In terms of graded assessments, there are three that I have been using, along with online exams that they do on their own. Those that they do in class are the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational assessments. Interpretive assessments are reading assessments. The student is given a reading in Spanish and is required to answer questions in short form, true or false, or in paragraphs. They read in Spanish and answer in English so that I know they are not just copying information, but that they have understood it. The interpersonal assessment is a conversation assessment. They choose a partner, and practice with them, using the grammar and vocabulary we have learned in the chapter. They then have the conversation with their partner, in front of me. This helps me assess their authentic knowledge of the language. In other words, they are not just repeating rote phrases, but having verbal give and take as they would in an authentic conversational situation. The presentational assessment is a writing assessment. Usually they are asked to write a letter to an imaginary pen pal in which they give information on a certain topic and ask questions of their pen pal, which gives the student a variety of ways in which to express themselves. The interpretive assessment is the least subjective. The answers are either right or wrong, though there is some leeway for interpretation, as the name implies. The other two assessments are graded using a rubric, and it is incumbent upon the teacher to decide where on the rubric the students’ attempts fall. With a language, this always includes some degree of subjectivity. For example, a rubric might say: “uses a range of vocabulary mean,” but what does that mean? Perhaps one student has some background with the language that another lacks, and that student therefore has come into the course already with a greater range of vocabulary. Does that student then receive a higher grade? What about “makes mistakes with pronunciation?” Some students are more gifted than others with their ability to mimic pronunciation. Does this mean that the more gifted student should be rewarded with a higher grade, or does the awareness that a student is trying make a difference even though they may not succeed on the same level as a student with a natural ear for languages. These are things I must consider when using a rubric to grade, which, in my mind, is not foolproof. Equity must play a part when grading with a rubric.
In summary, a language teacher must be fair in their grading, which is something that I am very aware of. It is not like math, where there is a limited path to a good grade. I must take into consideration innate ability, background, and a student’s willingness to try, even if they don’t succeed in a traditional way.
Artifacts:
