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Date Posted: 11:24:04 04/11/07 Wed
Author: Fernanda Dias (Continuous Assessment)
Subject: Re: Task One Group Seven
In reply to: Adriana 's message, "Task One Group Seven" on 06:10:31 04/08/07 Sun

The Continuous Assessment in English as Second Language (ESL) teaching

Similar to every language acquirement process, teaching English as second language has always demanded evaluation techniques which would assess students general and specific performance in their learning. Then, in order to obtain a more reliable and real data from students’ progress, the continuous assessment technique in ESL teaching proposes an informal evaluation of learner’s language skills through their performance in and outside classroom. For having such evaluation method applied in a certain group though, it is necessary to understand its characteristics and the criteria that should be used when students are given grades.

As it has already been said, the continuous assessment is an evaluation procedure of students’ performance. Its first characteristic is that it should happen over a period of weeks or months. In other words, it is a long term analysis of students’ language skills development. As a second and very remarkable characteristic, the continuous assessment does not use formal tests; what means that students are evaluated through their performance in group work, homework, class progress, effort, persistence and attitude. Therefore, the third and last characteristic of such evaluation procedure is that, as it is based on the teacher’s observation of students’ progress, it always requires him to take notes about each student in a discreet way, what avoids them to feel judged and thus, free to be themselves as learners.

The criteria for evaluating students’ performance through continuous assessment method can be divided in three strategies. In the first one, the teacher has an active involvement with students, but not dominating them. In the second strategy, learners’ spontaneity in using the language should be explored the most as possible, so that they explicitly express their learning progress. For getting spontaneous language use from students then, it is advisable to avoid allowing time for preparation when proposing activities to them. The third strategy is to motivate students’ interaction. By interacting, they express themselves more effectively, making it easier for the teacher to observe their performance. For a successful assessment, the three strategies should be used together, for one fulfills the other.

Thus, the continuous assessment procedure of learners’ performance in second language learning can be considered a very reliable method of evaluation which does reveal the real progress of students throughout their learning progress. It can be concluded that continuous assessment should not be a formal means of students’ measurement, but a procedure included in regular routine of English classes, in order to have students most reliable data for analysis, which is their real and spontaneous expression of the language that is being taught.

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Replies:

  • Re: Task One Group Seven -- allisson ester de paiva (school problems), 13:44:21 04/11/07 Wed
  • Ester's essay reviewed -- Fernanda Dias (suggestions), 07:03:28 04/13/07 Fri
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