Monitoring and Assessment in Modern Foreign Languages - Essay Example

Monitoring and assessment in modern foreign languages Introduction Assessment is perhaps themost important part of our work as teachers and as well the most challenging and complex task in the teaching profession. Today, assessments in language teaching have become the integral part of the teacher evaluation process in a bid to determine the effectiveness of the teaching outcomes. Language teaching as Artiles & Ortiz, (2002) note covers the effective adoption of the four teaching skills emphasized in language education and learning. These are the speaking skills, the listening skills, the reading skills, and the writing skills in a given language. Second language teaching is very challenging for language teachers as it requires the teacher to ensure the effective adoption of the four language skills in every student that is not easy at certain points. Adequate methodological procedures, therefore, need to be put in place to ensure that language teaching and learning is effective and students beneficial. In conjunction with this need, effective assessment techniques have to put in place by language teachers to ensure that the most relevant and compatible teaching and learning methodologies are used in the teaching process. This can be determined by looking at the extent of achievements of the intended goals and objectives set by the teacher prior to the teaching session. In regard to these demands, students centered approaches have been adopted by most teachers in language teaching ensuring the effective and adequate participation of each student in the language learning process. Such methodologies tend to encourage students to positively participate in the learning process as well as enjoying the learning process. Bigelow, Ranney, & Dahlman, (2006) assessment of the effectiveness of language teaching and learning using the students centered approaches has indicated positive results with most learning and teaching objectives adequately achieved at the end of the teaching process. The method of assessment adopted by an individual teacher is determined by the subject area as well as the teaching outcomes intended for evaluation. The information generated from the assessment reports help the teacher in gauging themselves amidst the class set objectives and the teaching methodologies employed at every level of our teaching career. Evaluation, therefore, forms the central part in the teaching profession as it acts as the lamp light for teachers to ensure that their objectives are being achieved in line with the students’ expected targets. The traditional way of assessment in most schools and career subjects has been to test the students’ level of understanding after teaching using a given methodology. Even though other assessment methodologies have been invented by teachers in various fields, testing remains the most relevant and fundamental method of assessment in various disciplines. Effective testing techniques, therefore, must be put in place in order to ensure that the best methodologies are adopted for language learning and teaching. Whatever the assessment procedure chosen, Brinton, Snow, & Wesche, (2003), suggests that the teacher should ensure that the procedure chosen addresses all the desires of the learning outcome. In this regard Kopriva, Emick, Hipolito-Delgado, & Cameron, (2007) says that an assessment criterion should aim at promoting and rewarding the intended outcome and the teaching and learning activities selected for a given discipline. Besides, the criterion should also be able to effectively communicate to the students the expected assessment requirements. To wrap up their argument, Kopriva, Emick, Hipolito-Delgado, & Cameron, (2007) by asserting that the selected criterion should as well be ale to provide effective and efficient feedback mechanisms in terms of comments on a continuous basis in order to keep the students updated on the expectations of the course as well as the expected learning and teaching outcomes. This draws a close connection between teaching and learning to keep the students at purr with the learning requirements at every level of study. In this paper, I will examine the importance and effectiveness of various teaching methodologies employed in language teaching (French) in the modern secondary schools. Rationale for students’ assessment in language teaching Students’ assessments bear great significance in relating the teaching methodologies adopted in teaching and learning processes and the expected learning outcomes at every level. Rivera &Collum definition of assessment is pegged on the basis of the results based on the learning approaches adopted by language teachers as well as the students compliance with the teaching and learning objectives. In his defining Rivera & Collum, (2008) says; Assessment of and for students’ learning is the process of gathering and analyzing information as evidence about what students know, can do and understand. It is part of an ongoing cycle that includes planning, documenting and evaluating students’ learning (pp. 68) Based on the definition above, positive results are the only way of ensuring that a given methodological approach employed in a teaching career is effective in achieving the intended outcomes. This can only be evaluated through the assessment process. As a form of evaluation of the most effective and efficient teaching methodologies, student assessment, therefore, becomes the most important aspect for the teaching profession in informing teachers of the best teaching methodologies to be adopted for various types of students and in different contexts. Different subjects have different methodologies that can be employed in their teaching and learning. Language teaching employs a wide range of methodologies and testing their relevance in teaching given class is the only sure way of selecting the most relevant methodologies for a given group of students and in different contexts. Just to illustrate my point above, I have been able to group my students into three main groups based on their linguistics abilities in the French language i.e.; those with excellent abilities, those with mixed capabilities and the weak students in my French classes. In this paper, I will use the narrative of three students belonging to each of the categories mentioned above. Elen represents the first category of students in my class that have fully mastered the four basic linguistic skills in French and have neared the native speakers so closely. Elen, like most of my students (Y7C) is able to listen, understand and comprehend almost all words in French; moreover, Elen can as well read and fluently speak French with the close fluency of a native speaker since the beginning of my classes with