Portfolios

Why use portfolios? To encourage students to be reflective and responsible To allow students to make choices To give students evidence of their writing To provide a larger sample for grading and assessment To save time at the end of the semester To contribute to program assessment and teaching portfolios

NCTE supports portfolios In 1997 the National Council of Teachers of English issued a statement supporting the use of writing portfolios (The Council Chronicle, June 1997).

Some types of portfolios A writing folder includes everything from doodles to final drafts. A presentation or final portfolio contains finished and polished work. An open portfolio allows the students to choose their submissions. A closed portfolio gives the students guidance in what to submit.

How are portfolios evaluated? A committee of teachers (including the course instructor) makes a pass/fail decision; the instructor assigns the grade. The instructor grades the portfolio. The instructor grades only the student’s reflective essay, which uses the portfolio for evidence.

How can I use portfolios this semester? Open or closed, a low-stakes evidence portfolio with a reflective letter can 1. encourage student responsibility, 2. reinforce methods of argumentation, 3. give you a better idea of student abilities and improvement, and 4. give you a chance to assign ungraded writing.

Portfolios can reward revision A writing folder, or a combination portfolio which includes some earlier drafts as well as finished products, will help prevent academic dishonesty and will encourage revision. You can allow students to revise papers for the portfolio without giving them new grades on the papers.

What do I tell the students? First of all, give them a chance to prepare: tell them at the start, and put it on the syllabus. Prepare for common questions, which may come later. Give guidelines, as with any other assignment. Encourage students to keep copies (or submit electronically).

How do I start a teaching portfolio? Teaching portfolios can be used to support an application for a new job or a promotion, to “practice what we preach,” or to improve one’s teaching. You might include a syllabus, handouts, and assignment sheets for each class taught, letters of recommendation written for students, thank-you notes from students.