Evaluation and Assessment:

an introduction to it in an EFL context

Contents:
● Definition, difference, importance and purposes.
● Types of assessment
● Some relevant concepts related

Introductory Comments from your professor:

One of the most important as well as difficult pedagogical tasks we must
carry on is to evaluate, assess, check, measure, revise, grade, etc. our
student’s progress in relation to the language, and more specifically to the
Learning Outcomes we have set.
Luckily for English teachers in Chile (and for all teachers after the
pandemic situation) this concept of evaluation was broaden. Why?
Because a huge and great door was opened to a magnificent variety of
ways of evidencing our students learning levels; teachers were given more
autonomy and also teachers opened their own pedagogical minds into
new ways of conceiving the process.

Let’s take a look at some key concepts.

1. EVALUATION
“Evaluation refers to procedures for gathering data on the dynamics,
effectiveness, acceptability, and efficiency of a language program for the
purposes of decision making. Basically, evaluation addresses whether the
goals and objectives of a language program are being attained, that is,
whether the program is effective (in absolute terms).”
(Richards&Rogers,1986)
Typically we relate evaluation to: tests, exams, products, results, standards.
These concepts don’t relate however to students ' feelings towards the
learning and neither gives further information but wha, school requires.
Does it mean that tests should be deleted from the programs? No. But
teachers must consider a balance in the variety of activities, not only a test
as a measurement tool, in order to provide different learning experiences
and opportunities for students to demonstrate their progress considering
the different learning styles, interests, abilities of students, most of all
having in mind the purpose of selecting an evaluation task.

Assessment:
This concept is typically connected to formative evaluation and (especially
due to translation into Spanish) often misconfused and regarded as the
same as evaluation, however we will study and put into practice some
different aspects of assessment, identifying why the 2 concepts are
different. Important: InSpanish the most appropriate translation for
assessment could be: VALORIZACIÓN, keep it in mind and reflect upon it.
Assessment can be for, of, and as learning.

From www.teachingandlearning.ie

Please access to this link to read in detail about these 3 key concepts:
https://www.ukessays.com/lectures/education/planning/assessment/as
sessment.php#

IMPORTANT: For the lesson plan task required (adding at least 1 activity
related to assessment)
we will follow guidance from AfL (assessment for the learning) Let’s go
further from theory to practice:

1. Additional Important Information for the Chilean context

Decree 67 (related to evaluation and assessment) presents the AFL

framework.
AFL framework
- A collaborative process between the teacher and the learner.
- Raise learners’ awareness about what they are learning and why.
- Guide learners to identify their progress and the gaps in learning
to work on.

The teacher helps learners to answer these 3 questions stated in this cycle.
You can see how we answer the 3 questions:
- By presenting the learning outcomes and success criteria, students
can answer the question “where am I going?”.
- Then we move to the learning experiences. When we collect and
interpret evidence, we and the students are answering the question
 “where am I now?” Also, this allows us to identify the gap(s) in the
learning process.
- When we provide feedback and we make the necessary
adjustments in our teaching to improve the quality of learning, we
are showing learners how to answer the question “how do I get
there?” This cycle promotes effective feedback, reflection and
pair/self assessment.
- IMPORTANT: This cycle can go back and forth leading us to close the
gap.”

2. Concrete examples of activities and lesson plans including AfL.

LESSON PLANNINGS:

1. Using the objective:

2. Checking our own’s progress and achieving
Explanation:
The question ‘Where am I going?’
- is related to goals, expectations and the success criteria that
the teacher sets for tasks.
- aims at helping students to realize where they are going in the
lesson.

Afl example 2: Where am I? The teacher is collecting evidence of students’

learning.
The question ‘Where am I?’
- is related to the students’ performance in the activities.
- considers how learners can identify what they have achieved.
- Explicitly encourages what learners have achieved through
positive feedback. Make learning visible (Excellent or Good job!
is not enough but to mention explicitly the achieved aspects).
- Other activities that will answer this question are: self and
peer-assessment. (clear instructions and the success criteria
will favour the process for students to identify “Where am I?”
successfully)

Afl example 3: Where am I? and How do I get there? When the students
answer: “In which color are you?” they are expressing where they are.
When the teacher asks students to reflect on how they can
move to the green light, they are answering the question: “How do I get
 there?”
The question ‘How do I get there ? is related to guide the learner to:
- identify the difficulties (gaps)
- achieve the Learning Outcome
- make decisions upon what aspects the learner needs to
improve and how s/he will do it.
- Tell participants: “Make errors an opportunity for learning.
Therefore, once students acknowledge their mistakes,
feedback will be essential to close the gap”

Closing comments from your professor:

As mentioned at the very beginning, evaluation and assessment cannot be
regarded as the same thing as their purposes are different. Both must
work in balance but we as pedagogist must provide a variety of strategies
that will allow our students to demonstrate in different manner what they
have been able to accomplish in relation to the LO, so they can be more
committed, engaged, motivated and will develop different skills areas,
richer and even more relevant than a mere test result.

References

Richards, J., & Rodgers, T. (1986). Approaches and Methods in English

Teaching. Cambridge Univeristy Press.

Information adapted from the English Opens Doors Program, Chilean

Ministry of Education (2021) Teachers’ Academy: Understanding AfL.

Assessment. (n.d.). LEARNING DESIGN. Retrieved July 5, 2022, from

http://www.designinglearning.ca/assessment.html

Essays, UK. (November 2018). AoL, AfL, AaL Assessments of Learning

Lecture. Retrieved from

https://www.ukessays.com/lectures/education/planning/assessment/

assessment.php?vref=1
Essays, UK. (November 2018). Types of Assessment in Education Lecture.

Retrieved from

https://www.ukessays.com/lectures/education/planning/assessment/

?vref=1