Unit 4.Testing and Assessment in EFL - Assessmet instruments

Unit 4
Testing and Assessment in EFL
Assessment instruments
in TEFL
Index
Scheme 3
Key Ideas 4
4.1. Introduction and objectives 4
4.2. Making the learning goal visible 4
4.3. Objectives 7
© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)
4.4. KWL 9
4.5. Graphic organisers and checklists 11
4.6. Rubrics 17
4.7. Bibliographical references 25
In Depth 27
Test 29
Scheme

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Unit 4. Scheme
Key Ideas
4.1. Introduction and objectives
Assessment can, and should, be incorporated into the classroom in a way that
maximises learning while at the same time providing a framework that allows
teachers to understand where learning is at, and what more needs to be achieved.
Teachers can incorporate a number of tools that help them achieve this easily and
effectively. In this unit, we will look at Gagné’s nine-step instruction and using
objectives, graphic organisers, checklists, and rubrics. We will see the characteristics
of the different tools, how to adapt and construct them for use in our own
teaching/learning context and read about case studies where the tools have been
successfully implemented to the benefits of the students’ learning.
At the end of this unit, students should be able to:
 Recognise the characteristics of the different tools we can incorporate into the
classroom to facilitate assessment and learning.
 Incorporate the different tools into our teaching practice.
 Adapt the tools to the needs of our learners.
 Construct the tools to the needs of our learners.
4.2. Making the learning goal visible

An essential part of assessment for and as learning is empowering the student by

involving them as an active part of the learning process. For this to be achieved, the
learner must be aware of what it is they need to learn. We can consider this the learning

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
outcome, but, in reality, it is more of a “learning destination” that we want our students
to arrive at.
Take this analogy. You get in your car, and someone tells you that you need to get to a
certain destination, but that destination is not shared with you. How can you arrive there
if you do not know where it is you must get to? The same happens in a classroom when
the teacher decides the objectives of the lesson, but the students do not know what
these objectives are. The learner is rendered powerless because they cannot take an
active role. In this situation we have a very skewed power balance between the learner
and the teacher.
Figure 1. The teacher / student power balance in the traditional classroom. Source:
https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitxer:Johnny-automatic-scales-of-justice.svg
As teachers, we can redress by making the learning process visible. In this unit we will
look at how this can be achieved.

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
Gagné’s nine steps of instruction
Robert Gagné was an American educational psychologist. He developed the conditions

of learning (1965) and a nine-step instruction to guide teachers to the necessary steps
to ensure instruction is effective. He believed that, while these nine steps needed to be
present within the learning process, they did not have to be in order. These nine steps
are:
 Gain attention.
 Inform learner of objectives.
 Stimulate recall of prior knowledge.
 Present stimulus.
 Provide guidance.
 Elicit performance.
 Provide feedback.
 Assess performance.
 Enhance retention and transfer.
In the figure below (figure 2) we can see how the steps have been presented as staircase.
The idea is that each step we take as teachers increases the effectiveness instruction
Figure 2. Gagné’s nine steps of instructions. Source:

https://sites.google.com/site/tie535theory/gagne-s-nine-events

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
While many of Gagné’s nine-step instruction are equally valid today, it is worth noting
that in today’s classroom the emphasis should be on learning, rather than
instruction or teaching. That said, many of the steps recommended by Gagné can be
achieved effectively with a number of tools such as using KWLS, graphic organisers,
checklists and rubrics as we shall see in this unit. First, let us consider a basic
requirement: to know the learning objective.
4.3. Objectives
Objectives are also referred to as student learning outcomes, precisely because we are
interested in the outcome, or result, of learning.
Objectives may have varying names, but they all basically provide the same function:
that of providing direction. And as with all learning, all assessment also needs a
purpose and a direction to be effective:
“All tests are for a purpose. A test that is made up without a clear idea of
what it is for, is no good” (Ingram, 1968; cited in Fulcher, 2010).
In a classroom environment, objectives can be a very powerful tool that:
 Provides direction.
 Empowers the learners.
 Motivates.
 Increases metacognition and self-regulation of learning.
 Enables self-evaluation.
Using objectives successfully
As mentioned earlier, pupils should understand not only the learning objectives but
also how they are going to get there. Success criteria should be broken down into a

