ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT OFOF

INTERCULTURAL INTERCULTURAL LEARNINGLEARNING

A personal view from a A personal view from a Research Project participantResearch Project participant

AFMLTA Conference, Sydney, July 2009AFMLTA Conference, Sydney, July 2009

ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT OFOF

INTERCULTURAL INTERCULTURAL LEARNINGLEARNING

Research Centre for Languages & Cultures Research Centre for Languages & Cultures at UniSAat UniSA Eight to ten teachers from primary and Eight to ten teachers from primary and secondary schools from across sectorssecondary schools from across sectors Chinese, Italian, French, Spanish, ESLChinese, Italian, French, Spanish, ESL

WHAT IS THE WHAT IS THE “INTERCULTURAL”?“INTERCULTURAL”?

Developing awareness and understanding of:Developing awareness and understanding of: Linguistic & cultural diversityLinguistic & cultural diversity Oneself as a language user & cultural beingOneself as a language user & cultural being How language & culture affect communication & How language & culture affect communication &

relationshipsrelationships Our behaviour & attitudes Our behaviour & attitudes

Acting and interacting based on:Acting and interacting based on: Awareness, diversity, engagement, a capacity to Awareness, diversity, engagement, a capacity to

learn, multiple interpretations, reciprocitylearn, multiple interpretations, reciprocity

An ethical issueAn ethical issue

Assessing Intercultural Assessing Intercultural UnderstandingUnderstanding

What is important for our students to What is important for our students to learn/know/understand?learn/know/understand?

How can the intercultural matter for our students How can the intercultural matter for our students in the classroom?in the classroom?

What are we assessing?What are we assessing? What do we see as the evidence of intercultural What do we see as the evidence of intercultural

understanding?understanding? How do we know that what we are assessing is How do we know that what we are assessing is

valid?valid?

A divergence of viewsA divergence of views

Impossible to assess: deals with growth, Impossible to assess: deals with growth, socio-cultural development, state of beingsocio-cultural development, state of being

Possible to assess: reasonable to take a Possible to assess: reasonable to take a snapshot along a continuum, albeit an snapshot along a continuum, albeit an unpredictable oneunpredictable one

Curriculum statements increasingly Curriculum statements increasingly include a notion of the intercultural but its include a notion of the intercultural but its assessment is not always clearassessment is not always clear

La CantineLa Cantine

The purpose of assessment is for students The purpose of assessment is for students to recogniseto recognise

That there is not one way to have lunch That there is not one way to have lunch andand

that ‘lunchtime’ means different things to that ‘lunchtime’ means different things to different people.different people.

InteractionsInteractions

An initial discussion in English about their understanding An initial discussion in English about their understanding of what is a canteen, comparing experiences from Glen of what is a canteen, comparing experiences from Glen Osmond and other schools within Australia and Osmond and other schools within Australia and overseas.overseas.

Written task in English responding to: Describe how you Written task in English responding to: Describe how you imagine imagine la cantinela cantine in a French school to be. in a French school to be.

Spoken responses in French of meal preferences in a Spoken responses in French of meal preferences in a French French cantine.cantine.

Written examples in French of meal preferences taken Written examples in French of meal preferences taken from a French school menufrom a French school menu

Written self reflections about lunchtime in France and Written self reflections about lunchtime in France and Glen Osmond, after working with several French texts.Glen Osmond, after working with several French texts.

Interactions continuedInteractions continued

Written reflections to following questions:Written reflections to following questions:

1.1. Imagine you are going to spend a week or so with a Imagine you are going to spend a week or so with a family in France. You will be going to school with family in France. You will be going to school with them. What will it be like at lunchtime?them. What will it be like at lunchtime?

2.2. A French student is visiting Glen Osmond for a short A French student is visiting Glen Osmond for a short time and will be with your class. What do you need to time and will be with your class. What do you need to tell them about lunchtime in your school in order for tell them about lunchtime in your school in order for them to feel comfortable?them to feel comfortable?

3.3. Where would you prefer to spend your lunchtime? Where would you prefer to spend your lunchtime? Explain your reasons.Explain your reasons.

Youth Culture: Youth Culture: Pari-Roller EventPari-Roller Event

The purpose of the assessment is three-fold:The purpose of the assessment is three-fold: To assess the students’ writing ability as a To assess the students’ writing ability as a

response to a written text (a SACE required response to a written text (a SACE required task).task).

To assess the student’s understanding of the To assess the student’s understanding of the cultural context of the text to which s/he must cultural context of the text to which s/he must respond.respond.

To assess the student’s appreciation of their To assess the student’s appreciation of their own cultural perspective in writing the response. own cultural perspective in writing the response.

