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Formative Assessment Strategies for the Student-centered Classroom

In: American English Webinars Format(s): Text, Video

This session, "Formative Assessment Strategies for the Student-centered Classroom," explores formative assessment as an essential element of student-centered classrooms.

Shaping the Way We Teach English: From Observation to Action

Format(s): Text

Shaping the Way We Teach English: From Observation to Action is a series of video-based training materials for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educators.

Teaching Beyond the Test: A Method for Designing Test-Preparation Classes

In: English Teaching Forum 2013, Volume 51, Number 4 Format(s): Text

Test-preparation classes that focus on skills will benefit students beyond the test by developing skills they can use at university. This article discusses the purposes of various tests and outlines how to design effective test-prep classes. Practice activities included.

English Proficiency Test: The Oral Component of a Primary School

In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 1 Format(s): Text

This article discusses the various problems found when teachers try to design the oral production part of English proficiency tests for young learners. The authors discuss matters such as intimidation or the possibility of relating the test too much to other conventional tests. They offer ways to address these issues, including testing for fluency, using elicitation procedures, and changing the view of the test into a more relaxed game-like scenario. The authors provide examples of where these ideas have been implemented.

Climbing Grammar Mountain: An Interactive Learning Experience

In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 4 Format(s): Text

This article describes a grammar game that is an enjoyable way for students to correct sentences. In Climbing Grammar Mountain, best suited for secondary and university students, learners compete in teams to “climb” a game board. They earn needed equipment in the form of sentences. If a student can correctly state whether a sentence is grammatical, s/he is able to proceed, with bonus points for correcting an incorrect sentence. The game board, sample sentences, and instructions for teachers and students are included along with suggestions for adaptations.

Using Progressive I-Can Statements to Promote Learner Confidence in Writing

In: English Teaching Forum 2010, Volume 48, Number 4 Format(s): Text

Language learners may sometimes feel shy and unsure of their abilities and may not be able to see what they are able to do. The authors found that writing I-can statements (e.g., I can write the names of foods in English) can be a good way to build confidence. Students use their I-can records to assess their own progress. The authors offer a starting point for teachers by presenting ideas for tasks such as copying words, writing signs, and writing about the weekend.

From Passive Learners to Critical Thinkers: Preparing EFL Students for University Success

In: English Teaching Forum 2010, Volume 48, Number 3 Format(s): Text

This article explains how the Bangladesh Rehabilitation Assistance Committee (BRAC) revised their curriculum to best prepare EFL students for English-speaking universities. After completing a needs analysis on how to best serve their students, the committee decided to make a more interactive classroom environment in which teachers integrated the four skills, used critical thinking activities, taught grammar in context, and used various methods of assessment. Feedback showed that both the students and the teachers responded positively to the changes.

Using Cooperative Learning to Facilitate Alternative Assessment

In: English Teaching Forum 2002, Volume 40, Number 3 Format(s): Text

This article discusses the use of cooperative learning, an instructional strategy that utilizes group work to structure classroom interaction, to facilitate alternative assessment in the second or foreign language classroom. It highlights the importance of cooperative learning in assessment because assessment includes both linguistic and non-linguistic objectives, and meeting these objectives requires continuous and performance-based assessment. The article offers seven examples of cooperative assessments and shows how they can be used.

Assessment of Young Learners

In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 1 Format(s): Text

This article discusses how the trend towards low-anxiety, communicative-based language teaching and integrated language and content teaching has created a need to change assessment strategies for young learners. The author describes alternative assessment techniques such as nonverbal responses, oral interview, narratives, group assessment, and dialogue journals, and suggests how they can be carried out through regular classroom work.

Differentiating Instructions (Online!) for Equity in Learning