Bachelor of Education
[Link] (Hons)
Semester: 01
Student’s Name: Anum
Qureshi
Teacher’s Name: Ms.
Samina
Course Title: English
(Teaching Writing and
Presentation Skills)
Assignment
Unit 6: Assessing
Language Performance
Unit 6: Assessing Language Performance
6.1 Some Basic Principles and Key Concepts
Of Assessment
What is Assessment?
In Assessment teacher gather, summarize, and interpret data to determine which strategies to
implement to further enhance the learning experience. Assessment is an integral part of
teaching and learning.
It requires planning specific ways to use assignments and discussions to discover what students
do and do not understand.
The insights we gain by making assessment a regular part of instruction enable us to meet the
needs of the students who are eager for more challenges and to provide intervention for those
who are struggling.
Purpose of Assessment in Learning
Assessment of learning
Assessment for learning
Assessment as learning
Assessment of learning/Summative Assessment
Assessment of learning lets the teacher, students and their parents know how well each student
has completed the learning tasks and activities.
It provides information about student achievement at the end of a particular task or activity
On that basis teacher plans the further activity.
Assessment for learning/Formative Assessment
Assessment for learning is ongoing assessment that allows teachers to monitor students on a
day-to-day basis and modify their teaching based on what the students need to be successful.
This assessment provides students with the timely, specific feedback that they need to make
adjustments to their learning.
Assessment as learning
Students develop a sense of ownership
They use self-assessment feedback to make adjustments, improvements and changes to what
they understand.
As students engage in peer and self-assessment, they learn to make sense of information,
relate it to prior knowledge and use it for new learning.
Principles of Assessment
Principles are how the assessment process is put into practice, for example, being:
Ethical: the methods used are right and proper for what is being assessed and the context of
assessment. The learner’s welfare, health, safety and security are not compromised.
Safe: the learner’s work can be confirmed as valid and authentic. There should be little chance
of plagiarism, confidentially of information should be taken into account and learning and
assessment should not be compromised in any way, nor the learner’s experience or potential to
achieve. (Safe in this context does not relate to health and safety but to whether the
assessment methods are sufficiently robust to make a reliable decision.)
Fair: the methods used are appropriate to all learners at the required level, taking into account
any particular needs. All learners should have an equal chance of an accurate assessment
decision.
Two important principles are known as VARCS and SMART.
VARCS
Valid – the work is relevant to what has been assessed and is at the right level.
Authentic – the work has been produced solely by the learner.
Reliable – the work is consistent over time.
Current – the work is still relevant at the time of assessment.
Sufficient – the work covers all of the requirements at the time.
Following VARCS will help ensure assessment is carried out correctly
SMART
Specific – the activity relates only to what is being assessed and is clearly stated.
Measurable – the activity can be measured against the assessment requirements,
allowing any gaps to be identified.
Achievable – the activity can be achieved at the right level.
Relevant – the activity is suitable and realistic, relates to what is being assessed and will
give consistent results.
Time bound – target dates and times are agreed
The Key Concepts and Principles of Assessment
Authentic: Being the learner’s own work.
Equality: A state of fair treatment that is the right of all the students regardless of
differences in, for example, culture, ability, gender race, religion, wealth, sexual
orientation, or any other group characteristic
Reliable: Consistently achieves the same results with different assessors and the same
(or similar) group of students.
Sufficient: Enough evidence as specified in Evidence Requirements or Assessment
Strategy.
Valid: Relevant to the standards/criteria against which the candidate is being assessed.
Fair: Ensuring that everyone has an equal chance of getting an objective and accurate
assessment.
Transparency: The assessor understands the assessment and learners’ requirements.
Assessor Responsibilities
The following are Assessor Responsibilities - Understanding and applying the
standards and requirements they are working to:
Planning assessments to meet course syllabus requirements
Communicating assessment requirements to students
Carrying out assessments
Making assessment decisions
Providing feedback to students
Taking part in standardization processes
Taking part in continuing professional development
Key Factors for Planning the Assessment
The following key factors for planning the assessments:
Standards/criteria to be used
Choice of assessment methods
Location and resources
Time and duration of the assessment
Specific students’ needs and any support required
How to manage the assessment process
Recording assessment processes and decisions
Feedback to the students
Building the assessment strategy
The benefits of involving students in the assessment process
Transparency – student understanding the standards/criteria they are being assessed
against and how assessment decisions are made
Efficiency – students identifying and providing evidence themselves, others, for example,
expert witnesses providing evidence process
The following points are important in the assessment planning
Assessment arrangements may need to be adapted to meet the student of determination
needs.
Feedback to the learner assists transparency of the assessment process and assists
students’ progression.
Continuing professional development in the assessment process
Keeping up with changes in technology, working practices, and standards.
6.2 Sample of test types that can be used to test
young learners
There are different kinds of tests in schools but there are eight main types vs. the other eight
ones. Recognize them and the main differences among them and utilize this information so that
you can create the right test in the right situation.
1- Objective Test vs. Subjective Test:
The objective test is independent of the person marking that test. There is usually a key of
answers that leaves no room for subjectivity in grading (e.g. M.C tests or false-true tests) but in
Subjective tests, the score depends on the marker. It usually happens that different markers
give different scores. The gap between the markers may be sometimes very wide (e.g. in free
writing).
2- Speed Test vs. Achievement Test:
The speed test aims at measuring the speed of performance. It is made a little longer than the
time given. (e.g. Two hundred items on grammar to be answered in an hour) but achievement
test aims at measuring students’ achievement. The given time is made to be adequate; the
emphasis here is on measuring achievement not speed.
3- Public Test vs. Local Test:
The public test is given on a country-wide scale and prepared by a central authority. It is usually
announced and relatively long. It is normally given at the end of a school cycle but the local test
is locally prepared and given at the same school level by the class teacher.
4- Standard Test vs. Normal Test:
The standard test is carefully designed and undergoes long experimentation and research.
Each score has a special interpretation that indicates where a certain scorer stands among a
statistical population of similar individuals but the normal test is not standardized. The majority
of tests, of course, belong to this normal category.
5- Written Test vs. Oral Test:
The answers for the written test are to be given in a written form but the answers for the oral test
are to be given orally.
6- Announced Test vs. Drop Test:
The teacher assigns the test material and fixes a certain date in advance for the announced test
but the drop test is given without a previous announcement. It is usually a short one and it aims
at keeping students on the alert.
7- Classroom Test vs. Home Test:
The test questions of the classroom test are given and answered in class but the home test is
given in class but answered at home.
8- Closed-Book Test vs. Open-Book Test:
Textbooks are closed while students are taking the closed-book test but students are allowed to
use their books while answering the questions of the open-book test.