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
series of small, clearly defined, steps to enable pupils to demonstrate progress (NEFR
n. d. a).
“Criteria and goal setting with students engage them in instruction and the
learning process by creating clear expectations. In order to be successful,
students need to understand and know the learning target/goal and the
criteria for reaching it. Establishing and defining quality work together,
asking students to participate in establishing norm behaviors for classroom
culture, and determining what should be included in criteria for success are
all examples of this strategy. Using student work, classroom tests, or
exemplars of what is expected helps students understand where they are,
where they need to be, and an effective process for getting there” (Garrison
& Ehringhaus, n. d., ¶11).
When writing a learning outcome or objective:
 Objectives should be skill-based and linked to the skills being developed in the
lesson. They should not be a description of the activity.
 Objectives are often expressed as ‘I can…’ statements.
 They need to be measurable.
 Be specific.
 Avoid generic verbs difficult to quantify such as “understand”, “be aware of”.
 Use active verbs (i. e. define, classify, design).
Remember the SMART acronym we used in previous units?
Check out the video Assessment quickies (MASaintGermain, 2009) in the In Depth
section to learn more about writing effective learning outcomes.

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
4.4. KWL
The acronym KWL stands for “what I know, what I want to learn and what I learnt”. It is
presented as a table that provides a visual representation of the learner’s previous
knowledge, objectives and learnt content in three separate columns:
 Know activates prior knowledge and previously learnt content (beginning of the unit).
 Want motivates by considering what the learner wants to learn.
 Learnt reviews the learnt content.
The know and the want column are completed at the beginning of the learning cycle to
stimulate interest and motivate the student, whereas the learnt column is completed at
the end as part of the revision process to enhance retention.
Figure 3. The learning functions of the KWL and timing of each part within the learning cycle.

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
Below we can see two examples of KWLs, one for critical thinking and one for St.
Patrick’s Day. As can be seen, the KWL can be easily adapted to any topic.
Figure 4. Speak Think Understand - KWL Chart from Critical Thinking. Rebekah Benson. Source:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Speak-Think-Understand-KWL-Chart-241002
Figure 5 How to Catch a Leprechaun Writing Prompt & Activities. Mrs. P's Special Education
Classroom. Source: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/How-to-Catch-a-
Leprechaun-Writing-Prompt-Activities-2445799

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
Using KWLs in research
Lismayanti (2014) carried out research to determine the efficacy of using the KWL
with reading comprehension. Similar, smaller scale case studies can be carried out in
one’s own classroom to determine the effects tools such as the KWL can have on
students’ learning.
The Effect of Using KWL (Know, Want, Learned) Strategy on EFL

Students’ Reading Comprehension Achievement
“There is a fact that most of the Secondary School students are still low
in comprehending reading texts. Therefore, the main objective of this
study was to see whether the use of KWL (Know, Want, Learned) strategy
was effective in improving the students’ reading comprehension
achievement in learning English as a Foreign Language. Non-equivalent
groups pretest-posttest design was used in this study. The population was
the eighth-grade students of SMPN 4 Palembang in academic year of
2011/2012 with a total number of 254 students. Out of this population,
40 students were taken as sample. There were two groups, each of which
consisted of 20 students. The data were collected by using multiple choice
reading comprehension test. The data obtained were analyzed by using
t-test formula. The finding showed that KWL strategy was effective in
improving the students’ reading comprehension achievement. The
effectiveness was indicated by the result of the Stepwise Regression
formula that the contribution of KWL strategy on students’ reading
comprehension achievement was 70.5 %.” (Lismayanti, 2014, abstract)
4.5. Graphic organisers and checklists
Graphic organisers and checklists are additional tools teachers can use to make
learning goals visible. They can be used in conjunction with sharing objectives and
rubrics with the student for effective assessment for and as learning.

