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Language Testing for the ESLClassroom UNIT 5 ALTERNATIVES IN ASSESSMENT

Structure

5.0 Objectives5.1 Introduction5.2 Alternatives in Assessment

5.2.1 Classroom Observations5.2.2 Diaries5.2.3 Assignments5.2.4 Projects5.2.5 Portfolios5.2.6 Triangulation

5.3 Common Examples of Language Assessments in India5.4 Concluding Remarks for ESL Teachers: Continuing Assessment for and

as Learning5.5 Unit Based Questions5.6 Let Us Sum Up5.7 Further Readings5.8 Answers

5.0 OBJECTIVESIn this unit you will

• be familiarized with the alternative formats of language assessments;

• understand the advantages of using alternative assessments;

• consider examples of frequently occurring assessment types in India and acritique of such assessments of learning; and

• ways to practice assessment for learning in a continuous or formative manner.

5.1 INTRODUCTION

In the previous units we have looked at various aspects of tests and assessments.An assessment type we have found has been mostly occurring is the pencil andpaper test. This is used as a robust tool of measurement by most school and highschool authorities and higher academic institutions. While this test format iswidely used, to test achievement in educational setups and to filter learners’entry into higher academia or jobs in high stakes examinations, the scope ofassessment cannot be limited to this one type. Especially in the classroom context,there is a lot of scope for teachers to give feedback on learning behavior to helplearners understand how and where to improve. So feedback and teaching are infact complementary tools to promote learning.

In this unit we look at a number of assessment formats that can be used by theclassroom teacher to follow assessment for learning without worrying too muchabout assessment of learning, which is the most frequently understood and utilized

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Alternatives in Assessmentpurpose of testing in common parlance. Here we will look at the term alternativeassessment formats and some of these formats along with their advantages andchallenges will be discussed in the later part of this unit. We will conclude theunit with a brief discussion on how teachers can utilize for classroom purposesboth types of assessment – one for regular assessment of learning and alternativeformats to promote assessment for learning – in a balanced and meaningfulmanner.

5.2 ALTERNATIVES IN ASSESSMENT

It is important for us to get estimates of learner abilities while they are doing acourse and at the end of a course. These are the two points of enquiries thatteachers engage in assessment of the learners enrolled in their courses. Most ofthe times educational institutions also have a curriculum whereby they mandatetesting and getting information by directly measuring learner abilities. But isthat all a learner is capable of doing with the language, i.e., solve pencil andpaper tests? What happens to all that a teacher witnesses during her interactionswith her learners? What happens if there is a learner who is not that good withattempting tests but does the homework in a very creative manner or there is alearner who loves to work in a group and feels more confident of using languagethereby? After all, are these not more desirable goals to be achieved in a secondlanguage where the learner can learn to communicate independently and respondto contexts well?

In addition to the pencil and paper tests used for achievement purposes andsummative examination in schools and higher academia, there are quite a fewother forms of assessments that can be used for formative purposes. In class, youcan try out different forms of assessments to get better estimates of learners asthey can perform on the different formats other than the pencil and paper tests.These are collectively labeled as ‘alternative assessments’.

A teacher can use a combination of alternative assessments and these she can doboth informally as well as formally. But all her decisions need to be conveyed tothe learners, especially the formal assessments. Learners need to be prepared forwhat would be expected from them and be told which scales of measurementswould be used to evaluate them. Only then alternative assessments can be usedin an ethical and fair manner and become reliable measures of learning behavior.

In this section we discuss the alternative forms of assessment and in what waysyou can use these to create conditions for assessment for and as learning.

5.2.1 Classroom ObservationsAs a teacher when you deal with learners over a period of one academic year ora semester, there are numerous occasions when you form mental estimates of thelearners, which you may or may not record formally. You may form estimates bynoting how many times a learner responds in class or his/her eagerness tocontribute, how frequently they come with extra material to class related to atopic you have dealt with – all of these you do in class without formallyannouncing that it is an assessment or making the learners conscious that theyare being evaluated. This is classroom observation.

