FInal Paper- Assessment Plan

Purpose and Learning Outcomes:

My assessment plan is designed for grade 6 English Language classes in South Korea with varying levels of English ability. The classes are roughly 35 students in size and are held three times a week in 40-minute periods. Each unit is two weeks (or six periods). I would like to develop an effective assessment plan that could easily be translated to all units that I must teach in accordance with the textbook that I must use. Much of the content in my lessons is pre-determined due to having to use the textbooks; I have some liberty with making additions to content, but removing textbook content is generally frowned upon. The purpose of this assessment plan is to be able to effectively measure the learning and progress of my students' English ability in writing, reading, speaking, and listening.

The purpose brings me to the expected learning outcomes, of which there are four.

1.) Students will be able to listen to target language and demonstrate understanding.

2.) Students will be able to effectively communicate via speaking using target language.

3.) Students will be able to read out loud and demonstrate understanding of target language.

4.) Students will be able to show target language mastery through writing.

These four learning outcomes are easily transferable to all of my units throughout the year... though the methods of achieving these outcomes does not have to remain the same, and in my opinion should not remain the same. You could easily create different assessments for each learning outcome, though you could effectively combine several learning outcomes into the same assessment.

Assessment Context:

A performance based assessment at the conclusion of a unit would do a thorough job of displaying all of the learning outcomes that I desire for my students. I would like to have several different options for the students to choose from that would satisfy all of the learning outcomes.

-Option 1: Students make a poster/ppt based on target language from the unit. They must present the poster to the class and respond to questions regarding the poster/target language.

-Option 2: Students write a role-play based on target language and act out in front of class.

-Option 3: Students create a comic or mini-book based on target language and present to class.

-Option 4: Students create own idea involving target language and after verifying with teacher that the idea is suitable will complete and present to class.

Holistic Rubric:

Speaking Rubric

Testing Constraints:

-The classes are large and the periods are short, so any presentations would have pretty short time constraints, 1-2 minutes each. I work with a coteacher, so if we split the class in two and each only see half the presenters we could double the presentation time, definitely an option.

-I would want at least two rubrics to use in grading... maybe even 1 rubric for each of the learning outcomes- so, four total.

-In South Korea there is no grade for English class in Elementary school. Sometimes it feels like a Whose Line show where "the points don't matter". So establishing effective grading is all the more difficult if the students know that it won't be reflected on their report card. So, getting students to complete their projects outside of class time could be a bit of a challenge if they've got work in other "more important" classes.

Rationale for Test Items

I chose to have examples of four different test items based on some of my learning outcomes. The four items will test the students on listening, speaking, writing, and the culmination of all in the form of a written essay which is to be recited in front of the class/teacher.
South Korean standardized tests for Elementary school English do not test speaking; merely writing, reading and listening. This is pretty counter-intuitive considering the largest complaint about Korean students' English ability is their inability to actually speak English. Most Koreans can read English and listen with basic understanding. The difficulties come with writing and speaking. They have been taught in the past to be recievers of language but not producers. It makes sense to me that this would be the case considering how language is taught and assessed here; also considering the ability of the average Korean English teacher- perhaps this is generalizing a bit... but Korean English teachers, being educated in a system that doesn't teach production, are ill-equpped to effectively teach production. Hence the existence of native speakers teaching in Korea.
I would administer these assessments during the unit and assign the essay as a take home test after all other assessments are complete. The essays would be presented during the final day of the unit.
It's important to have multiple types of assessments, rather than just a 100 question multiple choice test. By having multiple assessments you can get a better understanding of what your students know, what they struggle with, and where you can help them more.
My assessments include multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, oration, and essay writing.

References

Borich, Gary; Kubiszyn, Tom. (2010) Educational Testing and Measurement: Classroom Application and Practice, USA: 9th Edition. John Wiley & Sons