Practical Alternative
Assessments
Alternative assessments focus on teaching and learning, not
simply measuring.
- They help improve the effectiveness of instruction.
- They better accommodate varying student interests, learning
styles, backgrounds, and abilities.
- They encourage student responsibility for their learning.
Why use alternative assessments?
- They require in-depth understanding.
- They require the use of skills and knowledge learned.
- They are holistic and integrative.
- Time is more flexible.
- The setting is relaxed and cooperative.
- All students can be successful.
When developing effective lessons for second language learners,
teachers should integrate assessment with learning.
- Focus on students using new learning and skills.
- Provide ongoing support and feedback.
- Increase student awareness of what they learned and how they
learned it to enhance their capacity for future learning
(Cummins).
Note:
Alternative assessments should be designed to allow ESOL students to
demonstrate content knowledge without interference from their lack of
English proficiency.
Read pages 162-164 in your study guide. Choose one
of these assessments to use as a compliment or as a substitute for
the material tested by the classroom test you evaluated earlier.
Then, think through the steps to implement the alternative assessment
in your classroom and answer the following questions. You may submit
your answers to the facilitator using either the downloadable
document or p. 165 in your study guide.
- What do you want the students to know and be able to do at the
end of the unit?
- Which alternative assessment have you chosen to demonstrate
this?
- What is acceptable performance?
- How will you provide students ongoing support and ongoing
feedback during this work? What additional support can you provide
to ESOL students?
- Does the activity require students to learn new knowledge and
skills (not just do nifty things)? What new knowledge and
skills?
- How are students made aware of what they have learned and how
they have learned it?
- What are the "pros" of this assessment for ESOL students?
- What are the "cons" of this assessment for ESOL
students?
Download the
document in Microsoft Word Format
