Topic: Personal Interests 

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

Interpersonal Communication 

It is expected that students will:

• exchange opinions on topics of interest
• describe or narrate, with some supportive detail, an event, situation, or experience
• identify and use common idiomatic expressions

It is expected that students will:

• research and use relevant information from a variety of sources to complete authentic tasks

It is expected that students will:

• respond in a personal way with a range of forms of expression to creative works from a variety of sources
• produce a variety of written, oral, and visual creative works based on Punjabi resources

Evaluation was based on:

• oral use of Punjabi during informal debates and discussions
• written research reports
• poems or songs
• journal entries responding to the creative work of two other students

• Students brainstormed a list of vocabulary associated with the environment and worked with partners to practise using the vocabulary in role plays and dialogues.
• By conducting interviews and using print and other media resources, students researched an environmental issue of their choice. They worked in small groups or as a class to compare notes and discuss their information, before writing short research reports. Reports were exchanged for peer editing and submitted for evaluation.
• Working as a class or in small groups, students engaged in informal debates on the topics they researched as well as others the teacher suggested. The class collaborated to develop a checklist and feedback form for peer and teacher assessments.
• Groups of students were assigned an environmental position to advocate and were provided with information to support that viewpoint.
• Working individually or in small groups, students wrote songs or poems about environmental issues and presented them to the class.
• Each student chose two of the poems or songs written by their classmates to respond to in short journal entries.

The teacher reviewed the prescribed learning outcomes and discussed how the following criteria might be demonstrated.

Oral Use of Punjabi During Debates and Discussions

• expresses information clearly, using speech that is readily comprehensible
• offers a clear, relevant opinion or viewpoint
• provides logical reasons, examples, and details to support opinions
• acknowledges or responds to information and opinions from others
• uses strategies to keep communication going (e.g., self-corrects, rephrases, asks others to repeat or clarify)
• speaks with some spontaneity and fluidity; pauses tend to be at the end of phrases or sentences and rarely interfere with meaning
• appropriately uses a variety of vocabulary, idioms, and language structures

• is clearly written and easy to understand
• is logically organized
• focusses on a central idea or theme
• includes accurate, relevant information
• uses varied and appropriate word choices
• errors in sentence structure, usage, spelling, or punctuation do not obscure meaning

• conveys a clear message, feeling, or impression
• focusses on a topic or theme
• includes details to add interest or effect
• uses a range of appropriate vocabulary and idioms
• uses simple rhymes and rhythmic patterns

• clearly summarizes key features or themes of classmate's creative work
• states a personal opinion or response
• offers details, reasons, and examples to support or explain personal responses
• makes connections to other experiences, poems, or songs
• writes clearly and understandably

Oral Use of Punjabi During Debates and Discussions

The teacher used the following rating scale to evaluate student performance. Students used the same rating scale to provide peer feedback.

Oral Use of Punjabi
Criteria	Rating	Comments and Suggestions
expresses information clearly; speech is readily comprehensible
offers a clear, relevant opinion or viewpoint
provides logical reasons, examples, and details to support opinions
uses strategies to keep communication going (e.g., self-corrects, rephrases, asks other to repeat or clarify)
speaks with some spontaneity and fluidity; pauses tend to be at the end of phrases or sentences and rarely interfere with meaning
appropriately uses a variety of vocabulary, idioms, and language structures

Key:

3 - Strongly Evident
2 - Frequently Observed
1 - Some Evidence
0 - Not Observed

Research Reports
Rating	Criteria
A	The report is focussed, clear, and easy to understand. Information is relevant, accurate, and detailed. The student adds or elaborates information to create interest. Language is appropriate and used accurately. The student incorporates familiar language and often risks using unfamiliar vocabulary or structures to enhance meaning or add interest. (These attempts may or may not be successful.) Errors, if any, in letter formations, sentence structures, usage, spelling, or punctuation do not affect meaning. .
B	The report is focussed, clear, and easy to understand. Information is relevant, accurate, and detailed. Word choices are appropriate; the student uses newly acquired language appropriately and competently. Tends to rely on familiar constructions and basic vocabulary. Errors in surface features (e.g., letter formations, sentence structures, usage, spelling, punctuation) do not affect meaning.
C	Most of the report is easy to understand, but portions may require rereading or inferences on the part of the reader. Is generally focussed on a topic or theme, but may present some problems in the way information has been selected or organized. Tends to rely on simple, familiar constructions and basic vocabulary. Errors in surface features (e.g., letter formations, sentence structures, usage, spelling, punctuation) may interfere with clarity but do not obscure meaning.
IP/F	Has not completed the requirements of the assignment. (See the circularStudent Reporting put out by the Education Policy Branch of the Ministry of Education for advice on when to use IP and when to use F.)

Communicating meaning is the most important consideration and should receive the greatest weighting when assigning a grade. This scale can be adapted and used throughout the year to assess written work.

Poem or Song

This simple rating scale was used to evaluate the songs and poems based on the criteria specified for the assignment:

Key:

4 - Excellent. All criteria fully met
3 - Competent. Most criteria met; may be slightly deficient in one or two features.
2 - Developing. Most criteria met; may have one or two serious weaknesses.
1 - Partial. Some evidence of required criteria; serious deficiencies or omissions in a number of features.
0 - Not demonstrated. Little evidence of specified criteria.

Journal Entries
Rating	Criteria
Insightful	Clearly written, insightful, thoughtful, and detailed. Summarizes and explains personal response, and makes connections between the work and other experiences or creative works in Punjabi or other languages. May focus on subtle or abstract features, and may include insights that go beyond a literal interpretation.
Satisfactory	Complete, logical, and clear. Summarizes the central idea or theme. States personal response with supporting details, reasons, and examples. Makes connections to other experiences, which tend to be direct and concrete. Focus is on literal meanings and obvious connections. May list specific details and examples without drawing conclusions or making generalizations. Relatively easy to understand.
Developing	Addresses the central idea or theme. Interpretation is literal. Offers an opinion or response with little support. May focus on retelling or illustrating information from the poem, or using labels (e.g., boring, interesting). Connections tend to be direct and concrete. May be unable to make an appropriate connection. Comprehensible.
Not Demonstrated	Inappropriate, incomplete, or incomprehensible.

The above rating scale was used to evaluate students' responses to the songs or poems written by two of their peers. Each entry was evaluated separately. The same rating scale was adapted and used to assess other creative works throughout the year.

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