them. Idil on the other hand represents a second category with moderate performance in class work and characterized by having mixed expressions in their linguistic capability posed by their personality differences. I am however, glad of the confidence built in them over time as they are up to the challenge to like and positively and actively contribute during French classes. Jade represents yet another group of students that are categorized as average performers with regard to the four linguistic skills. Their development is however very rapid and consistent improvements in their performance is quite commendable since I took over the class. Much improvement in each student in my class has been realized due to my continuous assessment and sufficient feedback reports I regularly give to them. Bigelow, Ranney, & Dahlman, (2006), record that, through the assessment procedures adopted by the teachers, they are made aware of the problems encountered during the teaching process using certain designated teaching methodologies. In this way, teachers are putting themselves in a position of being able to identify these flaws and make the necessary corrective measures at the proper time to ensure their improvements for better results. Testing as the most common assessment method used by various teachers informs the teachers of the types of errors their students make in an attempt to implement the aspects learnt in class. These ranges from spelling mistakes, mistakes based on pronunciation as well as the students reading and interpretation skills in a given language. Both oral testing and written tests help the teachers in identifying students with special needs and who need special attention as compared to the others. Proper focused attention mechanisms can, therefore, be put in place by the teachers in order to ensure that such needs are fully and completely addressed at the appropriate time. According to Artiles & Ortiz, (2002), students’ participation in language lasses is the immediate way of assessing their understanding of certain concepts. This enables the teachers to make the necessary correction at the point of and avoids time lax as in the testing methods. ‘On the point corrections’ help students and teachers to make immediate implementation of the corrected mistakes making language learning more complete and fulfilling. In line with these arguments, Thurlow, Thompson, & Lazarus, (2006) mention certain routine assessment criteria that should be adopted by language teachers in order to ensure that the learning outcomes are complete and satisfactory in line with the teaching and learning objectives. In regard to this, he says; Informal observation and checking students completed work, questioning students about their understanding, students homework, assignments, quiz, test results, and grades earned are some useful assessment procedures to decide whether students can move to the next learning sequence or require some remedial instruction (pp. 668) The routine assessment procedures as Thurlow, Thompson, & Lazarus, (2006) note helps teachers in ensuring continuous monitoring of the students performance to keep them in line with the expected learning objectives. The assessment system according to him should be well targeted and conducted throughout the entire learning and teaching session in order to ensure consistency in the delivery process. Far for the reasons mentioned above, Artiles & Ortiz, (2002) note yet another important contribution of assessment in ensuring in language learning. The teacher’s feedback on test results and the various learning outcomes play a very key role in informing the students of their own progress in line with the teacher’s guidelines. The consequent outcomes will highly depend on the previous comments from the teacher. By conducting regular assessments, therefore, the teachers can make well informed decisions on the feedback they should give to their students about how well they are performing in their class work and the entire learning process and the necessary measures they are suppose to take in order to make improvements on various factors affecting their learning process. This can be done in a number of ways depending on the teachers experience and motivational methods chosen. Kopriva, Emick, Hipolito-Delgado, & Cameron, (2007) suggest some of the ways through which these can be achieved stating; informal observation and experience on the amount and type of praise different students require, information about how close each student has come to achieving the learning targets, homework and quiz results, and interviewing students (pp. 17), Different feedback mechanisms work differently in different students, while to some, praise forms the basic motivational factor, to others, the teachers attention given to their works motivates them most. Moreover, informing the students of their progress in regard to a given learning methodology through the assessment procedure plays a very critical role in helping them make personal adjustments in line with their expectations in the subject area. Language learning and teaching require exactly this approach so as to keep every student on track about proper language acquisition. The spoken aspect of language learning for instance requires a great deal of motivational factors from the teachers to enable the learners to carry out self evaluation. This encourages individual efforts in language learning and teaching hence easing the effectiveness of the learning process. The assessment process Assessment of language teaching and learning outcomes is a complex process that requires very accurate observation of the various factors in deemed important, the process of learning and teaching. A great deal of considerations, therefore, needs to be put in place to enable language teachers’ conduct the best assessment criteria for their students. Brinton, Snow, & Wesche, (2003) give a number of stages to be taken into consideration in coming up with the most appropriate assessment criteria for language learners as described below. Defining the purpose for the assessment The teacher is required to clearly define the purpose of the assessment before selecting the best method for conducting the assessment criterion. Different motives drive people to conduct an assessment for instance, some assessments are geared towards helping the students to advance their grades to higher levels while of others are concerned with looking for the necessary remedies for the various problems faced in the course of teaching. Language teacher must come out clear at this point to distinguish what the results generated from the assessment are going to contribute to their teaching profession (Rivera & Collum, 2008). This is the initial step that every language teacher has to put into consideration