Classroom Assessment

Ayudantia

Classroom Assessment: A Plea for Change

1. - What is the purpose of this paper?

The two purposes are:

1.    Compare and contrast the psychometric perspective with the edumetric assessment perspective.

2.    Explain the principles and parameter of language assessment in different places.

The author regards the advantages and shortcomings of these topics for the education paying particular attention to the language

2. - What is the meaning of the concept “negative washback”?

A negative washback is the effect that depends from a negative situation. This effect occur when the teacher only teach for students that could answer different test or when the student do not have motivation.

3. - Do we have negative washback in Chilean schools? Examples

Yes, we have a negative washback and they are:

SIMCE: Because teachers choose their best students to perform these tests, leaving behind those who do not understand the matter was explained in class.

Monthly evaluations: teachers use the same exercises on the evidence seen in classes, which are the same results.

Homework: Students search online information about any given work in class. They just copy the information without write it in their own words.

4. - Do you think the psychometric test suits a language evaluation? Why?

We think that a language evaluation of this kind is not the most appropriate. Because it does not reflect what the student learnt). We think in terms of language, the most important thing is to be able to speak and express ideas. And in any question with multiple choices, the student could not prove that. By the other hand, these kinds of test are equal for everyone, and that is not right. In what respect in second language, everyone learn in a different way, so the progress will never be the same. So the evaluation should focus in every student. Learning a language is not the same as learning the capitals of some countries, therefore would not have the same form of evaluation. Even when for a teacher is easier to evaluate written tests (like the comprehension of a lecture) than oral tests (for example make a conversation about chosen topic by the students). It is not good because the students must to say what they are thinking or what they like, much better in the foreign language.

5.-Why does the author use the word “plea” in the title?

We think that the word plea used for the author, means an attempt to show why a specific system of evaluation it is not the right one. Because he put emphasis that we have to pay attention to all the factors that interfere with the process of learning in a student. And sometimes a wrong way to evaluation will not show if the student learnt o not. It is about worry what a student learnt and not what the mark he got.