Implementing Performance-Based-Assessment in the EFL Classroom

1. What Is Performance-Based-Assessment? What is performance-based assessment and what do language educators mean when they advocate the use of this type of assessment in the EFL classroom? Performance-based assessment "represents a set of strategies for the...application of knowledge, skills, and work habits through the performance of tasks that are meaningful and engaging to students" (Hibbard and others, 1996, p. 5). This type of assessment provides the teacher with information about how a pupil understands and applies knowledge. Moreover, performancebased assessments can be integrated into the instructional process thus providing additional learning experiences for students (Brualdi, 2002). 2. The benefit of performance-based assessments The benefit of performance-based assessments, have been well documented. However, some teachers are hesitant to implement them in their classrooms. One reason for that might be that these teachers feel they don't know enough about how to fairly assess a student's performance (Airasian, 1991). Another reason for reluctance in using performance-based assessments may be previous experiences with them when the execution was unsuccessful or the results were inconclusive (Stiggins, 1994). You must beware that not all hands-on activities can be used as performance-basedassessments (Wiggins, 1993). Performance-based-assessments require pupils to apply their knowledge and skills in context, not merely complete a task on cue. 3. Designing and Implementing Performance-Based Assessment Effective assessment requires a clearly defined purpose. Thus, you must ask yourself several important questions:

What am I trying to assess? What do my pupils need to know? What prerequisite skills do my pupils need to have? At what level do my pupils need to perform? Will it the same level of performance be required of all my pupils? What type of knowledge is being assessed: reasoning, memory, or process (Stiggins, 1994)?

By considering the above issues, you can decide what type of activity best suits your assessment needs. After you have defined the purpose of the assessment, you can decide what activity will serve your purpose and what tasks should be included in it. There are some things that you must take into account before you choose the activity: time constraints, availability of resources in the classroom, and how much data is necessary in order to make an informed decision about the quality of a student's performance (Brualdi, 2002). 4. Assessment researchers distinguish between two types of performance-based assessment activities that can be implemented in the classroom: informal and formal (Airasian, 1991; Popham, 1995; Stiggins, 1994). a. Informal Assessed When a student is being informally assessed, the student does not know that the assessment is taking place. As an EFL teacher, you probably use informal performance assessments quite frequently. Besides assessing the linguistic aspects of your pupils' learning you may use informal assessment to assess extra-linguistic aspects of your pupils' learning as well. One example of is assessing in this manner how pupils interact and cooperate (Stiggins, 1994). Another example is assessing a pupil's typical behavior or work habits. b. Formal Assessed When a student's performance is formally assessed, you may either have the student perform a task or complete a project. You can either observe the student as he/she performs specific tasks (formative assessment) or assess the quality of end products (summative assessment). A student who is being formally assessed should be appropriately informed about it. 5. Assessment Criteria Assessment criteria reflect the elements of the project/task that will be employed to determine the success of the pupil's performance. You may find these criteria in the English Curriculum. The benchmarks for each domain are followed by assessment criteria on a performance continuum between foundation and proficiency levels. In the following example the success of pupils in meeting the standards for the domain of presentation can be determined by using the criteria specified below the benchmarks:

Domain of Presentation Pupils present information and ideas in an organized, planned manner in a variety of formats in spoken and written English on a wide range of topics. Levels of Progression Foundation Level Intermediate Level Proficiency Level Pupils present information and ideas fluently on a wide range of topics, orally and in writing, using more skills. Pupils complex discourse use rich vocabulary, structures, and varied advanced organizational

Pupils present information Pupils present information about personal topics, and ideas about general topics fluently, orally and in writing, using skills. Pupils use a broad range of vocabulary syntactic and simple structures basic organizational

orally and in writing, using basic organizational skills. Pupils vocabulary syntax. use and basic simple

syntactic markers

accurately, appropriate to the format

registers to match audience and purpose appropriately. accurately and

Benchmarks Pupils will meet the standards for the domain of presentation when they: Foundation Level present information on Intermediate Level Proficiency Level present information in-depth, synthesizing information from various sources present an argument for or against a particular point of view

limited content, supported by visual aids

present information taken from different sources

describe

people,

places, react

to

the

content

of

things and events

something read, seen or heard

produce a short piece of express coherent writing and/or about

ideas general

and

opinions and

topics

speech

that

conveys experiences using main and supporting ideas for design different means for present conclusions based on

personal experiences design a means

collecting information, such collecting information, such as the integration of the results of as a questionnaire and list surveys and interviews and information obtained through the results report on the results different means

use given criteria, such as a review and edit presentations redraft a presentation, using a checklist, to prepare and based on feedback from peers variety of tools such as a spell improve presentations Criteria and/or teacher checker

Continuum Foundation Level Proficiency Level ----> Accurate ----> In-depth ----> Fluent ----> Extended ----> Advanced ----> Appropriate ----> Complex ----> General ----> Rich

Accuracy Content Fluency Length

Comprehensible Limited Hesitant Short

Organization Basic Register Syntax Topic Vocabulary Emergent Simple Personal Basic

You may of course, use additional resources to access assessment criteria. These ready made criteria may prove to be very useful to you. However, you need to be aware of the fact that some lists of criteria may include too many or two few aspects to be assessed or may not fit the needs

of your pupil population. With this in mind, you must be certain to review criteria lists before applying any of them to your performance-based-assessment. You will probably need to come up with your own criteria most of the time. Airasian (1991, p. 244) suggests that you take the following steps when you do so: 1. Identify the overall performance or task to be assessed, and perform it yourself or imagine yourself performing it. 2. List the important aspects of the performance or product. 3. Try to limit the number of performance criteria, so they can all be observed during a pupil's performance. 4. If possible, have groups of teachers think through the important behaviors included in a task. 5. Express the performance criteria in terms of observable pupil behaviors or product characteristics. 6. Don't use ambiguous words that cloud the meaning of the performance criteria. 7. Arrange the performance criteria in the order in which they are likely to be observed. Allowing your pupils to participate in this process is a good idea. You could do this by asking the pupils to name the elements of the project/task that they would use to determine how successfully it has been completed (Stix, 1997). Having clearly defined criteria will make it easier for you to remain objective during the assessment. The reason for this is the fact that you will know exactly which skills and/or concepts that you are supposed to be assessing. If your pupils were not already involved in the process of determining the criteria, you will usually want to share them with your pupils. This will facilitate them in knowing exactly what is expected of them.