before conducting the assessment process. Evaluating the assessment method prior to its use The effectiveness of the assessment method adopted by the language teachers needs to be evaluated effectively at this stage in order to come up with the correct measures to inform the proper decisions based on clearly defined teacher and student expectations. The method selected for use must be able to adequately address all the requirements and fulfill the expected demands. Rivera & Collum, (2008), note that during the evaluation process, the teacher should ensure that the assessment tool/ methodology selected for use addresses the four basic skills of language learning and teaching; listening, reading, writing and speaking. For instance, the ability of the students to comprehend word constructs as a positive learning outcome should be effectively addressed alongside other important measures to evaluate in relation to the assessment tool selected. The main aim of language teachers in language education and learning are to develop language proficiency in their students. The criterion chosen for assessment should, therefore, be geared towards ensuring the development of the four- fold language skills in learners in order to ensure adequate proficiency. Developing the assessment specifications The assessment specifications define the content to be assessed and the manner in which it should be assessed. These specifications should be developed in the domain of knowledge and skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking aspects of language acquisition and development in order to fully capacitate the students with adequate linguistic command. The content of the specifications should be to a given standard set by the linguistic society fully incorporating the expectations of the students, teachers and the entire linguistic community (Brinton, Snow, & Wesche, 2003). This may entail a set of detailed notes on the acceptable vocabulary in the target language (French in this case), the syllabus stretch and the use of visual representations alongside another assessment criterion in order to come up with all rounded approach in equipping learners with the necessary knowledge of the target language. The criterion should as well define the number and types of items the learners are expected to achieve in the course of their learning. This will include the learning resources recommended for the learners to achieve the best of the learning results. The main aim of the chosen criterion should present the students with multiple opportunities to asses what they know about the content learned and be able to test themselves and know what they can do. Of prime importance for the selection of the assessment tool is to consider the cultural background and diversity in addressing the students’ weaknesses and potentialities in language learning. The criterion should put into consideration the cultural influences on the output registered by the test taking population. These should be discussed into details in conjunction with the relevant authorities, for instance how cultural diversities should be represented in the passages, context settings, and teachers’ illustrations in response to their students corrections (Bigelow, Ranney, & Dahlman, 2006). Developing the assessment criteria and testing the criteria At this level, the teacher clearly evaluated and test assessment procedures before their actual use in assessing the learners. This is to ensure that the chosen criterion meets the set requirements intended for the test outcomes. The relevance of the criterion chosen to the learning and teaching objectives and results are evaluated at this level. As Artiles & Ortiz, (2002) record, keen attention must be taken at this level to ensure that the best criterion is chosen fit for the intended purpose. The outcome of the evaluation process according to Brinton, Snow, & Wesche, (2003) should be in agreement with the learning objectives, teaching methodologies used as the expected target at every level. This is a key factor to be considered when selecting an evaluation technique. The award criteria for various learners as a form of motivation should as well be encompassed during the criterion development process. Modern foreign language assessment in secondary schools Different assessment methods have been developed by various scholars and experts in the field of education in order to come up with an all rounded techniques for assessing and evaluating the various teaching and learning methodologies adopted by teachers in various parts of the world. Modern language assessment criteria tend to focus mainly on enhancing students understanding on the various language skills such as speaking, reading, listening and writing in order to ensure that learners are fully equipped with the best knowledge in the foreign languages of their preference. The following are some of the methodologies that have been used by various evaluators to conduct the evaluation process in secondary schools around the globe. Formative assessment The formative assessment criterion is a common assessment methodology in various parts of the world today. It is an assessment for learning that assesses the effectiveness of a given criteria in addressing the learning and teaching targets. The method is designed in such a way that it is suitable for use at the beginning of the learning process as well as during the process of the learning period. This criterion enables the teachers to conduct continuous assessment of the students compliance to the learning objectives as he or she continues to use the chosen teaching methodology (Bigelow, Ranney, & Dahlman, 2006). This helps the teachers in determining the effectiveness of language use by addressing the potentialities and weaknesses of his or her students in the course of their learning. The diagnostic tools used in this criterion focuses on determining what the students know as well as the learning gaps identified by the teacher for further address. The students are allowed here to reflect upon their own efforts and carry out individual assessments on their own abilities. By using the formative approaches in the assessment of language teaching and learning, teachers are provided with adequate information for elaborate decision making on various issues that can help them promote their teaching and learning skills and students’ achievements. It provides the students with the opportunity to practice on their linguistics skills with the aim of improving on them (Brinton, Snow, & Wesche, 2003). Using the formative approach, each student can monitor and improve their performance in language use by addressing the necessary issues affecting their adequate performance. It helps students in planning their future goals about language use and