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
Graphic organisers
Graphic organisers provide a visual representation of content and abstract ideas. They
are especially useful when the content involves sequencing or to connect abstract
concepts as a web of ideas. They can be adapted for use with very low levels to very
advanced levels. Below we can see two very different graphic organisers designed to
work with improving writing skills. The organiser in figure 6 is designed to help university
students write a research paper, while the Jack and the Beanstalk organiser is aimed at
children writing a letter (figure 7).
Figure 6. Guided note taking graphic organizer for a research paper. Weavers Social Studies Super
Store. Source: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Guided-note-taking-graphic-organizer-
for-a-research-paper-2500146
Figure 7. Jack and the Beanstalk Graphic Organizer for writing a letter. Misty Mabry. Source:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Jack-and-the-Beanstalk-Graphic-Organizer-for-writing-
a-letter-83811

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
Using graphic organisers in class
When using graphic organisers in class, Merkley and Jefferies (2001) recommend
teachers follow these steps:
 Verbalize relationships (links) among concepts expressed by the visual.

 Provide opportunity for student input.
 Connect new information to past learning.
 Make reference to the upcoming text.
 Seize opportunities to reinforce decoding and structural analysis.
Creating graphic organisers in class with students
While the Internet is full of models to download, it can be very enriching to design
graphic organisers in class. This can be a group assignment, as each team is assigned one
aspect to work with and has to design a graphic organiser to teach that material to the
rest of the class. Below we can see an outline of a didactic unit for designing graphic
organisers to help assimilation of content, Higher Order Thinking Skills and peer
assessment.
 As a class, work out objectives. While these are guided by the teacher, it is
important the students feel they have some input in decision-making and are fully
aware of the learning objectives.
 As a class, discuss the project and design a rubric to fit (see previous units). The
rubric can be written on the board or posted on the working wall so all students
are aware of assessment criteria and can consult it throughout the project.
 In groups, students research their content. They design a web of ideas/graphic
organiser to explain their content effectively using images, labelling and short text
explanations.
 Each team presents their project and the rest of the class and the teacher and
peers assess their performance using the rubric.

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
 Offer immediate feedback and encourage the rest of the class to use the two stars
and a wish feedback technique to ensure constructive criticism.
Steps to follow when creating a graphic organiser
Merkley and Jefferies (2001) recommend the following four steps to create a graphic
organiser:
 Analyze the learning task for words and concepts important for the student to
understand.
 Arrange them to illustrate the interrelationships and pattern(s) of organization.
 Evaluate the clarity of relationships as well as the simplicity and effectiveness of
the visual.
 Substitute empty slots for certain words in order to promote students' active
reading.
Using graphic organisers in research
Like KWL, graphic organisers can be used in research to determine if/how they aid
learning. Below we can see the abstract of research into the use of graphic organisers
to aid EFL reading comprehension:
Effects of discourse structure graphic organizers of EFL Reading

comprehension
“This study investigated the effects of a 16-week reading instruction

program with discourse structure graphic organizers (DSGOs) on the
development of English reading comprehension among college-level
English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. A total of 340 first and third
semester students of non-English majors at a Chinese university
participated in this study. A DSGO completion test and a TOEFL (Test of
English as a Foreign Language) reading comprehension test were
administered before, immediately after, and 7 weeks following the
instructional treatment. The results showed that the DSGO instruction

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
significantly improved discourse comprehension as measured by the
DSGO completion task, and the effect was retained 7 weeks after the
instructional treatment. Significant improvement was also observed in
the general reading ability as measured by TOEFL reading comprehension
in the immediate posttest, but the effect did not persist in the delayed
posttest. These findings apply to both the first and third semester
students. Pedagogical implications of the DSGO instruction are discussed”
(Jiang, 2012, abstract).
Checklists
Whereas graphic organisers are used to organise ideas and assimilate content, checklists
are a list of required items or points to be considered. They are used as a reminder
either during learning to check what to include, or after learning to check all points have
been included.
Like graphic organisers, checklists can be used in a wide variety of teaching contexts, and
easily adapted to the learner. Below we can see two very different checklists, one aimed
at young children for writing (figure 8), and the other aimed at business EFL students
who, we can assume from the checklist, are probably adults.
Figure 8. Christmas, New Year’s 2020, Martin Luther King Jr. - Revise & Edit Checklist. Angelica's
Resources. Source: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Christmas-New-Years-
2020-Martin-Luther-King-Jr-Revise-Edit-Checklist-1038885

