Assessment or Self-assessment?

• The latest trends in education

• The CEF suggestions

Helen Keller, who overcame blindness and deafness to become a leading social activist in the early 20th century, wrote:

I am only one, but still I am one.

I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.

And, because I cannot do every-thing,

I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

Development of Projects

Assessment or Self-assessment

Product Process On going action/research

Can your students assess themselves in language learning?

We can use self-assessment practices to help the learner become more aware of what he or she needs to learn.

We assume more responsibility.

This way students develop life-long learning skills.

Feeling self-reliant is a motivating force for learning.

Self-assessment helps the students how to use different strategies to learn more effectively.

• set class goals

• set group goals

• set individual goals

Self-assessment Peer assessment

Both help progress management.

How can students assess themselves?

• (descriptive) in L1 at first

• The use of L1 plurilingualism

multilingualism ► (mediation)

Students need to be gradually and gently trained to be lifelong language learners.

Assessment is no longer regarded just as a means of measuring the results (products) but should also act as an aid to the learning process.

It is necessary to assess not only the productsbut also the learning process. It helps learners

to learn how to learn.

How can students become involved in self-assessmentof their written work?

1 At the end of 1st term ask your students to arrange all the pieces of writing (they keep in a binder) from most to least effective.

2 Write on a separate piece of paper

answers to questions such as:

• What makes your most effective pieces different from your least effective?

• How did you manage it?

• What goals did you set for yourself?

• What are your goals for future writing?

3 Did you expect your teacher’s mark or comments?

4 What mark would you give to yourself?

5 What does your peer think?

What are your students’ strengths and weaknesses while learning English as the target language?

The handout-questionnaire may help both you and your students.

Use a SUGGESTION BOX

• Your students’ suggestions may help you evaluate your own work or yourself.

PEER TUTORING COOPERATIVE LEARNING

Students will learn important life skills by working together and collaborating their ideas.

(see Teacher’s Guides of the HILLSIDE PRESS coursebooks)