CHAPTER 4 – EVALUATION GRADING AND BACKWASH Presenter: Diane Whaley

NOTE: STANDARDIZED EXAMINATIONS PAGE 54 Not the focus of this chapter because: They vary by country. You may already know a lot about them. You have no control over them. This chapter is about your classroom evaluations.

The Purposes and Effects of Evaluation page 54 – Purposes of Evaluation Diagnostic: Determines student progress or level Often used for determining schools, scholarships, jobs, placements etc. Motivational : Gives students incentives to work harder Provides some students with a sense of accomplishment Can have a positive or a negative impact

Illustration Diagnostic Give students opportunities to show what THEY CAN D0… and give points for good work. For example: 5 points if your dialog is funny. 1 point if your poster is creative. Extra credit if you…

The Purposes and Effects of Evaluation page 55 – What is Backwash? Definition: The effect of your evaluation methods on students’ study and practice. A negative impact  If your evaluations encourage students to study for grades INSTEAD OF to build usable language skills. Does backwash have a positive or negative effect? It depends!! Does backwash have a positive or negative effect? It depends!! You show students what you value by what you do… comments, actions, & especially grades.

Example from Observations I often see teachers correct students’ grammar. This is okay, ONLY if the activity is about practicing grammar. Not if the activity is speaking practice or sharing ideas. How was your weekend? What did you do? Do you really want to know? Or are you practicing past tense? Do the students know which one you are evaluating?

The Purposes and Effects of Evaluation pages – Ensuring Positive Backwash 1. Test what you want the students to know (If you practice it in class, evaluate performance by testing.) 2. Ensure that students know how they will be evaluated. Explain the design of the test. No surprises! Give similar, in-class practice, homework, and quizzes. 3. Use direct testing methods Students do what they would do in real life – ex. Students listen to a talk then write a summary. Students write short answers to comprehension questions. Students write a letter. Indirect testing methods (ex. Discrete skills, True/False, Fill-in- the-blank, Multiple choice, etc.) aren’t bad, but shouldn’t be the only evaluation measures.

Methods of Evaluation pages Tests Disadvantages 1. One test represents months of learning  students cram and get anxious. 2. Indirect measures  negative backwash 3. Tests are a part of school and life, so students need to know how to take them. Suggestions 1. Use direct test items 2. Use an adequate number of indirect items 3. Have someone review your test for mistakes 4. Use quizzes and practice tests 5. Test should be cumulative: test content until the end of the term. You can’t get rid of them, so what can you do?

Methods of Evaluation page 58 – Quizzes Give them regularly and in a predictable way. No pop (=surprise) quizzes! Use the same format as your tests and keep them short. page 58 – Homework and In-class Work Give many assignments rather than just one or two long ones page – Portfolios (Students select their best work from the whole semester and turn it in to you.) Encourages students to assess, revise, and improve their own work.

The Portfolio Students often throw their work away. Portfolios encourage students to keep their work.

Methods of Evaluation pages – Self Assessment Examples Students can check their own work. Students critique their own work. Students submit a tentative grade with a rationale. Example on page 59. Benefits Positive Backwash  Reminds students that their grade often reflects how hard they work Insight: It helps the teacher stay in touch with the students’ feelings. Students have a voice in their grading.

Personal Experience Self-assessment is good in theory, but it has drawbacks. If students are not serious, they give themselves an ‘A’. Often students are too hard on themselves. They can only see negative things and critique too much. Students need training about how to self-assess and critique properly. This training takes too much time.

Grading pages – Class Curve Grading Compares students with their classmates. It is common but unfair because getting a good grade requires the students below you to get bad grades. Alienating to weaker students

Grading pages – Improvement-Based Grading Students are measured individually on how much progress they make. It’s motivating because all students have the same chance to get a good grade. It requires that the teacher give a test at the beginning of the course It’s difficult to see progress in short intervals It’s difficult to see progress at advanced proficiency levels It takes time and effort for the teacher to develop the tests Example and tips on page 62 However… (caution)

Grading page 63 – Recommendations for Grading Have a healthy balance of grading on improvement as well as on ability Let students know how they will be graded. Communicate clearly and regularly Be consistent

Personal Recommendation Ability & Knowledge Balance Improvement Effort

Discussion Questions What are the advantages and disadvantages of evaluations in your context? How can you evaluate your students and provide feedback to them in the classroom to create positive backwash?