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The observations can be done both formally and informally. Making mental noteof learner performance and using the impression to evaluate a learner’s overallperformance at the end of year or semester would be informal classroomobservation. However, if you make notes in your diary about learners or create achecklist for them and use the information you have collected systematically toevaluate learner performance and growth and include it in the final evaluation,then it is classroom observation done in a formal manner. An example of creatinga checklist to observe learners is as follows:

Table 5.1: Teacher classroom observation sheet

No. of times No. of times No. of times No. of timesresponded/ asked questions attempted to participated ininteracted to clarify doubts respond to group activityin class questions and helped

(as tasks given others within class) language use

Leaner A

Learner B

Learner C

With the help of this kind of an observation sheet a teacher can collect informationabout learners’ responsiveness and motivation in class and link that to languagelearning. It is because the more a learner participates and shows engagement, themore he/she is likely to benefit from instruction and use language forcommunicative purposes.

5.2.2 DiariesIn addition to getting learner estimates through their performance on tests, whichare timed and do not allow learners to express their understanding or attitudetowards the language they are learning, an alternative form of assessment iswriting diary entries (or logs). Such entries can be maintained over a period oftime. In this form of assessment, learners are given the opportunity to expresstheir feelings, attitudes, areas learnt, areas of difficulty, opinion of teachers, tasksetc. in the form of diary entries. These may look to be a very subjective formatand hence difficult to assess. But these are first hand recounts of a learner’sengagement with what is taught and learnt and what he/she considers important.It is therefore very crucial information for the teacher-assessor. By doing thisactivity learners not only express themselves in an anxiety-free context but theyperform in the language they are learning – so it improves their writing skills.Learners can be trained to write diaries consistently and systematically and theseaccounts collected over a period of time will serve as valuable data for assessmentand understanding the level of achievements in learners.

Furthermore, you can also make diary entries based on your teaching experiences,learner interactions and your opinion on the teaching and assessments youconduct. These accounts will help you on the one hand reflect on your teachingand assessment while on the other maintain systematic estimates about yourlearners’ performance in classroom as samples of communication and knowledgeof the target language. Such rich information about learner abilities can hardlybe obtained from pencil and paper tests.

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Alternatives in Assessment5.2.3 AssignmentsTo check for a deeper understanding on a topic and to make learners readextensively, very often beyond prescribed syllabus and textbook, assessments inthe form of assignments can be given. Assignments can be based on a set ofprompts or questions, which will help learners to solve a task. So this is not onlyto check for content learning but to help learners do a bit of critical thinking liketo think about reasons behind a certain phenomena. Assignments are usuallyextended written tasks to be done beyond the classroom time. Learners are givena period of time to gather information, reflect and write their thoughts. An exampleof an assignment given to learners in class X is as follows:

Based on the unit ‘Climate in India’ write a short essay on the followingtopic:

Climate change is happening across the world as an impact of globalwarming. In your opinion is this good or bad for human beings and otherliving beings on earth? Express your opinion in about 500 words and giveevidence in support of your opinion.

You will be assessed on content, organization and language and the scalewill be provided to you in class.

5.2.4 ProjectsThere are times when learners need to be engaged to do work in a group andcome up with something independent that has a comprehensive appeal. Projectis one form of alternative assessment that allows learners to attain these goals. Inthis type of assessment they attend to the six cognitive levels of learning (e.g.,remembering, comprehending, analyzing, applying, evaluating and creating) andalso engage with affective factors like peer work, group empathy, resourcefulnessand so on. A teacher can assign a task in which a group of learners are asked togather and put together information about a topic or a concept in multiplemodalities like audio, visual and language inputs. An example of a project thatmay be given to learners in grades IX and X would be like the following:

Make a survey of your neighborhood and find out about the food peoplehave and the rituals they follow during festivals. Include audio-visual inputsfrom your survey and present a report on a chart representing the variationsyou find through your survey. You have two weeks time to submit this project.

In doing this project learners have to take decisions and collect information.They would also have to collate information and write about the task. All of thiswill help them engage in the task critically by comparing and contrasting foodhabits and rituals of different people. They would also learn how work with eachother in groups and show empathy and fellow feeling.