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
Department of Management—Introduction to Business
Description of Assessment: In-Class Participation (15 %) (Girgin &
Stevens, 2005, p. 97)
For the purposes of this course, the in-class participation grade depends
on the following:
 Regular and on-time attendance to class, not missing any classes

without an acceptable excuse (e. g., illness, of you or a family member,
accident, moving, any uncontrollable event). In the case of foreseeable
reasons, you are expected to give advance notice.
 Doing the assigned homework (reading the course material critically,
doing some research in the library, etc.).
Doing the above will help you to develop your responses as listed below,
which will in turn affect your in-class participation grade positively.
Therefore, a student who demonstrates a high level of in-class
participation does the following:
 Listens —alert, eyes on the speaker, nonverbal signs of attention

demonstrated.
 Responds —answers questions when asked directly.
 Volunteers —contributes to discussion, without being asked, takes
notes.
 Speaks —to the point being discussed.
 Self-assesses —changes behavior based on feedback from the lecturer
and fellow students.
 Reflects —writes reflections during class and analyzes own behavior.
 Participates in activities with energy and evident enthusiasm.
 Becomes a contributing group member who solves problems and
fosters positive communication.
 Does not sit back and wait for directions.
 Does not watch the clock and wait for the class to end.
 Does not start getting ready to finish and leave the class before the
lecturer says so.
Comparing the ease, or difficulty, with which we can read the necessary information on
each checklist, it becomes clear that visual information, with less text, is much easier to
use. Even taking into consideration the learner type that the second checklist is aimed at
(probably adult with business orientation), it is still much more difficult to access the

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
necessary information as the text is very dense. Therefore, to maximise effectiveness of
checklists, it is best to use only essential information and preferably with visuals.
4.6. Rubrics
Rubrics, scoring scales or rating scales are used extensively in language assessment
to ensure consistency in evaluation criteria and scoring. They specify expectations,
subdividing each into what is considered an acceptable or unacceptable,
performance level, etc. Possibly the most well-known is the CEFR can-do
performance scales (we will see them in further units).
Types of scoring scales
In formal language testing, rubrics tend to be used in writing and speaking

tasks, whereas listening and reading are often marked with a closed answer
key.
Cambridge Assessment English, as other major producers of standardised testing,

publish their assessment scales so test takers and teachers are aware of the
assessment criteria as applied by examiners. We will discuss this in more detail
further in the subject.
Normally, there are two types of scoring scales: analytical and holistic. Each one
complies with a different function and assessment context. Below we can see a
comparison of each.

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
Analytical scoring scales
Analytical rubrics are used to:
 Give detailed description.

 Offer useful feedback for the learner.
Research suggests that analytical scales give more reliable results (Green & Hawkey,
2012, p. 303) This is possibly because they allow the rater (the person scoring) to
assign different scores for different features. Results are then added up for the total.
In table 1 we can see an example of an analytical rubric for fiction writing content.
CRITERIA 4 3 2 1
One of the plot parts
Both plot parts Neither plot
is fully developed
PLOT: What and Both plot parts are are addressed parts are
and the less
why fully developed. but not fully fully
developed part is at
developed. developed.
least addressed.
Both setting
One of the setting
parts of the Neither
Both setting parts parts is fully
SETTING: When story are setting nor
are fully developed and the
and where addressed but parts are
developed. less developed part is
not fully developed.
at least addressed.
developed.
CHARACTERS: The main

The main characters
characters are fully None of the
Who described are developed with The main
developed with characters
by behavior, some descriptive characters are
much descriptive are
appearance, detail. The reader has identified by

detail. The reader developed
personality and a vague idea of the name only.
has a vivid image of or named.
character traits characters.
the characters.
Table 1. Example of an analytical rubric for Fiction Writing Content. Adapted from Teacher Vision,
(2001).

