(Enclosure No. 6 to DepEd Memorandum No. 044, s.
2023)
Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
National Educators Academy of the Philippines
Session Guide Form
Title of the Session English Session 1:
Designing Authentic Assessments in English
Name of the MARY GRACE M. PINEDA
Developer
Master Teacher I
Professional PST Domain 5: Assessment and Reporting
Standards Covered
5.1.3 Work collaboratively with colleagues to review the
(Domain/s, Strand/s, and
design, selection, organization, and use of a range of effective
Indicator/s)
diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment strategies
consistent with curriculum requirements.
PPSSH Domain 3: Focusing on Teaching and Learning
3.5.3 Work with personnel involved in evaluating teachers’ use
of learning assessment tools, strategies, and results consistent
with curriculum requirements to ensure accountability in
achieving higher learning outcomes.
Session Schedule and Day 3| 8:00 – 10:00 am | 120 mins
Duration
Objectives At the end of the session, the participants will be able to:
1. Define authentic assessment in the context of English
teaching.
2. Differentiate authentic from traditional assessment
methods.
3. Identify key characteristics of authentic assessments.
4. Explain the importance of using authentic assessment in
English.
5. Apply practical tips in designing authentic assessment
tasks.
6. Create sample authentic assessment tasks and rubrics
through a workshop.
7. Reflect on the importance of authentic assessment in
fostering lifelong learning and 21st-century skills.
Expected Outputs Draft authentic assessment task in English with rubric
Reflection Notes
Key Content The session will cover the following topics:
Definition of Authentic Assessment
Traditional vs. Authentic Assessment in English
Key Characteristics of Authentic Assessments
Importance of Using Authentic Assessment in English
Practical Tips in Designing Authentic Assessments
Workshop on Developing Authentic Assessment Tasks
Learning Resource Slide deck
Materials Handouts (sample authentic tasks, rubrics, worksheets)
DepEd Orders (DO 8, s. 2015; DO 31, s. 2020)
Sample rubric templates
References DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2015. Policy Guidelines on
Classroom Assessment for the K to 12 Basic Education
Program.
DepEd Order No. 31, s. 2020. Interim Policy Guidelines
for Assessment and Grading in Light of the Basic
Education Learning Continuity Plan.
Wiggins, G. (1998). Educative Assessment: Designing
Assessments to Inform and Improve Student
Performance. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Mueller, J. (2018). Authentic Assessment Toolbox. North
Central College. Retrieved from
[Link]
Darling-Hammond, L., & Adamson, F. (2014). Beyond
the Bubble Test: How Performance Assessments Support
21st Century Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Schedule Detailed Content Detailed Description of Methodology/Activities Learner’s Materials
Outline Output
(Time (Slide Number)
distribution)
Day 3 Introduction Slide 1
DO: Greet the participants warmly, ensure everyone
is ready, and show the title slide.
8:00 – 8:05
(5 mins)
SAY: Good morning, fellow teachers! Today, we will
focus on Designing Authentic Assessments in English.
This session will guide us in creating assessments
that truly measure how our students use English in
real-life contexts.
SHOW: Session objectives and session flow.
Slide 2-3
8:05 – 8:10 Quick Energizer: “Word Match Challenge” Slide 4-8
(5 mins)
DO: Prepare two sets slides.
Set A (Real-life situations): market, classroom,
playground, canteen, library.
Set B (Authentic English expressions): “How much is
this?”, “Good morning, Teacher!”, “Let’s play
together!”, “May I buy rice?”, “Please keep quiet.”
Mix them up and flash on screen.
Call volunteers to match a situation from Set A with
the correct English expression from Set B.
SAY: Let’s play a quick Word Match Challenge! On
one side, we have real-life situations. On the other
side, we have English expressions learners might say
in those situations.
Your task is to connect the situation to the right
expression. For example, if the situation is ‘canteen’,
the matching expression might be: ‘How much is
this?’
(After participants match all pairs)
Great job! Notice how this simple game already shows
us something important: learners are not just
recalling words from a book—they’re using English in
real, everyday situations.
And that’s exactly what authentic assessment is
about. It’s not only about knowing grammar or
vocabulary, but about applying English meaningfully
in life-like contexts.
So, in our session today, we will explore how to
design these kinds of assessments that capture real
communication and practical use of English.
SHOW: Word Match Challenge slide.
8:10 – 8:20 Definition of DO: Facilitate a short discussion on authentic Slide 9-10
(10 mins) Authentic assessment. Engage participants by asking: “When
Assessment you were in grade school, how did your teacher
usually assess your learning in English?”
Most will recall: paper-pencil tests, quizzes,
identification, multiple-choice.
SAY: While these are useful, they don’t always
measure what learners can actually do with English in
real-life situations. This is where authentic
assessment comes in.
Authentic assessment is a type of evaluation that
requires students to perform real-world tasks
demonstrating meaningful application of essential
knowledge and skills.
