ASSESSING

GRAMMAR
EFFECTIVELY
CHAPTER 4
“Decades of education research
support the idea that by teaching
less and providing more feedback,
we can produce greater learning.”

r a n t
—G s
g g i n
Wi
 Language teachers …as a medium of
are expected not just instruction but also
to demonstrate to achieve a better
proficiency in the fit between
use of English communication &
Language… grammar.
 A number of language researches have been
done on determining the best way to assess
student’s grammar skills.
 Among those, teachers may review
students’ papers focusing on the use of
grammar & conventions
 They can also use texts and passages where
errors are embedded & present associated
items to identify student’s grammar skills
 or may require students to explain orally
why there is a need to correct an error
 Teachers, as assessors of language
learning, must be grounded on essential
understandings of the what, how, and why
of grammar skills assessment
AUTHENTICITY
IN
GRAMMAR
ASSESSMENT
- TRADITIONALLY…
TRADITIONALLY…
 teachers assess students’ grammatical
knowledge in terms of accuracy in
production & comprehension of the
language along the 4 skills.
- TRADITIONALLY…
 Examinations are done by means of
isolated & unrelated items such as
error correction, fill-in the blanks,
close passages, sentence completion &
judging grammar correctness
- TRADITIONALLY…
 Students’ answers are scored objectively
based on the language standards.
 Scoring and ease of administration are
some of the benefits of the
aforementioned test formats.
-
 However, the major limitation is that
these types of tests do not provide the
teachers an idea whether the students can
use the structures of English correctly in
a real-life speaking or writing.
-
 This leads to the notion of
AUTHENTICITY of tasks.
 Teacher-made tests must harmonize
required student performance with the
specific language use domains.
-
AUTHENTICITY
 Allows students to see the purpose of
doing tasks other than merely complying
with the assessment requirements.
-
AUTHENTICITY
 In designing an authentic test task, a wide
variety of domains, communicative or
task-based activities can be considered.
INTERACTIVE
NESS IN
ASSESSMENT
TASKS
- INTERACTIVENESS
 Is the extent and type of involvement the
students have in material at hand.
 Involves conditions of relating to and
accomplishing the language tasks.
- INTERACTIVENESS
Considerations of interactiveness are
succinctly discussed by Bachman & Palmer
(2002) utilizing 4 illustrative and hypothetical
examples
 EXAMPLE 1:
HIGH IN
AUTHENTICITY
but
LOW IN
INTERACTIVENESS
1. High in Authenticity but
- in Interactiveness
Low
An institution has some typists who understand
English and its grammar very
well, but nevertheless developed a distinguished level
of performance in
certain typing tasks in English. These typists find it
difficult to engage or to produce written text,
observing the structures of English on their own…
1. High in Authenticity but
- in Interactiveness
Low
…However, they are excellent typists as evidenced
by their quality typescripts, which is the only task
required for their job. New typist’s screening test, in
this situation, might consist simply of asking job
applicants to type from a hand-written document…
1. High in Authenticity but
- in Interactiveness
Low

…If the applicants know that their on-the-job use of

English will be limited to exactly this kind of
typing, they will likely think that the typing test as
highly appropriate to the job.
1. High in Authenticity but
- in Interactiveness
Low
● Clearly, the task has low interactiveness, since it
does not necessarily require the applicant to
regard the handwritten document as language.
● That is, a typist may resort to simply copy the
letters & words without processing the document
as piece of discourse.
 EXAMPLE 2:
LOW IN
AUTHENTICITY
but
HIGH IN
INTERACTIVENESS
2. Low in Authenticity but
- in Interactiveness
High

The applicants who are competent in holding

and participating on “small talk” conversations in
English about food, the weather, clothing, etc. are
tested by interviewing them in English.
2. Low in Authenticity but
- in Interactiveness
High

…If the topics during the interview are of interest

to them, the interview may actually involve the
same types of interactions that involve casual and
non-test conversations.
2. Low in Authenticity but
- in Interactiveness
High
● How would the ratings obtained from the
interview be considered in the selection and
hiring of applicants?
● How would this example rate with respect to
authenticity?
● It would probably be rated relatively high in
interactives but low in authenticity.
 EXAMPLE 3:
LOW IN
AUTHENTICITY
and
LOW IN
INTERACTIVENESS
3. Low in Authenticity and
- in Interactiveness
Low

A group of students are given a test where

they have to match the words in column A with the
meanings in column B. The scores are used to
obtain information on how well students read and
comprehend academic tests in English.
3. Low in Authenticity and
- in Interactiveness
Low

● It can be surmised that the test is less authentic

because students’ demonstration of their
knowledge of the English language is restricted.
 EXAMPLE 4:
HIGH IN
AUTHENTICITY
and
HIGH IN
INTERACTIVENESS
4. High in Authenticity and
- in Interactiveness
High

