Authentic Assessment

in
EFL Classroom
Definition
• Authentic assessments attempt to demonstrate what a student actually learns in class rather
than the student's ability to do well on traditional tests and quizzes
• Many have claimed this type of assessment an excellent means of evaluating a student's
knowledge of subject matter
• Idea of using creative learning experiences to test students' skills and knowledge in realistic
situations
• Measures students' success in a way that's relevant to the skills required of them once they've
finished your course or degree program
• Examples of these measurements are open-ended questions, written compositions, oral
presentations, projects, experiments, and portfolios of student work
Types of Authentic Assessment
• According to Lawrence Rudner, authentic
assessment should require that students be active
participants in learning and be able to demonstrate
knowledge and skills. The following is a list of
examples of authentic assessment that meet one
or both of these requirements - active participation
and/or demonstration of knowledge and skills.
• “Within a complete assessment system, there
should be a balance of longer performance
assessments and shorter ones" (Valencia, 1997)
Authentic Assessment examples:
• Conduction research and writing a report
• Character analysis
• Student debates (individual or group)
• Drawing and writing about a story or chapter
• Experiments - trial and error learning
• Journal entries (reflective writing)
• Discussion partners or groups
• Student self-assessment
• Peer assessment and evaluation
• Presentations
• Projects
• Portfolios
• Tiered learning classrooms
What is an Authentic Task?

• An assignment given to students designed to assess their ability to apply

standard-driven knowledge and skills to real-world challenges
• A task we ask students to perform is considered authentic when 1) students are
asked to construct their own responses rather than select from ones presented
and 2) the task replicates challenges faced in the real world
• Authentic assessment, in contrast to more traditional assessment, encourages
the integration of teaching, learning and assessing.
Characteristics of Authentic Tasks

• Selecting a Response to Performing a Task: ask students to demonstrate understanding by performing a

complex task usually representative of more meaningful application
• Contrived to Real-life: we are asked to demonstrate proficiency by doing something
• Recall/Recognition of Knowledge to Construction/Application of Knowledge:  Authentic assessments often
ask students to analyse, synthesize and apply what they have learned in a substantial manner, and students
create new meaning in the process as well
• Teacher-structured to Student-structured: authentic assessments allow more student choice and
construction in determining what is presented as evidence of proficiency
• Indirect Evidence to Direct Evidence: authentic assessments offer more direct evidence of
application and construction of knowledge.
Traditional Assessment Vs. Authentic Assessment

Traditional Assessment Authentic Assessment

• refer to conventional methods of testing, • refer to assessments wherein students are asked
usually standardized and use pen and paper to perform real-world tasks that demonstrate
with multiple-choice, true or false or meaningful application of what they have learned
matching type test items • Examples:
 demonstrations
• Examples:  hands-on experiments
 True or False; multiple choice tests  computer simulations
 standardized tests  portfolios
 achievement tests  projects
 intelligence tests  multi-media presentations
 role plays
 aptitude tests
 recitals
 stage plays
 exhibits
Traditional Assessment Vs. Authentic Assessment
Cont.
Traditional Assessment
• Purpose: to evaluate if the students have learned
the content; to determine whether or not the
students are successful in acquiring knowledge; to
ascribe a grade for them; to rank and compare
them against standards or other learners
• Provides teachers a snapshot of what the students
know
• Measures students’ knowledge of the content
Authentic Assessment
• Purpose: to measure students’ proficiency by
asking them to perform real life-tasks; to provide
students many avenues to learn and demonstrate
best what they have learned; to guide instruction;
to provide feedback and help students manage
their own learning; to also evaluate students’
competency
• Provides teachers a more complete picture of what
the students know and what they can do with what
they know
• Measures students’ ability to apply knowledge of
the content in real life situations; ability to
use/apply what they have learned in meaningful
ways
Traditional Assessment Vs. Authentic Assessment
Cont.
Traditional Assessment
• Requires students to demonstrate knowledge
by selecting a response/giving correct
answers; usually tests students’ proficiency
through paper and pencil tests
• Provides indirect evidence of learning
• Requires students to practice cognitive ability
to recall/recognize/reconstruct body of
knowledge that has been taught
Authentic Assessment
• Requires students to demonstrate proficiency
by performing relevant tasks showing
application of what has been learned
• Provides direct evidence of
learning/competency; direct demonstration
of knowledge and skills by performing
relevant tasks
• Provides opportunities for students to
construct meaning/new knowledge out of
what has been taught
Traditional Assessment Vs. Authentic Assessment
Cont.
Traditional Assessment
• Teachers serve as evaluators and students as
the evaluatees: teacher-structured
• Assessment is separated from teaching and
learning. Test usually comes after instruction
to evaluate if the students have successfully
learned the content
• Curriculum drives assessment
Authentic Assessment
• Involves and engages the students in the
teaching, learning and assessment process:
student structured
• Assessment is integrated with instruction.
Assessment activities happen all throughout
instruction to help students improve their
learning and help teachers improve their
teaching
• Assessment drives curriculum and instruction
Advantages of Authentic Assessment
• Provides teachers with the true picture of how and where their students are in their learning; gives more
information about their students’ strengths, weaknesses, needs and preferences that aid them in adjusting
instruction towards enhanced teaching and learning
• Provides students many alternatives/ways to demonstrate best what they have learned; offers a wide array of
interesting and challenging assessment activities
• Assessment is integrated with instruction
• Reveals and enriches the students’ high level cognitive skills: from knowledge and comprehension to analysis,
synthesis, application and evaluation
• Enhances students’ ability to apply skills and knowledge to real lie situations; taps high order cognitive and
problem solving skills
• Oftentimes involves students working in groups hence promotes team work, collaborative and interpersonal
skills
• Reduces anxiety and creates a more relaxed happy atmosphere that boosts learning
• Focuses on the growth of the learner
• Learners express their understanding of the learning content using their preferred multiple forms of intelligences
• Provides parents and community with more observable products, proofs of the students’ learning which
motivate them to support their kids’ learning more
Thank you