BC Education - American Sign Language 5 to 12 - Appendix D: Assessment and evaluation

Assessment and Evaluation: Introduction

Prescribed learning outcomes, expressed in observable terms, provide the basis for the development of learning activities, and assessment and evaluation strategies. After a general discussion of assessment and evaluation, this appendix uses sample evaluation plans to show how activities, assessment, and evaluation might come together in a particular ASL program.

Assessment and Evaluation

Assessment is the systematic gathering of information about what students know, are able to do, and are working toward. Assessment methods and tools include: observation, student self-assessments, daily practice assignments, quizzes, samples of student work, holistic rating scales, projects, oral reports, performance reviews, and portfolio assessments.

Student performance is evaluated from the information collected through assessment activities. Teachers use their insight, knowledge about learning, and experience with students, along with the specific criteria they establish, to make judgments about student performance in relation to prescribed learning outcomes.

Students benefit most when evaluation is provided on a regular, ongoing basis. When evaluation is seen as an opportunity to promote learning rather than as a final judgment, it shows learners their strengths and suggests how they can develop further. Students can use this information to redirect efforts, make plans, and establish future learning goals.

Evaluation may take different forms, depending on the purpose.

Criterion-referenced evaluation should be used to evaluate student performance in classrooms. It is referenced to criteria based on learning outcomes described in the provincial curriculum. The criteria reflect a student's performance based on specific learning activities. When a student's program is substantially modified, evaluation may be referenced to individual goals. These modifications are recorded in an Individual Education Plan (IEP).
Norm-referenced evaluation is used for large-scale system assessments; it is not to be used for classroom assessment. A classroom does not provide a large enough reference group for a norm-referenced evaluation system. Norm-referenced evaluation compares student achievement to that of others rather than comparing how well a student meets the criteria of a specified set of learning outcomes.

Criterion-Referenced Evaluation

In criterion-referenced evaluation, a student's performance is compared to established criteria rather than to the performance of other students. Evaluation referenced to prescribed curriculum requires that criteria are established based on the learning outcomes listed under the curriculum organizers for the subject.

Criteria are the basis of evaluating student progress; they identify the critical aspects of a performance or a product that describe in specific terms what is involved in meeting the learning outcomes. Criteria can be used to evaluate student performance in relation to learning outcomes. For example, weighting criteria, using rating scales, or performance rubrics (reference sets) are three ways that student performance can be evaluated using criteria.

Samples of student performance should reflect learning outcomes and identified criteria. The samples clarify and make explicit the link between evaluation and learning outcomes, criteria, and assessment. Where a student's performance is not a product, and therefore not reproducible, a description of the performance sample should be provided.

Criterion-referenced evaluation may be based on these steps:

Step 1 Identify the expected learning outcomes (as stated in this Integrated Resource Package).

Step 2 Identify the key learning objectives for instruction and learning.

Step 3 establish and set criteria. Involve students, when appropriate, in establishing criteria.

Step 4 Plan learning activities that will help students gain the knowledge or skills outlined in the criteria.

Step 5 Prior to mthe learning activity, inform students of the criteria against which their work will be evaluated.

Step 6 Provide examples of the desired levels of performance.

Step 7 Implement the learning activities.

Step 8 Use various assessment methods based on the particular assignment and students.

Step 9 Review the assessment data and evaluate each student's level of performance or quality of work in relation to criteria.

Step 10 Where appropriate or necessary, assign a letter grade that indicates how well the criteria are met.

Step 11 Report the results of the evaluations to students and parents.

Assessment and Evaluation in American Sign Language Education

It is particularly important that students receive consistent feedback in order to successfully develop the knowledge, skills, and positive and enthusiastic attitudes that will facilitate their learning. Students benefit especially when they participate in developing the assessment criteria. Teachers should ensure that they help students to set goals and objectives for their own language learning and then work with them to monitor their progress.

This section of Appendix D provides information on generic assessment tools that language teachers commonly find useful. These generic tools are applicable for assessing a broad range of activities.

Student Journals

Assessment of student performance may be supported through the use of written and video journals. Student journals are powerful tools for encouraging students to reflect on their experiences. A journal may be quite structured or it may be a general review of the events of the week in the ASL class. Entries may comment on a specific activity or topic or provide broad reflection on progress or an issue.