5.2.5 PortfoliosWhile teaching a course a teacher may decide to keep all the information shegets about learner performance in a systematic manner as a folder. This can havemultiple benefits. If all the performances, be it tests or other forms of assessments,

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are kept together and learners are asked to prepare this folder, then the learnerscan look at their growth in the course over a period of time. They can also havethe opportunity to improve based on the feedback they receive from previouswork and do better in the assignments and tasks they do later in the course. Thisis known as portfolio assessment. This is also a form of dynamic assessment aslearner estimates are formed over a period of time and not as a one step measuredone in pencil and paper tests. Though this is a bit time consuming and betterdone in smaller groups, but this kind of an ongoing performance and thenreflecting on performance to improve would be beneficial for the learners in thelong run. Furthermore, it demands discipline and critical thinking on part of thelearners as they see tasks and assessments as a series of performances along acontinuum and not as isolated tests from which they get to know just the scores.Refer to the structure/checklist of portfolio submission prepared by a teacher forher learners in grade XII from a course on academic writing:

Table 5.2: Checklist for portfolio submission

Portfolio Submission of Learner A Yes No

Contents page √

Worksheets from each unit !!

Teacher feedback on the worksheets !!

Redrafts of two worksheets/assignments !!

Three narrative entries of learner self-reflection only two given?

Teacher’s overall feedback on course achievement !!

The teacher can use the above portfolio to teach learners how to document andshowcase work and look at feedback systematically throughout the course. Shecan also use it as a tool of evaluation and include it in the final evaluation of thelearners.

5.2.6 Triangulation

In addition to the five cardinal principles of assessment we discussed in UnitTwo, there is another important concept involved in assessment and evaluation.When we use only tests for assessing learners and take decisions on the basis ofthat, it might not be sufficient information about the learners’ abilities. At timessome learners might not be good in solving tests as this form of assessmentgives rise to a lot of stress and anxiety. This is because tests are timed and one isassessed only on the basis of letter grade or rank-ordered scores, which at bestcompares one learner to another but gives no useful information as to whichaspects to improve. Therefore, it is useful to try triangulation when a teachercan collect learner information from a combination of sources, i.e., from testsand alternative assessments, which may be done formally and/or informally. Theteacher can arrive at a better and holistic evaluation of learners because after allin real life we do use language to deal with different situations and it is only fairthat classroom assessments also simulate this condition.

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Alternatives in AssessmentQuestions

Read the following tasks. Language teachers to promote assessment for learningmay use these.

Comment on the following:

• Which type of alternative assessment(s) are the tasks related to?

• What information can be collected from each?

• What kind of feedback can be given from the tasks?

Task 1

Before the start of every unit write this kind of an entry of about 30-50 words:

In this unit my goal will be to learn about the text on computers and payattention to all the new vocabulary items. I also want to learn to use passivesentences and…

Task 2

Respond to the following questions by ticking the option that you like themost:

Always Sometimes Never

a. I like to answer questions that myteacher asks.

b. I can understand the feedback myteacher gives me.

c. The feedback helps me understandwhy I have made an error.

d. From the feedback I can make outwhich aspect to improve.

Task 3

Choose which kind of task you like or dislike and give brief reasons:

Task Like/Dislike Reason

• Short tests

• Short essays

• Short presentations

• Discussions about task done

• Write about goals

• Work in a group to do a project

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Language Testing for the ESLClassroom 5.3 COMMON EXAMPLES OF LANGUAGE

