Enhance Your Curriculum with Performance Based Assessments! Amy Ficarello - Amy Ficarello -

At the end of this session, you will... be able to incorporate performance-based assessments into your existing curriculum understand how performance-based assessments can lead to better student involvement and motivation

What is your goal for your students? be confident in their language abilities

What did you teach yesterday?

The “Traditional” Language Classroom (in the past - P21 Map) Teacher-Centered Class Students learn about the language (grammar) Emphasis on teacher as presenter/lecturer Testing to find out what students don’t know

The “Traditional” Classroom Period Student Engagement Teacher- Centered Bell-Ringer Homework Vocab/Grammar/Culture Explanation Activities Assign Homework

Traditional Classroom Assessments Vocabulary & Grammar Quizzes requiring mostly fill-in-the-blank or short answers Chapter Tests which may include a listening and/or reading section that is multiple choice, along wiht a writing prompt that gives students the specific phrases they must use in English Once in a while, a Speaking Test where students talk to the teacher and know questions ahead of time Role-Plays that are written out and sometimes memorized, to be performed in front of the class for kicks Homework points for completion, making up more than 10% of the overall grade Daily “Participation” Points

What does this lead to? “Why don’t my students get double object pronouns?”

What did you teach yesterday?

The Performance-Based Classroom Learner-Centered with teacher as facilitator Students learn to use the language Focus on three modes: interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational Assessing to find out what students can do

The “Performance-Based” Classroom Period Student Engagement Teacher- Centered Bell-Ringer Speaking Reflection Introduction/Review of a Function Skills Practice Discuss previous day’s homework, if time permits, assign homework

Performance-Based Classroom Assessments Quizzes requiring skills, perhaps along with vocabulary/grammar checks Chapter Tests which include all four skills/modes weighed equally An Interpersonal Speaking Assessment A Presentational Speaking Assessment Writing that is an authentic task, such as an Practice is weighed no more than 10% of the overall grade

Yeah, but... They need to know... My students can’t do that... That’s going to be too much work. I don’t know how. Negativity out! You can and you will!

Step One What do you want students to be able to do? ✓ Speak... ✓ Look at your Textbook Chapter Objectives! ✴ I can describe family members. ✴ I can describe past events.

Step Two What are you currently testing?

Step Two Assess current materials. How may quizzes are available already & what do they assess? What do the Chapter Tests look like - are they skills-based? Are the speaking and writing assessments real-life tasks?

Step Three Change the assessments! Formative Assessments * How often are you checking & practicing skills? Summative Assessments * Are they testing grammar and vocabulary knowledge?

Example Quizzes ‣ Listening Quizzes  3 per Chapter  5 points each  Questions are in English Usually on Thursdays

Sample Listening Quiz

Example Quizzes ‣ Reading Quizzes  3 per Chapter  5 points each  Questions are in English Usually on Wednesdays  Use authentic texts when possible

Example Quizzes ‣ Vocabulary/Grammar Quizzes  2 per Chapter  points each  Pick out most important words/concepts Usually on Fridays

Example Quizzes ‣ Writing Quizzes  2 per Chapter  8 points each  Make it a real-life task, such as an Usually on Fridays

Interpersonal Speaking ‣ Give a real-life situation  meeting a new person  conversing with a friend  if it is a restaurant, you should play the waiter! Usually on Thursdays

Interpersonal Speaking Usually on Thursdays ‣ Students do not write anything down ‣ Assign students randomly ‣ Practice with multiple partners/roles ‣ Have them record while class does something else

Presentational Speaking ‣ Give a real-life situation  giving a presentation  recording a message  making a podcast for an L2 school Usually on day of Chapter test

Chapter Tests ‣ Include only the FOUR skills  NO grammar/vocabulary blanks/short answers  embed culture or do a cultural reflection  weigh everything equally

Listening & Reading Portions ‣ Questions should be in English  Try to refrain from all multiple choice  try to use Realia  Usually 2-3 sections each

Writing Portion ‣ Usually 1 prompt  may give students a choice from 2 prompts  always put them in the situation - You are...

Can you - incorporate performance-based assessments into your unit plan? use these assessments to give students confidence?