Assessing speaking in the classroom

1. Assessing speaking in the classroom Lynn Mallory November 17, 2014

2. Warm up • Complete the following sentences on your paper. • The purpose of testing is ____________ • Tests help students _____________ • A good speaking test should __________

3. Sharing (Musical papers) • As the music plays, pass your paper to the right. • When the music stops, please read the paper you are holding. Make at least one comment about what the person has written. • Repeat when the music begins.

4. Learning objectives • SWBAT state their opinions about the importance and role of tests in their classroom. • SWBAT explain what a rubric is and practice making test rubrics. • Design a “retelling” speaking test AND a level placement test.

5. What does speaking consist of? Fluency Vocabulary Pronunciation What should we assess? Listening skills / Comp. Grammar

6. Classroom based tests should… • Be non–threatening • Be focused on “real situations” and the process of learning. • Provide big picture. • Emphasize thinking skills. • provide information for teachers, students, and parents.

7. THE GOLDEN RULE! Test what the student CAN do NOT What the student can’t!

8. Partner work • With your partner, make a list of as many types of speaking activities as you can. http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/244/4/f/brainstorm_time_by_vibafleischer-d6kojal.jpg

9. YOUR TESTS SHOULD MATCH YOUR ACTIVITIES! Why?

10. Types of speaking assessments • Individual • interview • presentation • retelling • Paired interaction • role play • question/answer format • Group project • presentation • problem solving task

11. Advantages and disadvantages of an interview + tester’s control over interaction + opportunity for an examinee to show the range of their speaking skills - it is costly in terms of tester’s time - interviewer’s power over an examinee

12. Advantages and disadvantages of paired formats • + Test-takers have more control over the interaction • + Student produce much richer and more varied language • + Less anxiety from test-takers • + Practical: time-efficient • Cannot control the how students affect each other • Must make specific grading criteria Adapted from:

13. Advantages and disadvantages of group formats + Well-received by learners (fun) + Support peer learning - Difficult to administer and manage (size of the groups and mixture of learners’ abilities) • Difficult to monitor the progress Adapted from:

14. How can I choose? Ask yourself… • What do I want to find out if my students can do? (objectives) • How have I been teaching this concept? (classroom activities) • How much time do I have? (constraints) • What type of data do I want to gather? (feedback) This information will affect the type of activity and how you grade it.

15. Group work • At your table, have one person choose a slip of paper from the cup. • Read the situation out loud to the group. • Each person in the group should ask one of the “choosing” questions. If the information is not provided on the paper, then you should decide on the answer as a group. • Make a plan for how this teacher can assess her students. • If you have time, repeat the process.

16. Homework • Take one of the lesson plans you have made and design an assessment for one of the speaking objectives. • BE READY TO SHARE YOUR IDEA TOMORROW!

17. DAY TWO

18. Warm-up • Share the assessment you planned with your partner. • Partners should ask you the questions. • Switch roles. Questions to ask 1. What do you want to find out if your students can do? (objectives) 2. How have you been teaching this concept? (classroom activities) 3. How much time do you have? (constraints) 4. What type of data do you want to gather? (feedback)

19. Review – Thumbs up/down • Assessments should make students afraid. • Students should be allowed to practice for speaking assessments. • Assessment can be formal or informal. • Partner work can never be an assessment. • Tests should show how much the student doesn’t know about a subject. • Assessments should match your classroom activities.

20. Classroom based tests should… • Be non–threatening • Be focused on “real situations” and the process of learning. • Provide big picture. • Emphasize thinking skills. • provide information for teachers, students, and parents.

21. Basics 1 – Making a rubric What is a rubric? "a scoring tool that lists the criteria for a piece of work or 'what counts.' " -- Heidi Goodrich 2-3

22. Rubric parts • Criteria – What you are grading • Descriptors -- The definition of each level Descriptors

23. Writing good descriptors • Ask yourself • What is excellent for that criteria? • What specific vocabulary or structures do I want to hear? How many times? Criteria Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 Uses prepositions of place correctly Uses two prepositions in their description Uses only one preposition in their description or incorrectly uses prepositions Uses three or more prepositions in their description Does not use any prepositions correctly in their description Complete sentences

24. Fill in the rubric with descriptors Fluency Well Developed Limited some good unclear Parts clear Mostly clear Very clear Pronunciation Vocabulary limited adequate sound extensive Effort poor fair Good excellent

25. Assessing through an Interview • Students know the questions and have practiced. • Design the rubric. • Select 4 questions to ask a student. • Score the student based on their response.

26. Oral Assessment using retelling Retelling is a powerful way to fully assess a student’s ability to produce language. It shows with validity that a student understands the language used and most importantly, can use it. ______________________________________ • List the main ideas of the story. • Design a rubric or storytelling checklist. • Ask the student(s) to retell the story. • Check all ideas that the student successfully retells/relates. • Total the score.

27. Checklist Score

28. Oral Assessment using “sequencing” – HOW TO……. Explaining “how to” do something is an excellent way to assess student speaking ability. ________________________________ • List the main steps. Teach / practice. • Design a checklist. • Ask the student(s) to explain “how to...” • Check all steps that the student successfully retells/relates. • Total the score. 4

29. Checklist

30. Beware of “narrow” testing

31. Be Careful! • Assure all students understand the criteria of assessment (the rubric) • Did you teach enough, the required content? Pre Test • Check for “Silent Period” • Provide a proper environment / warm up. • Test what you taught! During Testing • Give students specific feedback • allow for a retake. Praise! After Testing Flood & Lapp, 1992

32. ddeubel@gmail.comhttp://eflclassroom.ning.com “one teaches, two learn.”

33. Business/Homework • Put your action plan in place this week! • Begin putting your portfolio together. • You will need 3 lesson plans • Revised action plan • Data (chart, or scores, or checklist) • Results (2 paragraphs explaining what happened) • Reflection/plan for future action • Schedule a time for Udval and Lynn to visit your classroom.