Another timely post from Claire. We’ll be looking for more as some of us here continue to see double on the ESL/TPRS thing:
I think we can all be in the TCI thing together. We all do assessments and give feedback, but some times it is less obvious, more informal. That’s fine.
I think you [TPRS] all have different way of looking at things because Foreign Language is held to a different standard. You are able to focus on the essentials of Comprehensible Input – which is why this blog and TCI in general are amazing.
Most of the teachers on this blog can honestly say “My kids are acquiring language because I use TCI and I just know – I can see comprehension on their faces.” The normal rules of assessment do not apply. And that’s because this blog is made up of amazing educators who have found a better way to teach.
Unfortunately, as I teach English as a Second Language, if someone asked me the above question about giving feedback and using assessment to guide instruction, I don’t have a choice. I have to play along and document, document, document. ELL teachers deal with scrutiny you can’t imagine.
Tennessee is a Race-To-The-Top State and here ELLs typically fall into the Hispanic, Low SES, and ELL sub-groups. Their scores count triple what others do. Every conversation with my administrators (who seem to forget I also teach French) revolves around the documentation I can offer on how my students are growing. I have to assess, give students and stakeholders feedback, and document everything just to keep my job.
Also, my kids care about assessments. You will likely not believe this statement, but it’s true: many ELLs don’t care as much about having fun as graduating. Some high school ELLs see themselves as stuck in a cycle of poverty that only English will help them escape. When I taught high school, I had to give them constant feedback and reassurances that they were making progress or they get frustrated and drop out–mostly to find jobs to help their families. They are desperate to see their growth on paper – so yes, I give them feedback on assessments.
Related:
https://benslavic.com/blog/the-pedagogy-of-poverty/
