Assessment and
Assessment and
Evaluation of L2
Evaluation of L2
Learning
Learning
Matthew McIntyre, Debbie
Matthew McIntyre, Debbie
Degraffenreid, Leon Nishball, Blake Vilders
Degraffenreid, Leon Nishball, Blake Vilders
Assessment and Evaluation
Assessment and Evaluation
Defined
Defined
Assessment:
Assessment:
“
“
Procedures used to obtain
Procedures used to obtain
information about student performance
information about student performance
”
”
(Woolfolk,
(Woolfolk,
2005, p. 504).
2005, p. 504).
Evaluation: “
Evaluation:
“Decision making about student
Decision making about student
performance and about appropriate teaching
performance and about appropriate teaching
strategies
strategies”
”
(Woolfolk, 2005, p. 504).
(Woolfolk, 2005, p. 504).
“
“
Assessment is the process of identifying, gathering
Assessment is the process of identifying, gathering
and interpreting information about students'
and interpreting information about students'
learning. The central purpose of assessment is to
learning. The central purpose of assessment is to
provide information on student achievement and
provide information on student achievement and
progress and set the direction for ongoing teaching
progress and set the direction for ongoing teaching
Assessment and Evaluation
Assessment and Evaluation
Defined cont.
Defined cont.
“
“
Sometimes the term assessment is used to describe the
Sometimes the term assessment is used to describe the
process of trying to determine what students already
process of trying to determine what students already
know about a topic before instruction, whereas the term
know about a topic before instruction, whereas the term
evaluation refers to the process of monitoring progress
evaluation refers to the process of monitoring progress
during and after instruction
during and after instruction”
”
(Nelson & Price, 2007, p. 65)
(Nelson & Price, 2007, p. 65)
“
“
Assessment
Assessment
is defined as ‘
is defined as
‘the gathering and
the gathering and
synthesizing of information concerning students
synthesizing of information concerning students
’
’
learning,’
learning,
’
while
while
evaluation
evaluation
is defines as ‘
is defines as
‘making judgments about
making judgments about
students
students’
’
learning. The processes of assessment and
learning. The processes of assessment and
evaluation can be viewed as progressive: first
evaluation can be viewed as progressive: first
assessment; then evaluation
assessment; then evaluation’”
’”
(Echevarria, et al, 2004, p.
(Echevarria, et al, 2004, p.
148)
How Do Assessment and
How Do Assessment and
Evaluation Relate to Student
Evaluation Relate to Student
Learning?
Learning?
Learning Cycle
Cont.
Cont.
Where are my students
Where are my students
now?
now?
Assessment provides
Assessment provides
information about what
information about what
students already know,
students already know,
understand, or what they
understand, or what they
can do.
How will my students
How will my students
get there? (Teaching
get there? (Teaching
and learning strategies)
How can students
How can students
demonstrate learning?
demonstrate learning?
How do I know when
How do I know when
my students get there?
my students get there?
Formative vs. Summative
Formative vs. Summative
Assessment
Assessment
Formative Assessment:
Formative Assessment:
Happens during the lesson.
Happens during the lesson.
Allows teachers to see how successfully students
Allows teachers to see how successfully students
are progressing in relation to objectives
are progressing in relation to objectives
Allows students to benefit from the teacher
Allows students to benefit from the teacher
’s
’
s
feedback while the lesson is still happening
feedback while the lesson is still happening
Can tell teachers where to go next (review, spend
Can tell teachers where to go next (review, spend
more time, move on)
more time, move on)
Examples:
Examples:
“
“
Checks for Understanding
Checks for Understanding
”
”
“
“Checks for understanding (CFU) are monitoring
Checks for understanding (CFU) are monitoring
opportunities that, when done correctly provide teachers
opportunities that, when done correctly provide teachers
with excellent ways to evaluate whether students are
with excellent ways to evaluate whether students are
learning
learning”
”
(Nelson & Price, 2007).
(Nelson & Price, 2007).
Observation
Observation
Summative Assessment:
Summative Assessment:
Can happen at the end of a lesson, unit, school year, etc.
Can happen at the end of a lesson, unit, school year, etc.
Allows teachers to compare student performances to
Allows teachers to compare student performances to
objectives and standards
objectives and standards
Tells the teacher whether a student has mastered the
Tells the teacher whether a student has mastered the
objective
objective
Helps shape future instructional plans
Helps shape future instructional plans
Assessment can be many things for many situations.
Assessment can be many things for many situations.
Assessment can be informal, formal, authentic,
Assessment can be informal, formal, authentic,
multidimensional, alternative, dynamic, written, oral, etc.!
multidimensional, alternative, dynamic, written, oral, etc.!
No matter what the type of assessment, it should
No matter what the type of assessment, it should
emphasize learning rather than better grades or
emphasize learning rather than better grades or
scores.
scores.
“Assessment information is not valuable if it does not lead
“
Assessment information is not valuable if it does not lead
to a course of action for the student
to a course of action for the student
’
’
s (and teacher’
s (and teacher
’s)
s)
benefit
Reliability and Validity
Reliability and Validity
“…
“…
regardless of the means used to evaluate cognitive abilities, ac
regardless of the means used to evaluate cognitive abilities, ac
ademic
ademic
achievement, linguistic competence, or language proficiency, con
achievement, linguistic competence, or language proficiency, con
fidence
fidence
in the reality of the assessment rests with the selection of rel
in the reality of the assessment rests with the selection of rel
iable and
iable and
valid measures, with careful consideration of the context of the
valid measures, with careful consideration of the context of the
evaluation
evaluation
”
”
(Collier, 2007, p 169).
(Collier, 2007, p 169).
Reliability:
Reliability:
The consistency of a test includes:
The consistency of a test includes:
“
“test
test-
-retest
retest”
”
reliability
reliability
Alternate form reliability
Alternate form reliability
Split half reliability (internal consistency)
Split half reliability (internal consistency)
Validity:
Validity:
Criterion
Criterion
-
-
related validity
related validity
Content validity
Content validity
Construct validity
Construct validity
“
“
A test must be reliable in order to be valid
A test must be reliable in order to be valid
…
…
However, reliability
However, reliability
will not guarantee validity
Perception of Intelligence
Perception of Intelligence
What does it mean to be intelligent?
What does it mean to be intelligent?
What does an intelligent student act like?
What does an intelligent student act like?
What should an intelligent student be able to do?
What should an intelligent student be able to do?
Will all English-
Will all English
-language learners express their
language learners express their
intelligence in the same way?
intelligence in the same way?
Robert J Sternberg
Robert J Sternberg
’s work with intelligence and
’
s work with intelligence and
culture
culture
“
“
Intelligence may be conceived in different ways in
Intelligence may be conceived in different ways in
different cultures
different cultures
”
”
(Sternberg, 2007, p 148).
(Sternberg, 2007, p 148).
“
“
Whether teachers take into account the differences
Whether teachers take into account the differences
in conceptions of who is intelligent and who acts
in conceptions of who is intelligent and who acts
intelligently can also affect how well students learn.
intelligently can also affect how well students learn.
When students are taught in ways that take into
When students are taught in ways that take into
account their cultural contexts and that are culturally
account their cultural contexts and that are culturally
appropriate for them, they can achieve higher
appropriate for them, they can achieve higher
levels
Assessment Bias
Assessment Bias
“
“
Biases are aspects of the test such as content, language, or
Biases are aspects of the test such as content, language, or
examples that might distort the performance of a group
examples that might distort the performance of a group
-
-
either for
either for
better or for worse (Woolfolk, 2005, p514).
better or for worse (Woolfolk, 2005, p514).
”
”
Types of Assessment Bias:
Types of Assessment Bias:
Unfair Penalization: Tests may penalize
Unfair Penalization: Tests may penalize
groups of students for their lack of knowledge,
groups of students for their lack of knowledge,
or experience with situations, examples, or
or experience with situations, examples, or
language.
language.
Offensiveness: Content, such as situations,
Offensiveness: Content, such as situations,
examples, or language may be offensive to
examples, or language may be offensive to
certain groups of people
So What is the Point?
So What is the Point?
Make sure you are testing what you want to
Make sure you are testing what you want to
test!
test!
Assessment and evaluation of proficiency in L2
Assessment and evaluation of proficiency in L2
should measure proficiency in L2, not other
should measure proficiency in L2, not other
factors.
factors.
Make sure assessment measures and
Make sure assessment measures and
expectations are clear.
expectations are clear.
“
“
When standards and expectations are clearly
When standards and expectations are clearly
communicated to students, it also allows
communicated to students, it also allows
students to become partners in assessing their
students to become partners in assessing their
own progress
own progress
”
”
(Hargett, 1998, p 199).
(Hargett, 1998, p 199).
Make sure that both formal and informal
Make sure that both formal and informal
measures of assessment are free from bias.
measures of assessment are free from bias.
K
K
-
-
12 Classroom and Teacher
12 Classroom and Teacher
Understand the Classroom
Understand the Classroom
Population.
Population.