The teacher uses role playing a strategy to

assess students’ knowledge and skills in the use of
appropriate words in a given scenario. One student
acts as a salesperson selling home-made products.
The role play involves a face-to-face oral
conversation with a potential customer.
4. High in Authenticity and
- in Interactiveness
High

● The task is highly authentic and highly

interactive since it accounts for the students’
language and topical language.
● Language use setting (LUS) & Language use
tasks (LUT) are clearly defined in the speech
situation.
ASPECTS
OF THE
STANDAR
DS
Aspects
- of the Standards

As educators, it is our job to model the

kinds of language we seek from our students.
From vocabulary to syntax, our everyday speech
is patterning the linguistic habits of our students.
Aspects of the Standards
-

● Some researchers have claimed the existence of

variety of English (known as Englishes) that
grows alongside with the English as a native
language.
Aspects of the Standards
-
● Many of these indigenized varieties have been
standardized, however model of standard English
might not be available such that it is near
impossible for students to use the standard
English and the rules that go along with it.
Aspects
- of the Standards

“The instruction & assessment of grammar

will likely continue to foment a great deal of
discussion as the field struggles with how to
do both in harmony with students’ natural
learning processes. The effort is worth it for
there is much stake.” (Larsen-Freeman, 2009)
ASSESSING
GRAMMAR
ERRORS
Assessing
- Grammar Errors

● One of the challenging tasks that besets every

English teacher is identifying the best way to
assess grammatical errors and build instructional
emphasis on these errors.
Assessing
- Grammar Errors

● Teachers have to ascertain the students’

knowledge and command of English that they
want to assess.
2 APPROACHES IN ASSESSING
GRAMMATICAL ERRORS

Discrete-point Integrative
Assessment Assessment
31,500
Big numbers catch your
audience’s attention
 XL

Did You Know?

34% Mercury
Mercury is the smallest
planet

46% Venus
Venus has a beautiful
name

16% Saturn
Follow the link in the graph to modify its data and then paste the
new one here. For more info, click here Saturn is the ringed planet
 Process
Mercury is the Saturn is the ringed
smallest planet planet

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4

Venus has a beautiful Mars is a cold place

name
 XL

The learning
process

Mercury is the smallest Saturn is the ringed

1 planet 4 planet

Venus has a beautiful It’s a giant and the

2 name 5 biggest one

Neptune is the
3 Mars is a very cold place 6 farthest planet
 XL

Relations between concepts

Mercury is Mars is a cold Jupiter is a gas

smallest one place giant

Venus is the Saturn has rings

second one
 XL

Exams and retakes

calendar April
2 02 2
1 2 3
Saturn
It’s a giant and the 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
biggest one
11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Neptune 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Neptune is the
farthest planet 25 26 27 28 29 30
Insert Your
Multimedia
Content Here
Despite being red, Mars is
actually a cold place full of
iron oxide dust
 XL

Main Concepts to Know

Mercury Venus Saturn

Mercury is the smallest Venus has a beautiful Saturn is the ringed
planet name planet

Mars Neptune
Neptune is the
Mars is a very cold place
farthest planet
 XL

Exam’s Grades

Grades Grades
Student Q1 Q2 Student Q1 Q2
Last name, name A+ F Last name, name C A+

Last name, name A B Last name, name A+ F

Last name, name C A Last name, name A B

Last name, name F A+ Last name, name B C

 XL

This Is A Gantt Chart

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5
 XL

Homework Saturn
Checklist Saturn is the ringed
planet

Mercury Jupiter
Mercury is the smallest It’s a giant and the
planet biggest one

Venus Neptune
Venus has a beautiful Neptune is the
name farthest planet

Mars Earth
Earth is the planet with
Mars is a very cold place
life
 XL

In Case You Need Another Diagram

The Solar System

Saturn is the ringed

Mars is a very cold place
planet

Neptune is the Mercury is the smallest

farthest planet planet
Venus has a beautiful
name
 XL

Learn the
Difference

First Second
concept concept

Despite being red, Mars is Venus has a very beautiful

actually a cold place. It’s full of name and is the second planet
iron oxide dust from the Sun
 XL

Classes Timetable
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

7-8 am Physics English Arts Physics Maths

8-9 am Maths Arts Maths Arts English

9-10 am English Physics English Physics Arts

10-11am Arts Maths Physics English Physics

 XL

Let’s Have a Look

at this Graphic

Mercury Saturn
It is the smallest Saturn is the ringed
planet planet

Venus Mars
Venus has a beautiful Mars is a very cold
name place Follow the link in the graph to modify its data and then paste the
new one here. For more info, click here
Alternative
Resources
 XL

Premium Alternative Resources