I may have at least a basic plan for bringing Robert’s assessment ideas into my classroom in the fall. It might do to start some discussion:
Twice each grading period – once in the middle and once at the end, I would give about thirty minutes of self-reflection writing time in class. This is in line with Kate’s idea that we must encourage self reflection by kids if we are to grade them accurately.
I give the kids the self assessment rubric (this site on the resources/posters page), asking the students to use those questions as prompts as they write out a description of the degree to which they address the three modes of communication in my class.
There may be a way of coming up with some sort of instrument that combines the participation rubric with the description of the three modes in the ACTFL documents so that the child has a clear idea of what I want from them in this assessment piece.
I would not give this assignment as homework because I would need/demand a response from each kid. I would count their response to the prompt as 25% of their term grade. The kids would have the option of writing it out or coming up to my desk and just talking.
Just throwing it out there.