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Performance Assessment in American Foreign Language Classrooms

Dr. Paula Winke

winke@msu.edu

FLTA Orientation

August 10, 2011

Parlor C, MSU Union

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Testing – Your experiences

What is classroom-based, foreign language testing like in your country?

How do you think it differs here? Or is it the same? (Or is some of it the same?)

Should tests be the carrot or the stick?

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What will your classroom tests be like?

Testing is becoming more important in the United States. However, the culture of testing is probably different in the

United States than what you are used to. – Why?– You may find American students tend to study less for tests (they

cram).– In American foreign language classrooms, quizzes are frequent

(weekly), with midterm and final exams often being mandatory—however, midterms and final exams are not always in-class, timed tests. They can be take-homes, given in parts, or a cumulative portfolio assessment. They are often performance based and integrated.

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What is performance assessment?

Performance assessment is a form of testing that requires students to perform a task rather than select an answer from a ready-made list.

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1/3 What is performance assessment?

Open-ended or extended response exercises are questions or other prompts that require students to explore a topic orally or in writing. Students might be asked to describe their family, discuss what they did over the summer, write about current events, or express their opinion concerning an article they read or a movie they watched.

This is an integrated task, in which they first listen and/or read, and then respond (orally or in writing).

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2/3 What is performance assessment?

Extended tasks are assignments that require sustained attention in a single work area and are carried out over longer periods of time. Such tasks could include drafting, peer-reviewing, and revising a poster or paper; working with peers in creating an advertisement campaign, both written (for a magazine ad) and video-taped (for television), or drafting, over time, a complete resume in the foreign language.

In such work, feedback is essential to the revision process.

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3/3 What is performance assessment?

Portfolios are selected collections of a variety of performance-based work. A portfolio might include a student's best pieces and the student's evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of several pieces. The portfolio may also contain some works in progress that illustrate the improvements the student has made over time.These can be hard copies (on paper) or computer files (stored online), including video clips and audio files.

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Distinctions in performance testing scoring procedures

Norm-referenced test

Criterion-referenced test

By the end of the semester, the students will be able to:

??? These could be based on what is covered in

the textbook. These could be based on proficiency

standards (I want them to become proficient at the A2 level of proficiency).

If you are primarily designing your own materials, what are your aims/goals?

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3 Different types classroom-based performance tests

1. Diagnostic testing– Used to diagnose areas of strength and weakness.

This normally is an informal test given by the teacher. It may be the teacher asking students to write, read out loud, or getting the students to talk so the teacher can see the individuals’ strengths and/or weaknesses.

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3 Different types classroom-based performance tests

2. Achievement testing– Used to measure what students have learned in the

classroom. – These can be quizzes (on Fridays) to measure weekly

learning Written tests in which students are asked to use the new vocabulary. Picture-based, cued production tests (of speaking or writing)

– These can also be written assignments during which certain grammatical achievement/written performance is assessed, with chances for revisions given.

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3 Different types classroom-based performance tests

3. Proficiency testing– Used to measure students’ general proficiency against

proficiency benchmarks (ACTFL, Council of Europe)– Normally a test of foreign language proficiency is given once or

twice a semester– Oral (speaking) tests can be monologic (in the form of an

interview with the teacher) or administered in a group setting (in pairs or in a group of three or four)

– Writing tests can be one-shot writing samples or, more preferably, an essay that students revise. (Points can be awarded for improvement.)

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Test Facts

Tests should help students understand how much they have learned, what they have not yet learned, and where they are going in the learning process.

Tests should have good washback—that is, they should improve the curriculum (the teaching and learning) leading up to the test.

Test Facts

Have tests mimic what you do in the class—performance assessment should not be “new,” that is, only used for testing. The testing format should be one that is repeated throughout the academic year.

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Testing Cycle from Tim McNamara, 2000

Recycle tests-I need a

performance test for a quiz midterm/final!

Understand the constraints

- Test security? Resources? Time limits?

Test content- Materials- What have we done

thus far?- Domain?- Should this be a

revision of an earlier draft?

Test Method- Response format

(written, spoken?)

- What type of rubric needed?

Design grading criteria

Give/assign the test!

Apply grading criteria, evaluate outcomes, see if any items, scoring did not work

Measuring performance

You will need to write out the benchmarks or goals for the test.

Create a rubric for evaluating performance. The rubric may be extended or in parts: On the

first draft you will… on the second draft you will… Give copies of the rubric to the students so they

can see how they will be assessed. Use the rubrics to explain grades.

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Let’s try it out!

Oral performance assessment A rubric that is proficiency based A task that mimic what is often done in class

GET INTO GROUPS OF FIVE! One person will be the assessor, the other

students will be tested.

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What did you think?

Questions?

Thank you! Good luck at your universities! Paula Winke winke@msu.edu

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