application. Summative assessment The summative approach of assessment as the name suggests is used at the end of the teaching process. This is the most common assessment criterion used by most language teachers in various parts of the world. The most common teaching and assessment criterion adopted by most teachers focuses on giving of the relevant instructions to the students before the actual assessment is conducted (Artiles & Ortiz, 2002). In this way, the teachers aim at evaluating how effective the teaching and learning methodology used in language teaching has been effective in achieving both the teacher and learners the set goals and objectives. The summative approach provides the teachers with adequate data informing them of how effective the learning methodologies adopted have been. It also informs the teacher of the gaps where there is a dire need for improvement in order to ensure more elaborate address to the teaching inadequacies for a better output. Most language teachers prefer the summative approach in conducting the assessment of the intended outcomes. According to Bigelow, Ranney, & Dahlman, (2006) the summative approach enables the teachers to stand on the fence and view the teaching outcomes rather than fusing together both the teaching and assessment strategies as in the case of using the summative approaches. In this way, therefore, the approach helps the teachers to do away with the confusions that may arise in the course of fusing the two different events at the same time. The strategy ensures that learners achieve the best in class and are given adequate time to try and implement the aspects learned in class after they have internalized and practiced over the same. According to Rivera & Collum, (2008) the summative method of assessment is the soundest and relevant approach in conducting the assessment procedures in the language teaching and learning. Student self- assessment This approach aims at providing elaborate opportunity for the students to be able to assess themselves at individual levels. This is the most recent assessment method employed mainly in the developed nations. The method empowers the students with the relevant and sound linguistic capabilities in putting them in a position that enables them to assess and monitor their progress about language learning and application. Students self assessment approaches in language learning employs the use of elaborate technology that the students can use to effectively evaluate themselves and correct common mistakes that do not require close attention of the teacher. Such include the use of software applications that help the learners in the pronunciation and use of certain vocabularies that are hard to comprehend. Audio- lingual approaches are mostly used in this process where recorded voices in the target language are repeatedly played by the learners as they speak along (Bigelow, Ranney, & Dahlman, 2006). This helps them to enhance their pronunciation techniques hence the effective use of the target language. Students self assessment methods as Bigelow, Ranney, & Dahlman, (2006) notes are more reliable and dependable based on the effectiveness of its fundamental concepts. Conclusion In conclusion, I would like to mention here that foreign language teaching is a great challenge to language teachers given the students’ low prioritization of the second language at high preference to their first languages. Since my placement as a teacher of French language in my current school, I have been able to impart positive performance on my students. The overall performance registered by my students with respect to the four language skills namely; speaking, reading, writing and listening have been greatly improved in my students at large. As mentioned in the report above, a number of my students such as Elen have tremendously developed their linguistics capability with respect to the four linguistic skills making them almost able to become proficient speakers of the French language. I also realized that much of the teachers efforts during language teaching and learning need to be focused on selecting the most effective teaching and learning method for classroom teaching and learning. Based on this, I have as well been able to uplift the performance of my weak students to average performance with respect to their linguistic capabilities in French. With few careless mistakes made by some of my students like Idil, I am positive about their commendable improvements in some aspects of their linguistics capabilities such as in listening and reading. Appropriate evaluation techniques have helped me note the weak students such as Jade, mentioned in the report that still has difficulties with the relevant linguistic aspects. Their attitude towards French learning and application has however positively improved to the better, a clear show of future prospects. These include the formative approaches; the summative approaches as well as the students self assessment techniques. The selection of either of the approaches is informed by the expected learning and teaching goals to be achieved by both the teachers and the students. The use of these assessment methods effectively in alleviating my students’ performance in French has had a great impact in identifying and categorizing students with varied abilities. This has enabled me to specially attend to those students requiring special attention for targeted improvement. The general performance and perception of the students have however changed to the better. References Artiles, A. J., & Ortiz, A. A. (2002). English language learners with special education needs: Identification, assessment and instruction . Washington, DC: Centre for Applied Linguistics. Bigelow, M., Ranney, S., & Dahlman, A. (2006). Keeping the language focus in content-based ESL instruction through proactive curriculum-planning. TESL Canada , 24 (1), 40–58. Brinton, D. M., Snow, M. A., & Wesche, M. (2003). Content-based second language instruction. New York, NY: Newbury House. Kopriva, R. J., Emick, J. E., Hipolito-Delgado, C. P., & Cameron, C. A. (2007). Do proper accommodation assignments make a difference? Examining the impact of improved decision making on scores for English language learners. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice , 26 (3), 11-20. Rivera, C., & Collum, E. (2008). State assessment policy and practice for English language learners: A national perspective. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Thurlow, M. L., Thompson, S. J., & Lazarus, S. S. (2006). Considerations for the administration of tests to special needs students: Accommodations, modifications, and more. In S. M. Downing, & T. M. Haladyna, Handbook of test development (pp. 653-673). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Read More