Assessment

I believe assessment is an important part of learning, but that the purposes for assessment (the why) and the processes in which assessments are carried out (the how) are open to discussion. Often, the term “assessment” is associated with the high-stakes tests that our students must take: SBA’s, HSGQUE, Terra Nova, ACT, and SATs. These assessments are only part of the assessment process, and they only provide a partial picture of our students as learners.

As teachers, we are assessing our students’ learning on a continuous basis whether we realize it or not. We employ a wide variety of assessments to help us determine if our students are “getting it.” These strategies include: observations, anecdotal notes, chapter tests, quizzes, facial expressions/body language, etc. We use these strategies to increase the effectiveness of our teaching the overall success rate of our students as learners. Our assessments help us determine if our students are “getting it,” and to make modifications as needed.

Likewise, assessing a language curriculum is an essential part of the language program. We need to know if the goals of our language program are being achieved. If our goals are being achieved, we continue to make or program stronger, and if our goals are not being achieved we work to make our program better. The success of our students is at stake.

Assessment serves a purpose, but that purpose should not be to communicate to the stakeholders (students, teachers, parents, etc.) that they are failures. Assessment should be used to lead to changes that will result in the increased effectiveness of whatever is being assessed. Assessment should not be the end result, but a gateway to more effective teaching and learning.