Cultural background
Cultural background
Previous Education
Previous Education
Understand the Teacher
Understand the Teacher
Teaching method
Teaching method
Classroom effectiveness
Assessment Models
Assessment Models
Language Samples
Language Samples
Dynamic Assessment
Dynamic Assessment
Problems with Assessment
Problems with Assessment
Models
Models
Standardized Tests
Standardized Tests
Examiner Competency
Examiner Competency
WASL
WASL
Washington
Washington
Assessment of
Assessment of
Student
Student
Learning
Learning
(
Problems of Poor Assessment
Problems of Poor Assessment
Student Self Esteem
Student Self Esteem
Assessment Improvement
Assessment Improvement
Teacher
Teacher
Responsibility
Responsibility
Standardized
Standardized
Testing
Assessment Conclusion
Assessment Conclusion
Accommodation
Accommodation
ASSESSMENT WITH ADULT
ASSESSMENT WITH ADULT
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Reasons for Testing
Reasons for Testing
The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (Title II
The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (Title II
of the Workforce Investment Act of 1988) requires
of the Workforce Investment Act of 1988) requires
each state to report educational gains of learners in
each state to report educational gains of learners in
terms of level descriptors defined by the National
terms of level descriptors defined by the National
WHY TEST IN ADULT BASIC
WHY TEST IN ADULT BASIC
EDUCATION (ABE) OR ESL?
EDUCATION (ABE) OR ESL?
To place learners in appropriate
To place learners in appropriate
instructional levels
instructional levels
To measure their ongoing progress
To measure their ongoing progress
To qualify them to enroll in academic or
To qualify them to enroll in academic or
job training programs
job training programs
To verify program effectiveness
To verify program effectiveness
To demonstrate learner gains in order to
To demonstrate learner gains in order to
justify continued funding for a program
TYPES OF ASSESSMENTS
TYPES OF ASSESSMENTS
USED
USED
Michigan Test of English Language
Michigan Test of English Language
The Adult Basic Learning Examination
The Adult Basic Learning Examination
(ABLE)
(ABLE)
BEST
BEST
Alternative Assessment
Alternative Assessment
Surveys
Surveys
Performance Samples
Performance Samples
Interviews
Interviews
Learner Portfolios as another
Learner Portfolios as another
option
option
…
…
Learner portfolios:
Learner portfolios:
Collections of individual work, are common
Collections of individual work, are common
examples of alternative assessment.
examples of alternative assessment.
Portfolios can include such items as:
Portfolios can include such items as:
reports on books
reports on books
notes from learner/teacher interviews
notes from learner/teacher interviews
learners’
learners
’
reflections on their progress writing samples
reflections on their progress writing samples
data from performance-
data from performance
-base assessments
base assessments
Best Practices
Best Practices
Clearly identify the purpose of
Clearly identify the purpose of
the assessment (why the
the assessment (why the
learners are being assessed)
learners are being assessed)
and what learning is to be
and what learning is to be
assessed (e.g., increased
assessed (e.g., increased
speaking proficiency).
speaking proficiency).
Select assessment instruments
Select assessment instruments
and procedures that match the
and procedures that match the
program's learning goals (e.g.,
program's learning goals (e.g.,
an oral interview to show
an oral interview to show
progress in speaking skills,
progress in speaking skills,
writing samples to show
writing samples to show
progress in writing) and that
progress in writing) and that
engage learners so they are
engage learners so they are
interested and will strive to do
interested and will strive to do
their best.
their best.
Whenever possible, use multiple
Whenever possible, use multiple
measures to present a more
measures to present a more
complete picture of what has
complete picture of what has
been learned.
been learned.
Ensure that adequate resources
Ensure that adequate resources
are available to carry out the
are available to carry out the
assessments (e.g., enough
assessments (e.g., enough
materials, comfortable
materials, comfortable
environment, adequately trained
environment, adequately trained
administrators and scorers).
administrators and scorers).
Be aware of the limitations of the
Be aware of the limitations of the
assessments selected.
assessments selected.
Remember that assessment is
Remember that assessment is
not an end in itself, but a means
not an end in itself, but a means
to an end. Share assessment
to an end. Share assessment
results with learners and
results with learners and
instructors, as well as with
instructors, as well as with
administrative staff.
Student Profiles
Bibliography
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Picture Sources:Picture Sources:
http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-2/tools.html2/tools.html
www.lakeorion.k12.mi.us/.../K12_esl.htm (picture of flags globe)www.lakeorion.k12.mi.us/.../K12_esl.htm (picture of flags globe)
www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/lale/research/vels.html (alphabet picture)www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/lale/research/vels.html (alphabet picture)
http://www.cal.org/caela/printer.phphttp://www.cal.org/caela/printer.php
www.caslt.org/images/esl.jpeg (ESL logo)www.caslt.org/images/esl.jpeg (ESL logo)
