Whenever we run out of room for comments I just start a new post. Picking the assessment discussion up on some things Russ said here yesterday:
… I don’t like tying proficiency to grade but in Oregon and through ACTFL the standards are tied directly to proficiency stages….
Now that we are growing up, it’s time for ACTFL to listen to us and not the reverse. We are the ones actually testing what a proficiency stage (NL NM NH IL etc.) actually means in a WL classroom. We’re in the classrooms. Even Krashen knows this and says it all the time, that all the action is in our classrooms. ACTFL needs to start listening to us and not the reverse, and they need to adjust their proficiency levels to attune with what is happening now, not 20 years ago when they made them up. That is a long time ago. When were they last updated by ACTFL? Does anyone know? I know they are not current – they may be from the 1980s! – and when entire districts like DPS stop aligning with them for example in the past few years on output, then what is going on? ACTFL is getting out of touch? Oh, ok. So the term proficiency stages? What do they even mean? Are we talking about grading speech and writing output and labeling what is impossible to label? What about proficiency in terms of the input we provide? What does that even mean? And what about the gorilla in the room factor of unmotivated students? No, it’s time for ACTFL to listen to us and rewrite. It will give them something to do so they can continue to feel relevant. This stuff is getting way to subtle for their dusty and stifled old 20th century ideas that they can’t just blow the dust off and call still relevant. Bless their ACTFL hearts. Too much change for them too fast? I think so.
…I am going to take a page out of Chris Stolz’s playbook and only have one assessment in my grade book for each: Interpretive, Interpersonal, Presentational, and the Final (mandated)….
(1) Why would you have a presentational grade? (2) How can you guarantee accuracy on any of the above, especially a final grade. A final grade? I don’t care if it’s mandated. Who mandated it. Some fool? As Dr. Evil would say, “Riiiiighht!”
…each of these will only be based on most recent assessment as they are only a snapshot of what my kids can do at any given time….
The word snapshot is used by enemies of Diane Ravitch, state level people like those who in NY I suppose support Hillary Clinton. People like that, who say, while Diana yawns, “Hey, it’s just a snapshot of where the kids is at at that time! It’s needed!” We need our snapshots! No it’s not. It’s not needed. Don’t take the snapshot. It is inaccurate. Go take a snapshot of a seed sprouting under the ground instead. That would be easier to do. Stop your testing. Put the camera down. Walk away. Nothing to see here. Literally. Nothing to see. Stop measuring stuff that is still under the ground. You’re disturbing nature. Wait and measure later. OK? Please? Go drink a glass of water. Or pour the water on the seed you just took a picture of. A snapshot of a seed and you want to see what the plant looks like. Oops. Can you just wait? Can you just the test down? Deep breath. It’s going to be o.k. Just go teach a story. All right? OK…
…my question is not so much about rubrics as it is about how do we evaluate listening and reading comprehension without a quiz in L1….
Yes, this is what we need to look at. This is where we need to expand our thinking. We don’t need to worry about losing our focus on that. Claire will always bring it back to that point.
…I don’t want to know if my students are “learning” but if my input is comprehensible….
I can save you some time on this one Russ. Look into their eyes, all of them, a lot when you are teaching. That will tell you, as you of course know.
…by the way brevity is not my strong suit in case you hadn’t noticed….
It’s not mine either Russ. You’re fine here. Keep talking. I’ll read every word and we ramblers can ramble all we want. For me a good ramble is therapy. Love that you’re with us. Have you noticed that Oregon is now in the house? And they’re making all sorts of noise. Very cool.