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Ghazi Ghaith
L E B A N O N
Using
Cooperative Learning
to
Facilitate
Alternative Assessment
A LTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT IS A USEFUL MEANS OF GATHERING EVIDENCE REGARDING
how learners approach, process, and complete real life tasks in the target lan-
guage. Labels such as performance, authentic, informal, and situated, have been
used to describe alternative assessment. Despite the different labels, what is com-
mon among these types of assessment is that they do not adhere to the tradi-
performance of students. These formats show what the students can actually do
rather than what they are able to recall. Alternative assessment reflects the cur-
riculum being taught and provides information on the strengths and weaknesses
progress of students and can be more culturally sensitive and free of the linguistic
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4. Have the group runner collect the group and problem-solving abilities. However, inter-
folder and hand out the material to the views require a certain level of proficiency in
group members. order for students to express themselves in the
5. Have the group explainer explain the task target language. As such, this activity may not
and discuss answers, the accuracy checker be applicable at the beginning level of profi-
verify correct answers, and the reporter report ciency. The procedure is as follows:
the performance of each group member. 1. Assign students to heterogeneous groups of
6. Finally, have the group runner return the four or five and give each group a set of
group folder to the teacher and the group questions.
members analyze their performance and set 2. Instruct the groups to prepare all members
goals for further improvement. to respond to the questions. Give the
Observing students at work groups some classroom time to practice so
Observing students at work provides valu- that all members can answer the questions
able information regarding a number of core correctly.
objectives related to student behavior, for 3. Select randomly a student to answer a cer-
example, work habits, persistence in complet- tain question or a series of questions. Ask
ing tasks, and development of leadership and follow-up questions if necessary to probe
social skills. These skills include giving encour- for more information. When the student
agement, respecting others, using a quiet voice, finishes responding to the question, have
staying in group, and checking for understand- other group members add to the answer.
ing. The procedure of this activity is as follows: 4. Call on other students to answer different
1. Specify exactly what behaviors, actions, or questions until all the questions are
events you need to observe and define them answered adequately.
operationally by generating a list of the ver- Peer composition
bal phrases and nonverbal actions that
This activity enables students to assist each
demonstrate the skills.
other in generating ideas for writing and
2. Devise or use existing observation forms incorporating peer feedback in order to
such as those suggested by Johnson and improve their written work. The procedure is
Johnson (1996b). See Appendix 1. as follows:
3. Assign students to heterogeneous groups
1. Based on instructional objectives, explain
and give them an assignment, such as com-
the criteria for success in writing, such as
pleting a task sheet, answering comprehen-
sion questions, or practicing language rules punctuation, organization, content, gram-
and mechanics. mar, and word choice.
4. Move from one group to another and listen 2. Assign students to cooperative learning
to students’ explanations and discussions on pairs and give them a writing assignment.
how to complete the assignment, and fill in 3. Have student A describe his/her writing
the observation form. Assess students’ level plan to student B. Student B takes notes
of understanding and cognitive reasoning, and develops an outline of student A’s ideas
and assess the strategies they use to com- and gives it to him/her. Reverse roles so that
plete the assignment. student A prepares an outline for student B.
6. Teachers may appoint student observers or 4. Ask students to research their topics indi-
ask class visitors to help them. In addition, vidually. If possible, they can also look for
individual group members may fill out a material useful for their partners.
checklist or questionnaire at the end of this 5. Have students write the first paragraph of
activity to assess how well and how often each composition together, making sure
they performed certain behaviors and mas- that they have a good start on their compo-
tered certain social skills. sitions. Ask students to finish the writing
Interviews individually.
Interviews can be very useful in determining 6. Have students proofread their partner’s
students’ levels of learning, cognitive reasoning, composition and make corrections.
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7. Have each student revise his/her own paper, 2. Assign each group a project. Depending on
then reread and sign their partner’s revised their level of proficiency, students could
paper. prepare a poster, summarize a chapter, or
8. Collect and grade the individual papers on write a research report.
the basis of the criteria presented in step 1 3. Provide each group with necessary material,
as well as the number of errors made by the set a time limit, and monitor their work.
pair of students. Have the pairs discuss how 4. Have students present their group project
effectively they worked together, focusing to the rest of the class.
specifically on what they need to emphasize
5. Have students develop relevant evaluation
in their next writing assignment.
criteria and evaluate the final group projects
Oral presentations to determine which is the most original and
This activity is intended to enable students which is the best overall.
to give group presentations and assess their Group Processing
performance. Working cooperatively in small
This activity enables each student to assess
groups, students prepare an oral presentation
the quality and quantity of his or her own
together, which they will then give individual-
work habits and those of the other students in
ly to other members of the class. Like the
the class. These habits include arriving on
interviews described above, this activity
time, preparedness to learn, and positive atti-
requires a certain level of oral proficiency, and
tudes towards self, peers, subject matter, and
it may not be suitable for beginning level stu-
school. The activity is also an opportunity for
dents. The procedure is as follows:
students to reflect on their individual perfor-
1. Assign students to heterogeneous groups of mances and the performance of their groups.
four with the responsibility that all group The procedure is as follows:
members will prepare an oral presentation
together on a topic provided by the teacher. 1. Assign students to small groups and have
them each complete a checklist about their
2. Give students time to prepare and rehearse
individual work habits. See Appendix 2 for
so that all group members are able to give
a sample checklist.
the group’s presentation.
2. Ask them to compare their self-ratings with
3. Divide the class into four sections in differ-
the ratings of their group mates. Ask stu-
ent parts of the classroom, and have one
dents to discuss their learning experiences
member of each group go to each section.
In their sections, each student gives their and reflect on the performance of group
group’s presentation to the other students. members in terms of their achievement lev-
els, work habits, and ability to assist others.
4. Provide the audience (the other students)
Have them specify what was most success-
with an evaluation form and have them
ful and what could be improved for future
evaluate each presentation on the basis of
work.
whether it was informative, concise, easy to
follow, engaging, and well organized. 3. Have students celebrate their success, for
5. Give a copy of the rating to the presenter example, by planning a class party.
and keep a copy for your records. Conclusion
6. Have the groups reconvene to evaluate how
This article has proposed seven cooperative
effectively each member made the presenta-
learning activities that can facilitate alternative
tion and provide remedial support for any
assessment in the second and foreign language
member who had problems presenting.
classroom. The activities bring assessment
Group projects closer to the language course objectives in the
This activity assesses group assignments cognitive, communicative, and socio-cultural
and can be applied at all levels of proficiency: domains. Furthermore, the activities reflect
The procedure is as follows: the dynamics of real life situations where,
1. Assign students to heterogeneous groups of more often than not, success is based on group
three or four. rather than individual performance.
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Observation Checklist
[Adapted from Johnson and Johnson (1996b)]
APPENDIX 1
Group members: _______________________________________________________
Persistence Checklist
[Adapted from Johnson and Johnson (1996b)]
Student: _______________________________________________________________
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