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
Holistic scoring scales
With holistic rubrics:
 The student’s work is assessed as a whole, rather than broken down into its
component parts.
 Holistic scoring scales are often considered more straightforward to use.
In table 2 we can see an example of a holistic rubric for the same content as seen in
table 1.
FICTION WRITING CONTENT

The plot, setting and characters are developed fully and well organised. The
5 who, what, where, when and why are explained using interesting language
and sufficient detail.
Most parts of the story mentioned in a score of 5 above are developed and
4 well organized. A couple of aspects may need to be more fully or more
interestingly developed.
Some aspects of the story are developed and well organized, but not as much
3
detail or organization is expressed as in a score of 4.
A few parts of the story are developed somewhat. Organization and language
2
usage need improvement.
1 Parts of the story are addressed without attention to detail or organization.
Table 2. Example of a holistic rubric for Fiction Writing Content. Adapted from Teacher Vision
(2001).
Neither rubric is better or worse. The use of either will depend on the learning
context. However, when peer evaluating, especially with children, it may be
preferable to use a simple analytical rubric that marks out of 10 (see table 3
for an example).

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
Why use rubrics?
Using rubrics have numerous benefits for both the students and the teachers.
Assessment should NOT be a secretive process where the teacher believes sharing
evaluation criteria is akin to cheating and giving the students an unfair advantage. In
fact, the opposite is true. Assessment should be a transparent process that the pupil
is able to participate in. Rubrics facilitate this process (Nuere & Díaz-Obregón, 2018).
They aid objectivity, communication, facilitate feedback, and speed up grading. Let
us look at the benefits of using rubrics for both the students and the teachers:
 Benefits for the students:

• Objectivity. The student receives an objective mark for their work.
• Clarity. Rubrics provide clarity for the student. It is easy to see the areas where
performance was good and not so good.
• Provides a standard. Rubrics include indicators and descriptions of the highest
standard of each area. The student can clearly see what needs to be done to
improve their work to achieve the highest number of points in each area.
• Meaningful. Gives student more meaningful feedback as the data is easier to
interpret. It is broken down into its component parts, rather than vague comments
like “lacks coherence”.
• Facilitates self and peer evaluation. The student develops metacognitive
knowledge and inter- and intra-personal skills.
• Speed. The students get their grade and feedback faster. Feedback is more
meaningful when it is given speedily

 Benefits for the teachers:
• Objectivity. Makes evaluating subjective tasks more objective. Many teachers find
grading open-ended questions, presentations and project work to be more
challenging than simply ticking right or wrong in a closed answer test. By providing
a framework with level descriptors, it is much easier to award grades.
• Consistency. Rubrics increase the consistency of grading throughout the marking
of all the students.
• Reduced workload. Rubrics help speed up the marking process.

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
• Feedback. A rubric allows teachers to give individual and meaningful feedback to
students without writing and rewriting variations on the same theme.
• Provides a framework for teaching. Having a rubric already designed from the
start of the unit helps the teacher plan classes. The rubrics should contain both the
content and skill development to be evaluated.
Once a teacher has used rubrics, the data collected can be used for teachers to analyse
classroom learning. Teachers can ask themselves questions such as (Stevens & Levi,
2013):
 Regarding student performance:

• In which area are students as a group successful?
• In which area are students as a group not so successful?
• What instructional changes might I make to improve student performance in a
particular dimension?
 Regarding the rubric:
• What parts of the rubric do I need to rewrite to add clarity?
• What parts seem to work well?
Why share rubrics?
The reasons for sharing the rubrics with our learners are very similar to why we share
the learning objectives. Rubrics are based on student learning outcomes, and, as
mentioned earlier, they provide indicators and descriptors that break down the
objectives into more manageable parts where each student is able to see how to
achieve the objective. It empowers the learner and enables them to become an
active player in the learning process. By explaining and discussing the rubrics, we are
giving the learners the tools necessary to interpret the rubric, so feedback becomes
meaningful.