ASSESSMENTS IN INDIA

In primary till tertiary second language classrooms in India, English is taughtbased on prescribed textbooks, which sometimes have accompanying workbookswith language-based items. The textbooks are built around units which haveprose and poetry (and sometimes drama) taken from literary texts and texts thatexpress exposition or give information about concepts of general interests likesociety, entertainment, technology and so on. In addition to this in English mediumschools, a host of other subjects like social sciences, pure sciences, geographyand history are also taught with the help of textbooks written in English. Sothese textbooks also serve as second language input to the learners whereby theyare exposed to more expository texts. In all, the learners are taught English usingliterature, narratives and quite a few expository texts. But in the examinationsystem, content-based subjects as well as English are tested based on ‘content’.No major distinction exists between English tests and subject-based tests. Theformer ends up being content tests and language proficiency testing remainslargely ignored. For instance ‘comprehension’, either through reading or listening,hardly ever gets tested. While writing and speaking (if the latter is part of thelanguage curriculum) gets tested based on tasks for which the answers are alreadygiven and learners are expected to regurgitate those. Thus, in language tests mostlycontent is assessed with a few items for grammar and vocabulary assessed in adiscrete point or isolated manner and not integrated with language use.

While this model of ‘content-based testing’ is valid for subjects such as puresciences and social sciences or a course in English literature, it is certainly not avalid method of assessing language proficiency. Consequently, such faulty testsnever prepare learners for using the target language for communication in reallife, i.e., outside the classroom context. Furthermore, most teachers are not evenaware of this faulty evaluation method.

As teachers it is important for you to be able to distinguish testing content fromtesting proficiency. Note that test objectives and design of proficiency tests hasbeen detailed throughout Unit Three. Even if language tests have content, it isimportant that teachers give weight to content and language ability separatelyand this can be drawn in the criterion as discussed in section 4.2.2 of Unit Four.

Another anomaly in the testing model followed in Indian ESL classrooms is thatduring the course if assessments are done, they are supposed to serve formativepurposes. But they end up being mini summative tests, pencil and paper, to testachievement and not promote learning. There is hardly any use of alternativeassessments. So performances are treated as a product and the final score orgrade awarded is a sum total of the mini-summative tests done throughout theyear two to three times. It makes the assessment of language a ‘product’ andthereby promote the model of assessment of learning.

As the numbers are large in Indian classrooms, teachers resort to awarding scoresand use subjective judgment to assess language production and thereby do notmaintain systematicity in assessment. They are not to be entirely blamed fordoing impressionistic scoring. They resort to it as they are not trained to use

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Alternatives in Assessmentcriterion-based assessment. In some contexts if criterion based assessment isattempted, it is mostly a holistic scale that is applied across tasks.

In sum, the assessment of English as a second language in the Indian context isriddled with problems and learners hardly ever get to obtain feedback on theirlearning process. Also if they do, then most feedback is direct or the teacherexplicitly corrects the error instead of helping learners understand what is wrongin implicit ways. Naturally learners receive no encouragement to improve.Furthermore, the model of testing content in language tests does not preparethem to communicate and thereby negative washback gets widespread. It alsogives rise to ‘test-wiseness’ or where learners are prepared to perform on thetests and the language curriculum is built around test performance. Therefore,throughout the course teachers prepare learners to perform on tests rather thanlearn the language. While assessment is an integral part of the teaching andlearning process, if the teaching is aimed only at good performance in tests, thenassessment no longer serves the purpose of informing learners and teachers aboutthe growth in learning that has occurred over a period of time. So languageassessments need to assess language and this objective should be drawn in thetest design as is discussed in Unit 3. Learners need to be given feedback basedon such performance. This would enable one to use assessment and tests as toolsfor learning and not tools of discipline and punishment or awarding grades.

Question

Look for an English test paper. It could be from any level in school or highschool. Read and identify the questions that test ‘content’ and the ones thattest ‘language’. Write a brief report on the test design and whether there isany problem with the test paper.

5.4 CONCLUDING REMARKS FOR ESLTEACHERS: CONTINUING ASSESSMENTFOR AND AS LEARNING

In the units one to four we have discussed the concepts, processes and criticalissues related to language testing. As language testing involves the measurementof mental ability and has a social dimension in that it affects the lives of thelearners and impacts other stakeholders or has washback effects, it is extremelycrucial for us as teachers to understand and acknowledge the responsibilityinvolved in measuring human capacities. This implies that not only should webe well informed about the critical issues involved in testing but strongly guardagainst subjectivity in assessment. Thus, we should strive to make it as systematic,transparent and ethical as possible. A first move would be to stop treating testperformance as products, i.e. move beyond the practice of assessment of learning.While this is a primary goal of high-stake public examinations, in classroomsthis need not be the primary goal. Rather teachers should train themselves topractice the model of assessment for learning. While this is not easy and is time-consuming but if teaching and assessment are to lead to learning, then this efforthas to be made. There are at least three ways of doing this that teachers canfollow at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels and they are:

i) follow criterion based assessment wherever possible;

