• Each week we will read and write messages and read and fill in forms.

• You will complete a weekly reading and writing activity

• You need to keep samples in a folder with my feedback

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THE ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Student task (cont) How will you be assessed?

You will be assessed on the following:Reading:• your understanding of what the text is about, who it is for and what actions are required• your understanding of the languageWriting:• your ability to write clear messages for different purposes• our ability to complete a range of forms correctly Skills & Knowledge• Your understanding and use of English at the required level

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THE ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Sample question Response - Record below Satisfactory / not satisfactory

What kind of message is this? Who wrote it and who is it for?

What is the message about?

Can you tell me what this word means?

What is this form for?

What do you need to write here?

What do these symbols mean?

Sample questions for oral questioning

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The Assessor Guidelines capture the: •Required Skills & Knowledge

•Elements and Performance Criteria

•Critical Aspects

THE ASSESSMENT TOOLS

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THE ASSESSMENT TOOLS Assessor guidelines – teacher checklist planning sheet

Assessor Guidelines – how to make a judgement

Evidence provided Comments Date

Identifies purpose of the message or form

Identifies important details and key actions required

Identifies features of the text such as headings, symbols, dates, times, place Identifies a range of language features e.g. adjectives, phrasal verbs etcResponds to questions about content and structure (see Sample questions)

Uses conventions to construct written and online messages, and to complete forms using language at the level described in Required skills & Knowledge in the unit

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STEP 6: VALIDATE ASSESSMENT TOOLS