World language teachers struggle to test proficiency in all modes of communication throughout a unit. There just isn’t enough time. Expressive assessments take up so much time…or do they?
Expressive language is a crucial part of what we do in the classroom yet many of us don’t really assess this skill until the end of the unit or at the end of the semester because of time…there just isn’t enough of it. It is very difficult to assess the expressive language of students when you have 30 – 40 bodies in the classroom. So how do you assess expressive language skills and still have time to cover the required material? And how do you grade the expressive mode and still have a life? Let me give you a few ideas.
Daily Expressive Skills
I have talked about my trusty index cards for years. They are how I randomize who I call on and encourage students to communicate. I also document responses on these cards using a system of symbols. However, it was only recently that I realized how to turn those marks on the cards into a grade. It really is quick and easy. It is painless for the student and the teacher.
These daily points are how I assess students. I ask a question and call on students from the cards to give everyone an opportunity to respond. I award points based on the response. Depending on my lesson, I can generally get through half to all of the students in my class in one class period (I have around 30 kids). Before teh week is out, I have at least 3 marks for each student.
Here is my point system
A check plus (A) mark means excellent, exceeds expectations. A student can respond appropriately, with complete sentences and thoughts, there may be minimal errors that do not impede understanding or force inference.
A checkmark (B) means meets standards. Students can respond and be understood. Students may be using words or phrases. The response may have errors but the response is comprehensible.
A minus (C) means attempts to answer but does not meet standards. The student may respond incorrectly or have errors that interfere with comprehension. The student’s message may need interpretation by the teacher.
A zero (not passing) means could not or did not respond at all.
Ideas for when to use this
I use this type of assessment daily in class but only put the grade in the grade book every 6 weeks. Daily and weekly is just too much time and not needed in my opinion. However, you can certainly put the grade in at whatever time interval works for your grading system.
Here’s how you can use this quick assessment strategy:
- After a story – The teacher will ask questions and score students’ responses. This also works after a lecture or vocabulary lesson.
- Questions – Have students ask questions to each other and score the response to the question. This takes just a few minutes out of each class period. You don’t have to cover everyone at one time. Have 3 – 4 students ask a question each day until all students have gone.
- Group presentations – Students can work in groups to make commercials, present information, or tell a story.
- Interpersonal communication – Score one to two groups a day for a week when students do the interpersonal communication practice.
Hopefully, these tips will help you quickly and easily assess students with no stress to you or the students. This way of assessing is meant to save you time, give you your life back (no more grading a million videos), and allow you to enjoy teaching again.
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