Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Thanks
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- I Creating a good environment for language learning
- II Being effective in the classroom
- III Teaching large classes
- IV Teaching language skills and systems
- V Teaching language without textbooks
- VI Teaching language with textbooks
- VII Helping students achieve their potential
- VIII Linking the school to the outside world
- IX Supporting yourself and others
- Glossary
- Index
25 - Creating assessments
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 September 2021
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Thanks
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- I Creating a good environment for language learning
- II Being effective in the classroom
- III Teaching large classes
- IV Teaching language skills and systems
- V Teaching language without textbooks
- VI Teaching language with textbooks
- VII Helping students achieve their potential
- VIII Linking the school to the outside world
- IX Supporting yourself and others
- Glossary
- Index
Summary
If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.
Matthew KellyThe short version
1 When creating an assessment, crucial initial questions to ask are: (a) why are we assessing, and (b) what are we assessing?
2 Assessments must be both valid and reliable.
3 Assessment questions should be written as clearly and simply as possible.
4 Marking schemes are important to ensure fairness and equity within the assessment process.
5 Assessment should ‘feed forward’ into future learning, that is, inform our decisions about adapting our methods and approaches to better suit our learners.
Introduction
1 Why do we assess students? What is the overall purpose?
2 What is the process for creating assessments where you teach? Are you involved in the process?
3 Do you think language assessments used in your institution are fair? Why / why not?
4 Have you ever failed a test? How did you feel?
About assessment
Even if all high-stakes assessment in your institution is controlled by an ▸education authority, you are likely to still create some kinds of assessment, e.g. formative or ▸diagnostic assessments. This may just be the occasional test to see how students are progressing, or it may be more detailed and complex assessment. This chapter focuses on key questions which you should ask yourself when creating assessments. These questions are presented in the chronological order in which you should address them.
What is the assessment actually testing?
Too often, the clear purpose of an assessment is not known. Sometimes the only reason that students are assessed is because ‘this is what we’ve always done’. Educational stakeholders often have strong expectations that assessment is a central, if not the core, component of education. Moreover, their view of what constitutes a good assessment may be very traditional – i.e. formal, written exams. However, teachers often don't know how to create good assessments, and students are just given memory tests about what they have learned in class. Furthermore, assessment results are not used to improve learning.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Teaching in Challenging Circumstances , pp. 154 - 157Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021