Re-evaluating the interculturalRe-evaluating the intercultural

Going beyond cultural comparisonsGoing beyond cultural comparisons Interpreting similarities & differencesInterpreting similarities & differences Discussions in English more prevalentDiscussions in English more prevalent Traditional ways of assessment not Traditional ways of assessment not

adequateadequate A move towards considering “data points”A move towards considering “data points”

DATA POINTSDATA POINTS

The trouble is that sometimes you get an insight The trouble is that sometimes you get an insight from a student through spontaneous and from a student through spontaneous and unplanned conversation. It is difficult to formally unplanned conversation. It is difficult to formally call that a data point for collecting evidence, at call that a data point for collecting evidence, at least, at a practical level in the classroom, even least, at a practical level in the classroom, even though, in a sense, it is actually a data point at though, in a sense, it is actually a data point at which some “evidence” emerges. Perhaps “data which some “evidence” emerges. Perhaps “data points” are those moments students believe they points” are those moments students believe they have gained some insight, whether planned or have gained some insight, whether planned or unplanned. How to practically capture them is unplanned. How to practically capture them is the challenge.the challenge.

SUMMARY: SUMMARY: the experience of identifying data pointsthe experience of identifying data points

Some activities simply elicited points of Some activities simply elicited points of comprehension of cultural material rather comprehension of cultural material rather than demonstrating an “intercultural” than demonstrating an “intercultural” positioning.positioning.

TYPES OF ASSESSMENTTYPES OF ASSESSMENT

Inherent assessmentsInherent assessments

informal, perhaps non-verbalinformal, perhaps non-verbal

Discursive assessmentsDiscursive assessments social group discussions, evaluativesocial group discussions, evaluative

Documentary assessmentsDocumentary assessments evaluation for a schemeevaluation for a scheme

FOCUS FOR SECOND ROUNDFOCUS FOR SECOND ROUND

““We are moving from an educational practice of We are moving from an educational practice of assessment where we have defined a priori what assessment where we have defined a priori what we are looking for, to an educational practice we are looking for, to an educational practice where we formulate representations to better where we formulate representations to better understand and transform the world around us. understand and transform the world around us. If our purpose is to understand and support If our purpose is to understand and support learning and knowing and to make inferences learning and knowing and to make inferences about these phenomena, then it seems that the about these phenomena, then it seems that the ideas of inquiry – open, critical, dialogic – rather ideas of inquiry – open, critical, dialogic – rather than assessment (as is currently understood) than assessment (as is currently understood) would be more helpful.” would be more helpful.”

Delandshere 2002Delandshere 2002

Assessing Intercultural Assessing Intercultural UnderstandingUnderstanding

How do we move from the cultural to the How do we move from the cultural to the intercultural?intercultural?

What exactly do we want students to learn? What exactly do we want students to learn? What language is needed to do so?What language is needed to do so?

Why is it important?Why is it important? What data or evidence captures the learning?What data or evidence captures the learning? What are the questions we need to ask students What are the questions we need to ask students

to progress to the intercultural?to progress to the intercultural? What processes will we use to gather this? How What processes will we use to gather this? How

can we connect the “data” points?can we connect the “data” points?

FOCUS FOR SECOND ROUNDFOCUS FOR SECOND ROUND

More on new ways of understanding More on new ways of understanding assessment rather than adapting existing tasksassessment rather than adapting existing tasks

More on the process of thinking than the end More on the process of thinking than the end productproduct

More on the key questions and what we are More on the key questions and what we are trying to elicittrying to elicit

More on the evidence for cultural positioningMore on the evidence for cultural positioning More on the real rather than the imaginedMore on the real rather than the imagined

FOCUS FOR SECOND ROUNDFOCUS FOR SECOND ROUND

More on the intercultural capabilities than the More on the intercultural capabilities than the content – a de-centred approachcontent – a de-centred approach

More on the development of individual studentsMore on the development of individual students More on the relationship between language & More on the relationship between language &

culture rather than on either language or cultureculture rather than on either language or culture More on the data points than the assessment More on the data points than the assessment

taskstasks

FOCUS FOR SECOND ROUNDFOCUS FOR SECOND ROUND

MalesMales FemalesFemales

1 in year 101 in year 10 3 in year 103 in year 10

10 in year 1110 in year 11 13 in year 1113 in year 11

Of which:Of which:

6 African (6 African (Congo, Burundi)Congo, Burundi)

1 German1 German

1 Laotian/French1 Laotian/French

1 French1 French

2 Anglo-Australians2 Anglo-Australians

Of which:Of which:

2 African 2 African (Congo, Kenya)(Congo, Kenya)

3 German3 German

7 Anglo-Australian 7 Anglo-Australian school-agedschool-aged

4 Anglo-Australian 4 Anglo-Australian adultsadults

MULTICULTURALISMMULTICULTURALISMto see one’s own culture and that of to see one’s own culture and that of

the other in a different lightthe other in a different light Journal writing (French & English)Journal writing (French & English) Audio recordings of interactions (French & Audio recordings of interactions (French &

