Another cross-post from the ELL folks on Workplace/ELL issues.

________________________________

From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Janet Isserlis
Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 11:47 AM
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 679] Re: Curriculum, materials, ASSESSMENT


If folks feel like a test helps them see their progress, one approach
might be to integrate that into the classes - to ask students to develop
questions that address what they've been learning, so that the jointly
construct a test.  This, in combination with other forms of ongoing
assessment can help make learning visible to learners - but likely
doesn't answer the outside requirement (where it exists) for a
standardized instrument.

Are many workplaces requiring these instruments?



________________________________

From: <Heehee0617 at aol.com>
Reply-To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
<englishlanguage at nifl.gov>
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2006 11:41:13 EDT
To: <englishlanguage at nifl.gov>
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 678] Re: Curriculum, materials, ASSESSMENT

I agree with you Janet.  I question how a standardized test can measure
specific content related gains, particularly when these gains are
expected to develop in a relatively short course of time.  My time with
my students is two hours a day, four days a week, for two and one-half
months.  If they pass the course, I wonder how much I truly prepared
them for their next transition.  Did they process some skills?  Did they
learn?  That's why I try to differentiate my assessments, but I find
many of my ESL adults to be very test-oriented.  They believe numbers
and grades determine how well they are learning.

Alison 

Knowledge is the seed that exists in all of us.
It is up to us to cultivate that seed.
There is no such thing as a stupid seed.
Just as there is no such thing as a stupid person.


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