Methods for Assessing Students

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Abstract

This article discusses the four methods I use for assessing students, which are questioning, observation, student-teacher dialogue, and selected-response. Included, are explanations about the author’s prior knowledge of assessment, what I have learned regarding assessments, how this knowledge transferred to the classroom, and its use in future classes.

Assessing Your Assessment System

I began the school year with my usual methods of assessing my students, which are observation and a lot of teacher-student dialogue. I use a lot of verbal questioning with spatters of short written quizzes that are simple and quick. Mostly, I use verbal questioning and teacher-student dialogue; because my students are levels 1-3 English as a Second Language adults who need practice in listening and speaking. I use observation because I can follow whether a student has listened to and understood the lesson, instructions, directions, and can use what they learned effectively. When students work in groups, and are speaking their native language, I can tell who is asking for translation, who is offering translation and for what purpose. Prior to this class, I knew nothing about “assessment as a system”. I had never given any previous thought to a system of assessing. I know what my students need to learn because I constantly assess. I never use assessment, formally, as a guide for planning instruction. I assess my students’ needs through informal dialogue and observation. I teach a lesson, during which I determine what the students need to learn next. My assessments and the information that I gain from assessing is not formal. I know my students’ degree of English fluency, where they began and where they are now.

My assessment...

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... Keep in mind that many of my students are pre-lit to very low level one and most only want to learn to speak English. These students never attended school in their native countries because they had to help the family survive; therefore, they never came to appreciate the value of reading and writing. However, in next year’s class, I plan to implement frequent formal assessments and tie those assessments to the state standards. At this point, I do not have empirical evidence that my students improve, other than the standardized state tests that do not provide a realistic evaluation of the students’ knowledge and skill level. I think that if I had physical evidence that indicate improvement, it would be useful to show students, administrators, and other instructors where my students are and where they started in their English acquisition skills and knowledge.

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