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
Sharing rubrics has the following benefits for the learners:
 Empowering.
 Becoming responsible for their learning.
 Motivating.
 Providing direction.
 Encouraging self-evaluation. This stimulates metacognitive analysis and learning (see
previous units when we discussed assessment as learning).
 Critical thinking.
Creating rubrics
When creating rubrics to use as an assessment tool in class, Stevens and Levi (2005, p.
29-30) recommends the four following key stages:
 Stage 1: reflecting. In this stage, we take the time to reflect on what we want from
the students, why we created this assignment, what happened the last time we gave
it, and what our expectations are.
 Stage 2: listing. In this stage, we focus on the particular details of the assignment and
what specific learning objectives we hope to see in the completed assignment.
 Stage 3: grouping and labelling. In this stage, we organize the results of our reflections
in stages 1 and 2, grouping similar expectations together in what will probably
become the rubric dimensions.
 Stage 4: application. In this stage, we apply the dimensions and descriptions from
stage 3 to the final form of the rubric. Use a grid format.
These four stages can be seen more clearly in figure 9.


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Unit 4. Key Ideas
Figure 9. Key Stages in constructing a rubric (adapted from Stevens & Levi, 2013).
Quick and easy rubrics for effective learning and assessment
While many, many different types of rubrics exist, each adapted to the task at hand, an
easy formula to construct quick and effective rubrics is one which is based on 10 points.
There are five different components, each with a maximum of 2 points. If a component
is not observed, it is awarded 0 points. If it is partially observed, 1 point, and 2 points if it
is fully observed. It allows the teachers to give immediate feedback to the learners in an
easy to understand format as it does not involve complicated calculations and divisions
to know the mark out of 10.
This rubric is also ideal for group evaluations in project work, for example an oral
presentation. The teacher asks the group for their feedback and completes the rubric
accordingly in that moment. This technique allows us to incorporate the benefits of

assessment for and as learning into the activity (seen in previous units). The students
are given immediate feedback which makes it more meaningful and easier to assimilate
and to improve for future assignments. It also considerably reduces marking time, as the

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
teacher has no extra marking after the activity has finished. See on previous units the
section on graphic organisers) for a framework to use rubrics such as these in class.
NOT PARTIALLY FULLY

POSSIBLE
PRESENT PRESENT PRESENT
DESCRIPTORS
(0 POINTS) (1 POINT) (2 POINTS)
 Did we work well
Component 1. (Include any observations and/ or
together?
E. g. teamwork  Did we collaborate? recommendations here)
 Did we all participate?
Component 2.
E. g. included
obligatory content (Include any observations and/ or
 Are we able to…?
(incorporate specific  Are we able to…? recommendations here)
content learning
outcomes)
 Did we speak clearly?
Component 3.  Was our presentation
easy to understand? (Include any observations and/ or
E. g. clarity of oral  Did I speak without
recommendations here)
presentation reading?
 Did I use my own
words?
 Can I use the specific
vocabulary of the
Component 4. module correctly? (Include any observations and/ or
 Was the grammar
E. g. language recommendations here)
accurate?
 Did I use the past
tense correctly?
Component 5.
E. g. quality of final  Did we investigate? (Include any observations and/ or
 Is the presentation
product recommendations here)
 interesting?
(poster/video/model…)
Total points /10
Table 3. An example of a rubric based on 10 points for team presentations.

In the following video, we will have a look in detail about the steps to follow to help
us implement rubrics and other assessment tools effectively in class to encourage
assessment for, as and of learning.

