Language Arts in

the ESL Classroom

Types of Assessment in Language Arts
(Part 2)

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID

 Written Assessments
• Most standardised assessments will involve reading and some basic writing.

• A written assessment is easier to administer and mark.

• Writing should be assessed from the beginning, when copying letters or words
may be all that the learners can do.

• As their writing ability increases, learners can be asked to write longer and
more complex texts.

• The range of texts that they will write, and the types of texts that are used in
assessment will also increase.

• To ensure learners’ interests in writing is maintained, assessment should

focus on giving feedback on content, followed by organisation, then grammar,
and finally mechanics.

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 2

 Guidelines for Written Assessments
• Assessment criteria must be explicit

• Create well-designed rubrics for grading

• Grading team should take time to calibrate their marks to ensure

consistency
• Explain the weighting and distribution of the grade

• Encourage submission of drafts

• Consider peer-assessment before final submission

• Give learners timelines to assist time management

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 3

 Assessing Writing in Young Learners
Types of assessments:
• Copying letters or words

• Unscrambling letters to spell a word

• Filling in missing words

• Labelling or describing pictures

• Doing word puzzles

• Writing speech bubbles for cartoon characters or characters in a story

• Rearranging sentences

• Transferring information to or from a graphic organiser

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 4

 • Answering simple questions (one word, multiple choice)

• Writing a short text (e.g. a thank you note, invitation, friendly email,
poem or chant)
• Correcting false sentences from a story or picture

• Revising from different comments

• Responding to a writing prompt

• Describing a picture

• Writing a range of texts

• Summarising a story or other text

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 5

 Playscripts
• A playscript is a piece of writing intended to be performed on stage.

• It has a number of features that distinguish it from other forms of writing.

• The main features of a play script are:

– A list of characters at the beginning of the script.
– The text is divided into acts, then further divided into scenes.
– A description of the setting before each scene.
– Dialogue lines are the main vehicle of moving the story forward.
– A character's name precedes a line of dialogue.
– Speech marks aren't used to signify dialogue.
– Stage directions are used to instruct actors on how to act or what to do.
– Setting descriptions and stage directions are written in italics.

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 6

 Elements involved when assessing playscripts:
• Plot

• Themes

• Setting

• Characters

• Dialogue

• Style

• Shape

• Length

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 7

 Stories
Important elements of a short story:

i. Character is a person, or sometimes an animal, who takes part in the

action of a short story or other literary work.
ii. Setting refers to the time and place that a story occurs.
iii. Theme is the central idea, message, or purpose in a short story.
iv. Conflict is any of the problems that a character encounters in a story.
v. Plot refers to the pattern of events that develop from the interactions
between characters.

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 8

 Areas of assessment:
• Originality

• Point of view

• Ideas and concepts

• Word limit

• Language (descriptive, grammar)

• Writing style

• Diction

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 9

 Poems
Ways to assess:
• Poetry portfolios

• Teacher and peer conferences

• Journaling

• Rubrics and assessment lists

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 10

 Elements involved when assessing poems:
• Theme: Poetry often conveys a message through figurative language. The
central idea and the subject matter can reveal the underlying theme of a
poem.
• Language: From word choice to imagery, language creates the mood and
tone of a poem. The way language is arranged also impacts the rhythm of a
poem.
• Sound and rhythm: The syllabic patterns and stresses create the metrical
pattern of a poem.
• Structure: The framework of a poem’s structure affects how it is meant to be
read. A poet sculpts their story around stanzas, line breaks, rhyme patterns,
punctuation, and pauses.
• Context: The who, what, where, when, and why of a poem can help explain
its purpose. Look at these elements to discover the context of a poem.

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 11

 Ways to analyse poems
i. Read the poem.
ii. Identify and map out the rhyme scheme
iii. Determine the form of the poem
iv. Study the language in the poem
v. Study the content of the poem

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 12

 Reflections
• To provide feedback for students

• For peer feedback

• To understand and inform teaching strategies and pedagogy in the

classroom (student evaluating teacher)
• Blogging

• Digital portfolios

• Class discussions

• Online discussions, community posts, chats as a class

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 13

 Benefits of reflections:
• Significance - it allows students to see the importance of their own
learning process.
• Process Recognition - students can identify what they did well, what they
failed at, and what they need to change.
• Solutions - provides students the opportunity to come up with solutions
and strategies to improve their learning.
• Motivation - reflections provide students with motivation to learn and
enjoy the process of learning. This motivation comes from them reflecting
on their thoughts, feelings and emotions.
• Analysis - the most important benefit of reflection is for students to be
able to know why they need to learn.

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 14

 References
• Teaching Language Arts: A Student-Centered Classroom by Carole
Cox
• Teaching Young Learners English: From Theory to Practice by Joan
Kang Shin and JoAnn Crandall

NORZALINA ABDUL RASHID 15