English)English) Oral reports in FrenchOral reports in French Comprehension exercises (French & English Comprehension exercises (French & English

responses)responses) The required vocabulary building & grammar The required vocabulary building & grammar

workwork A final written task in French symbolising the A final written task in French symbolising the

cumulative end-pointcumulative end-point

ACTIVITY - REFLECTIONS ON ACTIVITY - REFLECTIONS ON THE WORD “CULTURE”THE WORD “CULTURE”

1. Quel est le peuple dont vous vous sentez le plus proche? 1. Quel est le peuple dont vous vous sentez le plus proche? PPourquoi?ourquoi?

What people/population/tribe/country do you feel closest to? What people/population/tribe/country do you feel closest to? Why?Why?

2. Comment décririez-vous vos compatriots? (qualities et défauts)2. Comment décririez-vous vos compatriots? (qualities et défauts) How would you describe your compatriots? (qualities and faults)How would you describe your compatriots? (qualities and faults) 3. Quels sont les symbols de votre pays?3. Quels sont les symbols de votre pays? What are the symbols of your country?What are the symbols of your country? 4. Quels sont les particularités de votre langue?4. Quels sont les particularités de votre langue? What are the characteristics of your language?What are the characteristics of your language? 5. Qu’est-ce qui pourrait choquer un étranger?5. Qu’est-ce qui pourrait choquer un étranger? What could shock a foreigner (in your country)?What could shock a foreigner (in your country)? 6. Comment se passe un marriage traditionnel chez vous?6. Comment se passe un marriage traditionnel chez vous? Describe a traditional wedding in your country.Describe a traditional wedding in your country.

ACTIVITY - Comic strips on ACTIVITY - Comic strips on racism & prejudiceracism & prejudice

ACTIVITYACTIVITY

Vocabulary building related to Vocabulary building related to multiculturalism multiculturalism

Structures, emotions, writing advice to Structures, emotions, writing advice to someone caught between two culturessomeone caught between two cultures

History of migration in Australia & FranceHistory of migration in Australia & France Police harassment of French youthPolice harassment of French youth

Laïcité and the wearing of “ostentatious” religious Laïcité and the wearing of “ostentatious” religious symbols in French schoolssymbols in French schools

ACTIVITIESACTIVITIES

An oral response in French on “Do you An oral response in French on “Do you think Australia is multicultural?”think Australia is multicultural?”

Journal writing in French and/or English Journal writing in French and/or English summarising what they had gained from summarising what they had gained from the lessonsthe lessons

Extension work for some responding to Extension work for some responding to article on girl from Cameroon in France article on girl from Cameroon in France lamenting her black skinlamenting her black skin

Writing assessmentWriting assessment

Interpret these pictures and your responses to themInterpret these pictures and your responses to them

EVIDENCE OF ENGAGEMENTEVIDENCE OF ENGAGEMENT

Whole class engagedWhole class engaged Appreciation of the topicAppreciation of the topic African students participated less publiclyAfrican students participated less publicly Australian girls participated most publiclyAustralian girls participated most publicly African & German students thought African & German students thought

Australia was multiculturalAustralia was multicultural Australian students, esp. adults, less soAustralian students, esp. adults, less so

EVIDENCE OF LEARNINGEVIDENCE OF LEARNING

Language development, better ability in Language development, better ability in articulating viewsarticulating views

Year 10 student stated topic an eye Year 10 student stated topic an eye opener, changed behaviour and attitudeopener, changed behaviour and attitude

Yr 11 girl stated she changed her view of Yr 11 girl stated she changed her view of Australians, more multicultural than she Australians, more multicultural than she thoughtthought

African girl stated she re-appraised her African girl stated she re-appraised her own culture and appreciated it moreown culture and appreciated it more

EVIDENCE OF LEARNINGEVIDENCE OF LEARNING

While most other students could articulate While most other students could articulate an opinion about the other culture, e.g. an opinion about the other culture, e.g. wearing the scarf, the concept of laïcité, wearing the scarf, the concept of laïcité, few articulated the reasons for their own few articulated the reasons for their own cultural viewpointcultural viewpoint

The unknown is the internal changes, if The unknown is the internal changes, if any, of students - the greater appreciation any, of students - the greater appreciation of language related to cultureof language related to culture

Assessment of the InterculturalAssessment of the Intercultural

Can the intercultural be easily accounted Can the intercultural be easily accounted for in a summative assessment task?for in a summative assessment task?

Being articulate versus having an insight.Being articulate versus having an insight. Explicitly teaching the intercultural.Explicitly teaching the intercultural. Intercultural teaching not a recipe.Intercultural teaching not a recipe. The art of asking the right questions.The art of asking the right questions.