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ii) design and train other teachers to follow criterion;

iii) with each assessment give feedback to learners – can be mix of direct andindirect feedback;

iv) communicate with the learners about the criterion and prepare them fortask-requirements;

v) follow triangulation of data or collect information about learner performancein multiple ways to get a holistic picture of their language abilities and givethem a fair chance to perform under several conditions.

When the numbers in class are large and there is institutional pressure to conductmultiple tests within one academic year, it is difficult to follow the model ofassessment for learning. Also if the institutional policy is to use assessment oflearning, which is usually the case, then to convince the authorities to allow youto practice the second model will not be easy. But you can improvise and use thismodel within the school curriculum in shorter spans as a tool to track and promotelearning. Involving learners too in the process of assessment to promoteassessment as learning may be attempted. But it can only be done in smallergroups and with elder children or adults. For instance if one is teaching on aspecialized language programme or English for Specific Purposes to Englishteachers or officers from the army or police or doctors, then assessment as learningmay be tried out. But this model is the most challenging one of all the three andneeds training and practice to be successful though it promotes ethical testing atthe highest level. One disadvantage of this model is that it is low on the principleof practicality. Overall if teachers can practice the model of assessment forlearning, then learners would benefit and be prepared to communicate in thetarget language.

5.5 UNIT BASED QUESTIONS

1. Study the following description of how a teacher gets feedback on a courseshe has taught. Is this one form of alternative assessment? Do you think this is asystematic way of gathering information and evaluating a course on the basis ofthis feedback format? Explain why do you think so.

A teacher wants to take feedback on a language course she has offered for agroup of 40 grade IX learners. She uses the following sheet to gather information:

Table 1.2: Feedback on a language course: Grade III

Performance in Responsiveness Attendance Amount of Whichtests in class interest assessments

are liked?

L1

L2

L3

L4

L5

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Alternatives in AssessmentDecisions she took post the feedback:

• Modify parts of the course and assessments

• Provide feedback – learners/parents, school authorities

2) If you were to teach English to a group of learners in grade X who aremotivated and enthusiastic about learning the language to be able tocommunicate in real life contexts, think of one or two alternative assessmentsyou could use to track their growth and get valuable information to sharewith them in terms of the achievement they show. Explain your choice withreasons.

3) Consider each of the alternative assessments listed in section 5.2. For each,list the degree to which the five principles are fulfilled. Also make remarkson the advantages each have and/or challenges teachers are likely to face todo these assessments in class. Use a table as given below to do this activity.You may work in pairs or small groups and then present your answers tothe class.

Authenticity Practicality Reliability Validity Washback Remarks(challenges)

ClassroomObservation

Dairies

Assignments

Projects

Portfolios

5.6 LET US SUM UPIn this unit we have presented the different forms of assessment that gives aholistic estimate of language performance, and they are the alternative forms ofassessments. These assessments are also more dynamic as they are spread acrossa period of time unlike tests, which are timed and are a static measurement oflearner ability. We have concluded with a critique of existing test formats in theIndian ESL classroom and listed ideas for language teachers to create anenvironment for assessment for learning by moving away from assessment oflearning.

By reading through this unit and solving the questions given in the unit, languageteachers will be able to do the following:

• understand the limitations of pencil and paper tests and not rely too muchon this test-type for classroom purposes;

• practice alternative assessment forms to gain fuller estimates of learnerabilities

• become aware that alternative assessments are not high on practicality butwill yield positive washback; and

• become aware of the limitations of Indian education system where languagetests end up being content-based tests like test of social sciences.