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
Video. Tips on creating effective and easy-to-use rubrics.
You can access the video through the virtual campus
4.7. Bibliographical references
Gagné, R. M. (1965). The Conditions of Learning. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.
Green, A. & Hawkey, R. (2012). Marking Assessment: rating scales and rubrics. In
O'Sullivan, B. & Stoynoff, S. (Eds.) The Cambridge guide to second language
assessment. Cambridge University Press.
Girgin, K. Z. & Stevens, D. D. (2005). Bridging in-class participation with innovative

instruction: Use and implications in a Turkish university classroom. Innovations in
Education and Teaching International, 42(1), 93-106.
Jiang, X. (2012). Effects of discourse structure graphic organizers of EFL reading

comprehension. Reading in a Foreign Language, 24(1), 84-105.

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
Lismayanti, D. (2014). The effect of using KWL (Know, Want, Learned) strategy on EFL
students’ reading comprehension achievement. International Journal of Humanities
and Social Science, 4(7), 225-233.
Merkley, D. M. & Jefferies, D. (2001). Guidelines for implementing a graphic

organizer. The Reading Teacher, 54(4), 350-357.
NEFR (n. d. a). Assessment for learning.

https://www.nfer.ac.uk/media/3094/assessment_for_learning.pdf
Nuere Menéndez-Pidal, S. & Díaz-Obregón, R. (2018). La rúbrica como herramienta

de autoevaluación, proceso permanente, participativo y reflexivo para la mejora
continua en la formación del alumno: un caso práctico. Arte, Individuo Y Sociedad,
30(3), 657-672.
Stevens, D. D. & Levi, A. J. (2005). Introduction to rubrics: An assessment tool to save

grading time, convey effective feedback, and promote student learning (1st ed.).
Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Stevens, D. D. & Levi, A. J. (2013). Introduction to rubrics: An assessment tool to save

grading time, convey effective feedback, and promote student learning (2nd ed.).
Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Teacher Vision, (9th January 2001). Fiction-Writing Content Rubric. Teacher Vision.
https://www.teachervision.com/fiction-writing-content-rubric

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Unit 4. Key Ideas
In Depth
Using rubrics effectively
Quast, J. & Stanforf, A. (October 2018). Listening to sixth graders to shape positive
outcomes for the use of rubrics. Amble Magazine.
http://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/Assessment/AsDet/TabId/180/ArtMID/780/Artic
leID/969/ReTooling-Rubrics.aspx
A clear explanation on how to use rubrics
Assessment Quickies #2: Writing Student Learning Outcomes
MASaintGermain (6th May 2009). Assessment Quickies #2: Writing Student Learning
Outcomes [video file]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA0DeysBX7M
This video is one in a series of 10 that concentrates on different factors of assessment.

It explains how to write student learning outcomes (learning objectives), and which
verbs to use for conciseness.

27
Unit 4. In Depth
Robert Gagné: The Conditions of Learning
Tobey Sanford (24th October 2013). Robert Gagné: The Conditions of Learning [video file].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOIGhyiCwpU
While this video is entertaining and easy to understand, it also offers a clear insight
into how Gagné’s nine-step instruction can be applied. It was designed by American
Graduate students. It is included here to provide a good example of group work
where each member has worked together and made a clear contribution to the final
product.
Top 10 Most Popular Graphic Organizers
Teacher Vision (13th July 2007). Top 10 Most Popular Graphic Organizers. Teacher Vision.
https://www.teachervision.com/top-10-most-popular-graphic-organizers
Ideas for graphic organisers to incorporate into your classroom


28
Unit 4. In Depth
Test
1. An analytic rubric is generally one which:
A. Breaks an activity down into different parts.
B. Is used for listening tasks.
C. Gives an overall score for the whole activity.
D. Does not require detailed descriptors.
2. Stevens and Levi (2005, p. 29-30) recommend the following stages when
constructing a rubric:
A. Applying, grouping and labelling, listing, reflecting.
B. Reflecting, applying, listing, grouping and labelling.
C. Reflecting, listing, grouping and labelling, applying.
D. Applying, listing, grouping and labelling, reflecting.
3. Objectives should be:

A. General.
B. Written as ‘Can I…?’ questions.
C. Use the passive voice.
D. Unambiguous.
4. One of the main purposes of a KWL is to:

A. Empower the learner.
B. Measure the student’ performance.
C. Grade learning.
D. Incorporate specific objectives.

29
Unit 4. Test
5. When incorporating graphic organisers into class, Merkely and Jefferies (2001)
recommend:
A. Students adding their own objectives to increase motivation.
B. Writing down the concepts first.
C. Students review the content in graphic organisers.
D. Activating prior knowledge to link it to new content.
6. A holistic scoring scale is generally one which:

A. Breaks an activity down into different parts.
B. Is marked out of 10 points.
C. Gives an overall score for the whole activity.
D. Does not require detailed descriptors.
7. Sharing objectives with the students:

A. Is part of Gagné’s nine-part instruction.
B. Encourages the students to cheat.
C. Encourages the ability of the student to assume a passive role.
D. Is typical of traditional teaching methods.
8. Match the following terms:
Checklist 1 A Connects abstract concepts
Rubric 2 B Points to remember
Graphic organiser 3 C Student learning outcome
Objective 4 D Scoring scale


30
Unit 4. Test
9. To increase visibility of the learning process in the classroom, checklists are
recommended to:
A. Include detailed text.
B. Use short sentences.
C. Mark scores out of 10.
D. Have comprehensive explanations.
10. Match the following terms. In a KWL, the:
“Know” column. 1 A Is used to motivate the student.
Is used at the start of the learning

“Learnt” column. 2 B unit.
“Want” column. 3 C Is useful for revision.


31
Unit 4. Test

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Unit 4

Testing and Assessment in EFL

Testing and Assessment in EFL

4.1. Introduction and objectives

At the end of this unit, students should be able to:

4.2. Making the learning goal visible

An essential part of assessment for and as learning is empowering the student by

Testing and Assessment in EFL

look at how this can be achieved.

Testing and Assessment in EFL

Robert Gagné was an American educational psychologist. He developed the conditions

Figure 2. Gagné’s nine steps of instructions. Source:

Testing and Assessment in EFL

In a classroom environment, objectives can be a very powerful tool that:

Using objectives successfully

Testing and Assessment in EFL

When writing a learning outcome or objective:

Remember the SMART acronym we used in previous units?

Testing and Assessment in EFL

Testing and Assessment in EFL

Testing and Assessment in EFL

The Effect of Using KWL (Know, Want, Learned) Strategy on EFL

4.5. Graphic organisers and checklists

Testing and Assessment in EFL

Testing and Assessment in EFL

 Verbalize relationships (links) among concepts expressed by the visual.

Creating graphic organisers in class with students

Testing and Assessment in EFL

Steps to follow when creating a graphic organiser

Using graphic organisers in research

Effects of discourse structure graphic organizers of EFL Reading

“This study investigated the effects of a 16-week reading instruction

Testing and Assessment in EFL

Testing and Assessment in EFL

 Regular and on-time attendance to class, not missing any classes

 Listens —alert, eyes on the speaker, nonverbal signs of attention

Testing and Assessment in EFL

Types of scoring scales

In formal language testing, rubrics tend to be used in writing and speaking

Cambridge Assessment English, as other major producers of standardised testing,

Testing and Assessment in EFL

Analytical rubrics are used to:

 Give detailed description.

CHARACTERS: The main

appearance, detail. The reader has identified by

Testing and Assessment in EFL

With holistic rubrics:

FICTION WRITING CONTENT

1 Parts of the story are addressed without attention to detail or organization.

Testing and Assessment in EFL

 Benefits for the students:

meaningful when it is given speedily

Testing and Assessment in EFL

 Regarding student performance:

Why share rubrics?

Testing and Assessment in EFL

These four stages can be seen more clearly in figure 9.

Testing and Assessment in EFL

Quick and easy rubrics for effective learning and assessment

accordingly in that moment. This technique allows us to incorporate the benefits of

Testing and Assessment in EFL

NOT PARTIALLY FULLY

Total points /10

Table 3. An example of a rubric based on 10 points for team presentations.