Part IV. Teaching Materials
Assessment Project “EF Final Project”
Assessment Project “EF Final Project”
This assessment was created in March 2013 for my pre-intermediate-level students at Education First in Waikiki. I needed to create a culminating project based on our class theme and novel, which revolved around music. As the final presentation is in front of many other students and I know many of my students feel shy or embarrassed to speak in front of other students, I needed to find a way to assess them that would be low-stress. I wanted to create something that would assess their understanding of the elements from the novel and their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in English.
The result was a poster session where students worked in pairs to choose a musical artist and research about their lives based on different criteria. The students had to work together with a partner who did not share the same first language as them, therefore all research, planning, and conversation had to be in English. The students worked on the poster for this project during class, but were required to practice the speaking element outside of class time. This form of assessment meets multiple criteria of a good assessment instrument. For example, conducting the research about their chosen musician demonstrates authenticity as students are using natural language in a context that is real-life; the ability to be able to discuss different elements of pop culture is generally very relevant, especially in the United States. This assessment also measures validity, as students were able to conduct research to meet topics similar to those found in the novel used in class. Additionally, this assessment piece was quite practical. The materials needed for the posters were already available and I was able to grade students while they were working and also as they presented, which did not require any additional time on either the students’ or my part.
I think that the tool I chose for assessing my students is appropriate for two reasons. First, I did not want to make them feel so self-conscious that they would be unable to perform. Second, I did not want the assessment to be too easy so they would finish in one class and not see the importance of the work that had been created. It is also a great way for the other students and teachers in the school to see the improvements my students have made so far without focusing all the attention in the room on one or two people at a time. The rubric I adapted for my students came from the rubric generator website, Rubistar.com. I changed some of the descriptions of criteria on the pre-made rubric and added some criteria of my own that was specific for my students and the type of presentation they were preparing for. I would definitely be able to use this rubric again as it focuses on the different aspects the students have to focus on in both process and product stages of their project. Additionally, the rubric is created for presentation and poster development not geared specifically towards a particular topic.
This was a challenging assessment tool to create because at first I felt that it was something so simple and easy, especially compared to the other types of assessments being created and used by my colleagues. In the end, however, I realized that my students are the lowest level in the school and should not be compared to the others students and their abilities.
In short, I believe that I have created a good tool to assess my students without making them feel stressed or embarrassed. I was able to witness every one of my students working hard and attempting to create something that they were proud to present. They also showed dedication in demonstrating their abilities to work with other students and use the language that they are learning inside and outside of class. I hope I can adapt this project again for another group of students. The assessment instructions and rubric can be found here.
The result was a poster session where students worked in pairs to choose a musical artist and research about their lives based on different criteria. The students had to work together with a partner who did not share the same first language as them, therefore all research, planning, and conversation had to be in English. The students worked on the poster for this project during class, but were required to practice the speaking element outside of class time. This form of assessment meets multiple criteria of a good assessment instrument. For example, conducting the research about their chosen musician demonstrates authenticity as students are using natural language in a context that is real-life; the ability to be able to discuss different elements of pop culture is generally very relevant, especially in the United States. This assessment also measures validity, as students were able to conduct research to meet topics similar to those found in the novel used in class. Additionally, this assessment piece was quite practical. The materials needed for the posters were already available and I was able to grade students while they were working and also as they presented, which did not require any additional time on either the students’ or my part.
I think that the tool I chose for assessing my students is appropriate for two reasons. First, I did not want to make them feel so self-conscious that they would be unable to perform. Second, I did not want the assessment to be too easy so they would finish in one class and not see the importance of the work that had been created. It is also a great way for the other students and teachers in the school to see the improvements my students have made so far without focusing all the attention in the room on one or two people at a time. The rubric I adapted for my students came from the rubric generator website, Rubistar.com. I changed some of the descriptions of criteria on the pre-made rubric and added some criteria of my own that was specific for my students and the type of presentation they were preparing for. I would definitely be able to use this rubric again as it focuses on the different aspects the students have to focus on in both process and product stages of their project. Additionally, the rubric is created for presentation and poster development not geared specifically towards a particular topic.
This was a challenging assessment tool to create because at first I felt that it was something so simple and easy, especially compared to the other types of assessments being created and used by my colleagues. In the end, however, I realized that my students are the lowest level in the school and should not be compared to the others students and their abilities.
In short, I believe that I have created a good tool to assess my students without making them feel stressed or embarrassed. I was able to witness every one of my students working hard and attempting to create something that they were proud to present. They also showed dedication in demonstrating their abilities to work with other students and use the language that they are learning inside and outside of class. I hope I can adapt this project again for another group of students. The assessment instructions and rubric can be found here.