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Language Testing for the ESLClassroom 5.7 FURTHER READINGS

Brown, H.D.. & Abeywickrama, P. (2010). Language Assessment: Principlesand Classroom Practices. Chapter Six (2nd ed.). NY: Pearson and Longman

Common European Framework of Reference. (2001). https://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Source/Framework_EN.pdf

Durairajan, G. (2015). Assessing Learners: A Pedagogic Resource. New Delhi:Cambridge University Press.

Lorna, E. (2013). Assessment as Learning: using classroom assessment tomaximize learning. (2nd Edn). UK: Sage Publications.

5.8 ANSWERS

In all the three tasks there is self-assessment by learners. Their reflections givevery important information to the teacher as feedback on the course content,teaching and assessment processes and help her plan better for future. They wouldhelp her create the model of assessment for learning. In all, these are verysystematic ways of getting estimates of learning process. They show themultidimensionality of alternative assessments and their usefulness as classroomassessments.

Question from 5.3

You can pick any question paper that has been used to test language. Notice thefollowing:

• the number of questions that are based on memory – they would be questionsto test content and would be free response type like write short answers;

• the questions/items where language use or knowledge of language is requiredthat is not based on content learning, then those are items to test language.

Type of alt.assessment

Task 1 Diary writingby learners

Task 2 Observationsheet (learnerself-assessment)

Task 3 Self-assessmentchecklist onopinion aboutassessment andtest types

Information to be obtained

Learning objectives as identifiedby learners – what they haveachieved (or not)

Learning behavior in class –responsiveness and attentiontowards feedback and theinterest to improve

Learners give information onwhich assessment types they likeand the ones they do not; itinvolves reflective thinking anduse of critical thinking skills;gives information about learners’motivation levels to engage withdifferent assessment types.

Feedback provided

Based on self-assessmentteacher can providefeedback aligned to theirneeds

Teacher can make out towhat extent is feedbackuseful; modify feedbackstyle if required

Based on self-assessmentaccounts, teacher canplan which assessmentstypes to use; create abalance betweenmeasurement and usingassessments as learningtools.

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Authenticity Practicality Reliability Validity Washback Remarks Classroom Observation

High (as all prepare learners to communicate in the TL; make them use reflection and critical thinking skills; prepares them for tasks outside of class)

Moderate (may not be done very regularly but unit wise)

High (if it is criterion-referenced & criteria shared with learners –issue of rater reliability)

High (if purpose of language learning is to communicate in TL (Target language))

Positive (as all have the possibility to generate feedback)

Useful and reflective for teachers; can be done formally and informally; teacher engagement high

Dairies Moderate Reflective for learners; good practice of writing skills

Assignments High Use of critical thinking (CT) skills; makes learners independent;

Projects Moderate work in groups raises empathy; use of CT skills

Portfolios Moderate Useful to document, showcase and give feedback

Unit based questions

1) This is an example of classroom observation sheet. Therefore it is a type ofalternative assessment. In this tool the teacher has carefully planned to gatherinformation about her course with respect to how the learners have receivedthe course. Hence she has used certain criterion (or parameters) to measurethe course quality from the point of view of learners, an importantstakeholder in assessment. She is likely to draw links between learners’attendance, amount of interest in the course and assessments to their amountof learning (or performance). This is a systematic and holistic way ofevaluating teaching and assessments used in a course. The informationgathered can help her take two important decisions - bring in modificationsin the course and share information with learners (and parents) and createpositive washback.

2) One alternative assessment that can be tried out is – doing a series of role-plays to help learners communicate in different simulated contexts, as theywould need to in real life. The performance and growth can be trackedthrough teacher observation sheet. In the sheet the teacher can track a fewaspects of speaking like development of content, use of language, and clarityof presentation. Based on the information collected, each learner can begiven specific feedback aligned to the course objectives and the tasks. Thiscan be done throughout the course. It is an example of a dynamic assessment.It is authentic in terms of forming estimates of communicative abilities thelearners have achieved. This can yield positive washback.

[*Note that this is just a sample answer of question 2 above. You can think ofother ideas that can be tried out to promote assessment for learning in class.]

3) Table 5.3: An analysis of alternative assessments