Journals provide an important means of communication between student and teacher. Students may ask questons, indicate successes, or identify areas in which they need further assistance in developing skills. Teachers can respond to a student journal in a letter, by writing a short comment in the journal, or by talking to the student.

Prompts for daily journal reflections include the following:

Today we learned/participated in __________ .
I tried to __________ .
I asked __________ .
I found out __________ .
I wish I had __________ .
One question I'm taking away to think more about is __________ .
The steps I took to participate effectively were __________ .
The problems I encountered were __________ .
To solve these problems, I __________ .
The resources and people I consulted for help were __________ .

For reflection on an activity or a project, the following prompts can be used:

The most surprising aspect of this activity/project for me was _________ .
I would like to find out more about __________.
If I were to do this activity/project again, I would __________ .
I could help a student who is doing a similar activity/project by __________ .
The biggest problem I had was __________ .
I solved this problem by __________ .
What I enjoyed most about this activity/project was __________ .

Portfolios

A portfolio is a purposeful collection of a student's work that shows his or her effort, progress, and achievement over time. Portfolios can be designed for a variety of purposes. They can motivate students, encourage parental participation, and provide direct evidence of progress. Portfolios offer evidence that students are challenging themselves personally, exploring new ideas, and developing their language abilities.

Before using a portfolio approach to evaluation, the teacher should consider the following questons:

What are the applied tasks for which the portfolio will serve as a record?
What should be included in a portfolio?
In what ways should students be involved in the process of answering the previous questons?

The teacher and student can use a planning sheet to determine and clarify the purpose, design, and construction of a student portfolio.

Interviews

Interviews can provide valuable information about students' understanding of and thoughts and feelings about ASL and Deaf culture. Interviews give students an opportunity to reflect on what they have learned. They also give the teacher a chance to gather information about students' knowledge and attitudes and to diagnose student needs. An interview may take the form of a planned sequence of questons that lead to open-ended discussions, or it may require formal completion of specific questons.

Interview questons could include the following:

How did you feel about your participation in this activity?
How does your group feel about you?
How did you go about __________ ?
Why did you __________ ?
What did or did not work?
Tell me what you learned from __________ .
What else would you like to know?
Is there anything you would like to change?
How well do you think you've done?
What communication skills were taught or learned?

Informal interviews between teacher and student should take place on a regular basis.
Observation Sheets
Observation sheets may be used to assess individual student activities or co-operative activities. This type of information is useful when reporting on individual student progress. It is recommended that teachers focus their assessment by selecting only a few attributes for each observation. In any one class, teachers will find time a limiting factor and may only be able to observe a small portion of students in the class. The Observation of Sign Interactions sheet is one example.

Observation of Sign Interactions
Student's Name________________________________________

Criteria Rating

very well more or less with difficulty

1. Student A is able to ask questons as part of a survey on
_________________________________________.

2. Student B is able to answer student A's questons.

3. Student B is able to ask questons as part of a survey on
_________________________________________.

4. Student A is able to answer student B's questons.

5. Students A and B are able to maintain visual attention, apply proper turn-taking behaviours, and use appropriate body language to elicit information.

Planning and Goal-Setting Worksheets
Setting individual and group goals for progress is an important assessment strategy. Planning and goal-setting worksheets, which include reflections on interests and abilities and specify both short- and long-term goals, can be a basis for assessing students' progress in the various aspects of language learning.
Checklists
Checklists allow the teacher to observe individuals or the entire class "at a glance." They provide a quick reference for keeping track of specific information about student co-operation, participation, leadership abilities, attitudes, knowledge, and skills. Checklists can also be useful in developing student learning profiles that indicate growth over time. Checklists allow the teacher to create an individual record-keeping system in a variety of forms (e.g., by date, using a skill proficiency legend, a yes or no check mark).

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Revised: February 5, 1999
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Student's Name________________________________________
Criteria	Rating
Criteria	very well	more or less	with difficulty
1. Student A is able to ask questons as part of a survey on _________________________________________.
2. Student B is able to answer student A's questons.
3. Student B is able to ask questons as part of a survey on _________________________________________.
4. Student A is able to answer student B's questons.
5. Students A and B are able to maintain visual attention, apply proper turn-taking behaviours, and use appropriate body language to elicit information.