Unpacking the Communication Standard: Designing Performance Assessment Dr. Jennifer Eddy

1. Unpacking the Communication Standard: Designing Performance AssessmentDr. Jennifer Eddy Jennifer Eddy (2008)

2. Using a language appropriately in any given culture requires high adaptability, tolerance of new situations, dealing with incomplete information, and problem-solving without cues. • Assessment that most closely meets these criteria will be the best evidence of understanding and true performance. Jennifer Eddy (2006)

3. Transfer—What is it? • The ability to use of knowledge and skills in a different context, setting, or situation from how it was originally learned on one’s own, with few to no cues or supports. • The more complexities or variables the task contains, the more it demonstrates transfer and true understanding. • Thoughtful use of a repertoire, as opposed to just cued, simple plug-in or rote response. Jennifer Eddy (2006)

4. Consider what happens anytime we communicate: • Interactions are non-scripted. • Information has gaps. • Materials are not filtered, arranged cleanly or adapted. • We sift through anything we hear or see to get precisely what we need to solve a problem or create a product. Jennifer Eddy (2006)

5. Transfer • Without transfer tasks, the learner will not be able to develop the flexibility required when faced with unexpected situations they will encounter in the target culture. • Transfer is the hallmark of a well designed performance task in a language class. Jennifer Eddy (2006)

6. Turnarounds for Transfer • Travel • Objective: To know the tourist sites in ________. • Task: Matching column to test locations of tourist sites Jennifer Eddy (2006)

7. Communication • The Communication Standard determines assessment and provides true evidence of learner performance. • The three modes of this Standard are the “moves for the game.” • Integrated Performance Assessment cycle and feedback make assessment for instruction a seamless process Jennifer Eddy (2006)

8. Performance Assessment in the Three Modes Our Communication Standard Interpretive Mode Tasks React to info, infer Interpersonal Mode Tasks Acquire new info, negotiate Presentational Mode Tasks Create a product, recreate text Jennifer Eddy (2006)

9. Interpretive Mode • Comprehension of words, concepts, ideas, meaning of entire piece • Must be motivated by a culturally authentic piece they hear, view, listen to or read. • Text, poem, film, work of art, song, poem, advertisement, music video, book • Translation is not an Interpretive mode task. Jennifer Eddy (2006)

10. Announcements Recorded messages Music Film and Theatre Signs Schedules Maps Cartoons Podcasts Instructions TV variety shows Game shows Soap operas Youth-oriented TV shows Newspapers Catalogs Short stories Internet sites Blogs Recipes Letters/email Magazines Poetry Conversations Debates TV public service announcements Radio commercials, announcements, weather Satellite radio (XM) What is it? Jennifer Eddy (2006)

11. Where to find it • Reputable Web sites • Examples: online shopping advertisements or websites, advertisements, metro maps, bus/train schedules, online museums, menus real estate ads, school websites • Publications • Films • Photographs and drawings • Songs or Music • Visual or Performing Art • Radio and Television • Authentic menus, maps, advertisements • Schedules, receipts, forms, posters, brochures Jennifer Eddy (2006)

12. Sample Interpretive tasks • listen with visuals • fill in graphs, charts, forms, graphic organizers • follow a route on a map • check-off items in a list • draw what is described • put sentences in correct order • listen for the gist—identify main idea • guess meaning from context • identify/categorize/classify thematic vocabulary • identify/categorize/classify authentic material • create questions from info in the piece • identify specific information found in the piece • compose a title or headline • paraphrase in native language/target language • brainstorm and categorize synonyms Jennifer Eddy (2006)

13. Interpretive TaskTravel Using the different travel brochures and websites from various towns and cities in ___ , categorize on your chart which towns or cities are the best places to visit for the following: Music Historic Sites Easy transportation Special Events Places great for families Shopping Low cost or free places to go Art or local crafts Jennifer Eddy (2006)

14. Interpersonal Mode • Interpersonal mode tasks are spontaneous exchanges that involve negotiation of meaning between people, unrehearsed, non-scripted. Use information from the interpretive task. • Come with information the other learner does not have, creating an info gap to provide and obtain information • Memorized, or scripted dialogue readings are not Interpersonal Mode tasks. Jennifer Eddy (2006)

15. Meeting and Greeting Making a purchase Ordering in a restaurant Obtaining directions Face to face or telephone conversations Transactions Debates Discussing events of the day Making plans Negotiating who does what, gets what, with who, how, and where Sample Interpersonal Tasks Jennifer Eddy (2006)

16. Interpersonal TaskTravel • Using the chart, tell your partner the towns or cities you would like or not like to visit, based on the information from the categories. Jennifer Eddy (2006)

17. Presentational Tasksmust involve Transfer The best tasks or activities are those that transfer or transpose knowledge to a new and different context from that in which it was initially learned. These tasks require learners to solve problems, create a new product, use the content for a real world purpose other than display for the teacher or classroom. Presentational mode tasks allow learners time to rehearse, revise, rewrite, consult sources, or otherwise prepare ahead of time. Jennifer Eddy (2006)

18. Sample Presentational tasks • Perform a step-by-step activity • Brochure or Itinerary • Design oral/video presentation • Letter • Web pages (Mock facebook or my space page) • Advertisement • Agenda, Schedule or Plan of the day, week • New beginning or ending of story, song • Visuals based on topic or text • Solve a problem • Demonstration • TV or Radio spot • Design a survey and present findings • Public Service Announcement or Infomercial • Essays, Plays • Poem, Song, Rap • Storyboard Jennifer Eddy (2006)

19. Turnarounds for Transfer • Objective: To know the tourist sites in ______. • Task: Matching column to test locations of tourist sites Turnaround: • Where people choose to travel depends a lot on their interests and needs. Jennifer Eddy (2006)

20. Presentational TaskTurnaround for Transfer • You are a travel agent specializing in travel to _____. Your clients are all different. Create an itinerary suited for each group, keeping in mind the possible interests and needs of the client. • 1. A family of 5 with young children. • 2. A businessperson who is a history buff. • 3. Three college students with a limited budget. • 4. Grandparents who love small towns, local crafts, and music. Jennifer Eddy (2006)

21. The Make-over of the Misnamed Mode • Are these performance-based? • Do they follow the Modes? • Is this really an interpersonal task? • Does this presentational mode task really demonstrate Transfer? Jennifer Eddy (2008)

22. Waiter, there’s a __ in my soup • “My students write dialogues between them and the “Waiter” in the restaurant, and design their own menus. They made the menus based on samples from an internet site. Then they perform the dialogues they memorized. Isn’t this an Interpersonal task?” Jennifer Eddy (2008)

23. It’s a riot to diet • “The students listened to a news show about a healthy diet and put the foods in categories of meats, dairy, fruit, veg, and grains. I was thinking this was presentational mode….is it?” Jennifer Eddy (2008)

24. Let’s Go • “Ok, for the interpretive mode task, they listened to the train schedule and wrote down the departure time and track number they needed and what time they would arrive at the destination on their paper. They all had different places to go. • For the interpersonal task, they asked their partner where they were going, when they were going to leave, and something about the place. • For the presentational mode task, they wrote a weekend sightseeing itinerary for their friend that was going to arrive in one week” Jennifer Eddy (2008)

25. Remember… The Communication Standard is The backbone of the assessment system. Interpretive tasks need culturally authentic material. Interpersonal tasks are non-scripted and flow from Interpretive mode information. Presentational tasks need transfer WorldLanguageEd@aol.com Jennifer Eddy (2006)