Process of designing effective assessment procedures.

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SUMMARY<br />Let me summarize something to take the thrust into this area of assessment:<br />For teachers as for professional language testers, the process of designing effective assessment procedures should begin with careful consideration of what we want to know about students’ abilities and what use they will make of that information.<br />The test is often seen as an object and the people taking the test only react to the test instrument”. <br />In oral production, the people involved are important, not the test.<br />The oral production requires students to define, explain, ask questions, give examples, and answer questions in ways similar to what we may encounter when speaking and listening to English in the real world, require students to speak spontaneously, rather than reciting a prepared speech. <br />Use a rating scale to track oral participation in group activities. <br />Students see through the grading system that it is better to try, make a mistake, and learn from than to avoid.<br />So we can validate risk-taking as students try to communicate their ideas.<br />Evaluation is the process of making judgments on the basis of the information collected relative to the learning objectives. Assessment is the process of gathering the information to make the judgments for evaluation. <br />Grading involves assigning a mark as a means of assigning the judgment. <br />Examination Criteria Explained<br />Evaluation should be conducted when students engage in their prepared conversations. Revision of the instructor's evaluation can be conducted, if necessary, during the question/answer phase of the oral presentation. For each point of evaluation, students are graded on a rating scale.<br />The comments of the oral evaluation sheet can be used to record points of feedback for each student. <br />Fluency of Speech: This point of evaluation should be based upon the smoothness of speech, not speed, and take into account the normal use of hesitancy in conversation. If students cease their conversation to laugh nervously, or if they have memorized their conversation and can not continue then this should reflect in a lower rating. Students, who speak efficiently, and without difficultness, should in turn be granted a higher rating. <br />Grammar Use: It is unrealistic to expect that any EFL student will come to an exam and speak without any grammar problems; emphasis should therefore be placed on being able to understand the students’ communicative intent even if grammar errors are present in sentence structures. However, continual use of the same grammar errors by a student should reflect in a lower rating. Alternatively, those students who are able to recognize that they had made a grammar error, and correct it during conversation, should be provided a higher rating. <br />Listening Comprehension: This phase of evaluation is initially tested during the prepared conversation section of the exam. Because some students will not understand what their partners are saying. EFL students will remain silent and wait for their partner to repeat their statement, and this should reflect in a lower rating. At other times a student may ask for clarification, or ask their partner to repeat what they had said, and this should reflect in a higher rating. <br />Some students may not understand the instructor's question, even after rewording, whereas other students will understand the same question immediately. <br />Pronunciation: As native English speakers possess a high degree of tolerance to hesitation accent is not considered a feasible point of exam evaluation, except where it hinders communicative understanding. In situations where continual mispronunciation occurs, or understanding is lost due to incorrect pronunciation of terminology, students should be given a lower rating. Alternatively, if students correct their mispronunciation, or recognize their mispronunciation and attempt to correct it throughout the oral production, then this should reflect in a higher rating. <br />Vocabulary Appropriateness and Complexity: Depending on the student choice of topic, certain terms or vocabulary items can be selected from the course materials and incorporated within student conversational presentations. If students use higher level vocabulary, and select terms taught from the textbook then they should receive a higher rating. If students employ very simple vocabulary terms for a complex topic, such as health, then this should reflect in a lower rating. <br />Allow students to know the general content in advance - is to bridge the gap between what I want my students to be able to do and what they think they need to do to succeed in the class.<br />Exam Objectives<br />To allow students to expand their use of language, centered on a theme of their own interest, and engage in oral communication on a familiar topic covered by the class syllabus. <br />Encouragement is necessary<br />3. Be a nice and sensitive person at all times. <br />4. Treat them with kindness and respect. Smile a lot and value their opinions. Never embarrass anyone for a laugh. <br />Oral Production/Comprehension Rubric<br />Performance Level<br />Pronunciation: The precision with which words are pronounced. Phrasing: The grouping of words in meaningful phrases. Fluency: The flow and rhythm of the oral production demonstrated by the ease and speed with which the speaker or reader delivers the message. Expression: The use of tone, modulation, intonation, and volume in oral production. Comprehension: The level of understanding demonstrated by responses to questions and /or tasks dealing with texts read, heard, or viewed. Where appropriate, responses may include support from the text or extend beyond it. <br />5 - Outstanding<br />Pronunciation: All words are pronounced correctly. Miscues (additions, omissions, substitutions, etc.) are not evident. Phrasing: Demonstrates an outstanding ability to phrase words appropriately (e.g., liaisons and elisions are almost always used). Fluency: Flow and rhythm is consistently maintained. Consistently uses appropriate speed. Expression: Outstanding ability to speak or read in an expressive, engaging voice. Consistently brings the text to life with appropriate tone, inflection, intonation, and volume. Comprehension: Response is precise and detailed and reflects a thorough understanding of text. Elaboration consistently enhances response.<br />4 - Strong<br />Pronunciation: Almost all words are pronounced correctly. Miscues do not affect meaning. Self-monitoring skills (re-reading, sounding out, substitutions, etc.) are used thoughtfully and purposely for accuracy and appropriateness. Phrasing: Demonstrates a strong ability to phrase words (e.g., liaisons and elisions are usually evident). Fluency: Flow and rhythm is generally maintained. Generally uses appropriate speed. Expression: Strong ability to speak or read in an expressive, engaging voice. Often brings the text to life. Generally uses appropriate tone, inflection, intonation, and volume. Comprehension: Response is accurate and reasonable and reflects a strong understanding of text. : Elaboration usually enhances response.<br />3 - Adequate<br />Pronunciation: Most words are pronounced correctly. Miscues occasionally affect meaning. Some self-monitoring skills are used. Phrasing: Demonstrates the ability to connect words occasionally (e.g., sporadic use of liaisons and elisions). Fluency: Sometimes maintains flow and rhythm. Sometimes uses appropriate speed. Expression: Speaks or reads, but voice is not always expressive or engaging. Occasionally brings the text to life. Use of tone, inflection, intonation, and volume is sometimes appropriate. Comprehension: Response is plausible and reflects a literal understanding of text. Elaboration sometimes enhances response.<br />2 - Limited<br />Pronunciation: Most words are pronounced incorrectly. Miscues frequently affect meaning. Few self-monitoring skills are used. Phrasing: Demonstrates limited ability to connect words (e.g., rarely uses links and elisions). Fluency: Flow and rhythm are seldom maintained. Rarely uses appropriate speed. Expression: Limited ability to speak or read in an expressive, engaging voice. Rarely brings the subject to life. Rarely uses appropriate tone, inflection, intonation, and volume. Comprehension: Response reflects a limited understanding of text. Elaboration may exist, but is rarely appropriate.<br />1 - Very Limited<br />Pronunciation: Almost all words are pronounced incorrectly. Miscues significantly affect meaning. Self-monitoring does not occur. Phrasing: Very limited ability to connect words (e.g., use of liaisons and elisions is not evident). Fluency: Flow is never maintained. Never uses appropriate speed. Expression: Very limited ability to speak or read in an expressive, engaging voice. Rarely brings the text to life. Tone, inflection, intonation, and volume is inappropriate. Comprehension: Response is incomplete, incoherent, or off topic. Elaboration may exist, but is not appropriate. <br />Rely on your own instinctive judgment when assigning a value to performance on such a test. <br />