Unlike traditional tests that focus on recall, authentic
assessment asks: “Can students use English in real-
life contexts?”
SHOW: Present the definition of authentic
assessment.
8:20 – 8:35 Traditional vs. DO: “Which is Which?” Show examples (multiple- Slide 11-25
(15 mins) Authentic choice quiz, oral debate, journal writing, portfolio, role
Assessment play). Participants raise green item if authentic, red
item if traditional.
SAY: Traditional assessments focus on recall—like
multiple-choice exams or copying definitions. They
measure knowledge, but not always application.
Authentic assessments, on the other hand, ask
learners to perform tasks that reflect real-life use of
English.
For example:
Traditional: Identify the parts of speech in a
sentence.
Authentic: Write a journal entry about your
weekend.
Both have their place in the classroom, but if we want
learners to truly use English meaningfully, authentic
tasks must be prioritized. Notice how authentic
assessments go beyond recall. They require learners
to use English meaningfully, not just memorize.
SHOW: Sample assessment tasks.
8:35 – 8:50 Key Characteristics DO: Facilitate a short presentation on the key Slide 26
(15 mins) characteristics of authentic assessment. Encourage
of Authentic teachers to reflect on how these characteristics
Assessments appear in their own English classroom tasks.
SAY: Authentic assessment is most effective when it
follows certain key characteristics.
Key Characteristics of Authentic Assessments
1. Clear Rubrics – Criterion-based rubrics are
shared with students upfront, providing
transparent expectations.
2. Real-Life Tasks - Tasks replicate genuine
English use, such as storytelling, letter writing,
or role-playing scenarios.
3. Higher-Order Thinking - Encourages
analysis, creativity, and effective
communication, moving beyond basic recall.
4. Student Choice - Supports student agency by
offering multiple ways to demonstrate their
understanding and skills.
SHOW: Key Characteristics of Authentic Assessment
8:50-9:00 Importance of Using DO: Present the slide on Importance of Authentic Slide 27-28
Authentic Assessment in English.
(10 mins)
Assessment in
English
Engage participants with a quick poll: “Which benefit
do you think your students need the most right now—
skills, motivation, feedback, or confidence?”
Highlight their responses to connect to the discussion.
SAY: Authentic assessment is important because it
creates real value for our learners in many ways:
1. Practical Language Skills – Students
practice English in real-world situations, like
conversations, presentations, and writing for
real audiences. This prepares them for actual
communication beyond the classroom.
2. Student Motivation – Learners become more
engaged when tasks feel meaningful and
connected to their lives. Motivation grows when
they see the purpose of what they are doing.
3. Richer Feedback – Teachers can give more
specific, useful feedback when students
produce authentic work. Instead of just right or
wrong answers, feedback highlights strengths
and areas for growth.
4. Boosts Confidence – When students
successfully perform authentic tasks, they gain
confidence in using English, which encourages
them to take risks and participate more.
SHOW: Show the Importance of Using Authentic
Assessment
9:00 – 9:15 Practical Tips in DO: Present the slide Practical Tips in Designing Slide 29
(15 mins) Designing Authentic Authentic Assessments.
Assessments
Ask participants: “When you design assessments,
what is usually your first step?”
Link the answers to the practical tips to be shared
SAY: When designing authentic assessments in
English, there are some practical tips we can always
keep in mind:
1. Align with Goals – Always connect the task
with the curriculum standards and MELCs. Ask
yourself: What competency should this task
measure?
2. Develop Clear Rubrics – Learners should
know the criteria for success. Rubrics make
expectations transparent and guide students in
producing quality outputs.
3. Allow Flexibility – Give students options in
how they demonstrate learning. For example,
some may create a poster, others a role-play,
or even a short video. Flexibility encourages
creativity and ownership.
4. Integrate Instruction – Assessment should
not feel separate from learning. It must be built
into instruction, so students see it as part of
their growth, not just an end-of-unit test.
Following these tips ensures that authentic
assessments are both meaningful for learners and
manageable for teachers.”
SHOW: Sample rubrics and tasks.
9:15 – 9:45 Workshop: Designing Authentic Assessment Slide 30-33
(30 mins) Tasks
DO: Group Activity. Each group selects an English
competency and designs an authentic assessment +
rubric.
SAY: Remember: Your task must (1) reflect real-world
use of English, (2) align with the MELC, and (3)
include a rubric. Example: “Students create a podcast
episode analyzing a poem’s relevance to today’s
issues.”
SHOW: Worksheet template.
9:55 – 10:00 Synthesis & Reflection Slide 34-35
(5 mins)
DO: Individual activity – Participants write a short
reflection note answering: “How can authentic
assessment improve English teaching and learning?”
SAY: Remember: “Assessment is today’s means of
modifying tomorrow’s instruction” (Tomlinson). Thank
participants for their active engagement.
SHOW: Closing slide with quote.