Teach English in Kangjiahui Zhen - Xinzhou Shi

To answer this question we must first explain what assessment is in relation to education. Assessment is defined as; the process of testing, and making a judgement about , someone's knowledge, ability, skills. (Cambridge Online Dictionary:2019) This essay will address the elements in this definition and link them to our role as teachers. It will explain that our responsibility to assess our students in order to make informed decisions about how and what we should teach to move students forward in their learning journey is an essential component of the teaching and learning cycle. This essay will aim to answer the question of why assessment is important when teaching English and how as teachers we too can benefit from the use of ongoing assessment and reflection. It will also identify and define different types and methods of assessment most commonly used in a classroom setting and how these can be used to enhance the learner experience and inform the teaching. In the definition provided by Cambridge, assessment is categorised into three main elements; the process of testing, making judgements, and identifying strengths and weaknesses of the learner. The process of assessing a student is often thought of as administering a pencil and paper test at the conclusion of the learning, but it can also encompass many other ways of identifying strength and weakness in the learner’s knowledge or skill level. The ‘effective’ teacher will utilise various methods of testing student. Assessing does not have to happen at the end of the learning, in actual fact if it is ongoing throughout the process the student is more likely to perform better in a post unit test, as he has had the opportunity to correct and improve with feedback along the journey. (Board of Studies, NSW 2012) Teachers play a critical role in ensuring students reach their goals. When assessment is part of the process the judgement that is made to adjust the learning intentions in a lesson or set of lessons can be done with more accuracy and the teaching becomes more effective, in turn the learning becomes more achievable. Students’ knowledge, ability and skill usually change through the learning journey and with the use of assessment along the way the teacher is able to modify the intensity, activities and content to suit the learners’ needs. In this world of technology and availability of online learning, some might ask what is the role of the teacher? The real life teacher, with a toolkit of assessment options can personalise a learning experience to the learner. In a classroom setting the role of the teacher varies depending on the ability of the learners, however, in the role of the assessor the teacher is invaluable. She is pivotal in making informed judgements about the skill level of the learner and therefore the pathway to take to further develop the learning. Formative assessment is the type of assessment that comes almost naturally to many teachers. It is the assessment that guides the ‘in the moment’ changes to lessons. Teachers observe students completing tasks that utilise the skill or share the knowledge that is being taught in an informal manner. This type of assessment is particularly good for assisting teachers to adjust their instruction, guide reteaching and to give the student an immediate opportunity to demonstrate their new skill and receive feedback. Placement and diagnostic assessments are another type of assessment that are very useful. These tests are usually used at the beginning of a unit of work. They are pre-tests that can be used to assist a teacher to identify which skills the students are already proficient in and those that will need further teaching. Progress assessments are used at certain intervals in the teaching cycle. These assessments assume that the student has mastered the elements being assessed. They can highlight areas of strength and areas that may need reteaching. This type of assessment can be both motivating and demotivating for students. Some students use the feedback from this more formalised setting as an encouragement to work harder, whereas others may find it daunting, therefore, perform poorly thus decreasing motivation. This is one reason why a combination of different types of assessment is important to ascertain student achievement. Summative assessments are used at the end of the unit and all students participate in the same assessment. This type of assessment can be challenging for some students however, it provides an equal playing field in which in to identify subsets of students who may be missing the mark, and compare students to a set standard. These assessments can provide an opportunity for teaching staff and schools in general to assist with specific interventions in order to help students meet the expected benchmarks. “While motivating students can be a difficult task, the rewards are more than worth it. Motivated students are more excited to learn and participate. Simply put: Teaching a class full of motivated students is enjoyable for teacher and student alike.” (Teach.com, 2019) One way of encouraging students is to teach self-assessment methods, and personal goal setting. When students can identify their own weaknesses and strengths they are then able to work towards achieving their goals. One of the greatest assets to a teacher is a motivated learner. Assessment can provide the catalyst for increased motivation for both the teacher and the learner, if used appropriately and regularly. When teachers assess and use this information to provide feedback and encourage students, they also have the opportunity to self-reflect and improve their own practice. Evaluation in teaching English language is a process of collecting, analysing and interpreting information about teaching and learning in order to make informed decisions that enhance student achievement and the success of educational programs. Not only is student assessment important but teachers assessing and evaluating their own skill and ability by reviewing student interest, participation, perseverance and achievement allows the teacher to improve her craft and review the effectiveness of activities chosen. (Genesee and Upshur, 1996) Without quality assessment before, during and at the conclusion of the lesson or unit of work, the teacher is not able to effectively guide students to success. A teacher who is not prepared with accurate information as to the skill and knowledge level of the students will be less effective than that of the teacher who listens and assesses as she teaches, provides feedback on performance with well-selected assessment tasks and encourages self-assessment and goal setting. Measuring improvement over time, motivating students to work hard and study, evaluation of the students’ skill and knowledge levels, as well as evaluating the teacher and teaching programs are the main reasons I believe assessment is critically important for teaching English as a foreign language. “Learners need endless feedback more than they need endless teaching.” Grant Wiggins (source unknown) References: Genesee, F. and Upshur, J. (1996) Classroom Based Evaluation in Second Language Education. Cambridge University Press. Board of Studies NSW(2012 ) English K-10 Syllabus. Board of Studies New South Wales. Cambridge Online Dictionary (2019) Website visited: 4/7/2019 Teach.com (2019) Website visited: 4/7/2019