How Do You Assess Students?

[Ketina]

Hello fellow teachers,
I am an ESL teacher who just joined this forum. I want to discuss how do professional ESL teachers or specialists assess their English language learners in the classroom?
For me, I do both informal and formal approach in asking lesson questions or social interaction questions. I noticed that as I am assessing their speaking skills that I have to illict a starter response sentence for them to understand what I want them to do. For example, I taught the If clauses today. I asked a type 2 "If clause, which was if you had a million dollars what would you do?" I repeated the words what would you do to make sure that they respond "I would....." My students are university students on a level 3 (pre-intermediate) range.
Thank you for reading and answering, if you do answer.

Moderators if I hadn't posted this question in the right area please direct me to the correct area. I'll create a new post there

[teechar]

Hello Ketina, and welcome to the forum.

Hello fellow teachers,
I am an ESL teacher who has just joined this forum. I want to discuss ask how do professional ESL teachers or specialists assess their English language learners in the classroom.

There are lots of ways, including exams, quizzes, individual assignments, group projects, etc.

For me, I do use both informal and formal approaches in asking lesson questions or social interaction questions. I noticed that as I am assessing their speaking skills, that I have to illict elicit a starter response sentence for them to understand what I wanted them to do. For example, I taught the If-clauses today. I asked a type-2 if-clause question, which was "If you had a million dollars, what would you do?" I repeated the words "what would you do" to make sure that they respond "I would, etc." My students are university students on a level-3 pre-intermediate university students. range.
Thank you for reading and answering, if you do answer.

Moderators if I hadn't haven't posted this question in the right area, please direct me to the correct area. I'll create a new post there.

I think it's okay to focus on the use of "would" as you did. Students often need guidance from the teacher when learning new structures. You might also want to model a sample answer for them too.

[NothingHappens]

My students are primary and high school students. While we were studying on 'if clauses' with them, I asked them to write an essay about 'wishes and dreams'. These subjects are very suitable for writing essay. Sometimes, I wanted them to do exercises with the subject for 20 or 30 sentences. After these kind of assignments, I check and grade them then I try to look at the missing of the students to get rid of them.

[Ketina]

Thank you Nothinghappens for replying.
Yes, I posed a question but I really want to discuss the topic with others. This is an assignment for a class that I am in. To NH: I never thought about assessing them in that way. My students are university students in Mexico so there language skills are very basic in all areas. I will assess their writing next week when I assign them to use a list of assigned adjectives to describe their family members in sentences. I need to know their writing skills. At the university, professors do not have the same group every semester. In fact, every semester the students,if they pass their current level, advanced to the next one. I do not have much background information about their language skills. So, I assess daily. How often do you assess your students, NothingHappens? If standardized testing is used in your classroom, do you see it complementing your classroom assessments such as your students writing skills?
Thank you for reading and answering my questions.

[Rover_KE]

You could also have thanked teechar for his reply.

The easiest way to do this is to click 'Thank' in the bottom left-hand corner of every post.

[Ketina]

Hi, Rover_KE!
Thank you I just did. I didn't see her post anything until I just came on and realized she did. So, thank you, teechar!

[Tdol]

I don't really see why this kind of assessment couldn't be done in a standardized way.

[Ketina]

I don't really see why this kind of assessment couldn't be done in a standardized way.

Very interesting you mentioned that because I am adding that to the Final exam this week. I agree.

[cruiz10]

Hi Ketina, your question is very interesting. I work with ELL students 9-12 and many of them are at the beginners level. When I ask then question they repeat the question and I have to redirect them. However, you said that your students are at a university level 3, it can be that they are shy and afraid they are going to make a mistake. Do you ask them in front of the class or are your question one on one. If so you might want to start by asking them question just you and the student until they get used to speaking in front of other people.

C. Ruiz

[Ketina]

Hi Ketina, your question is very interesting. I work with ELL students 9-12 and many of them are at the beginners level. When I ask then question they repeat the question and I have to redirect them. However, you said that your students are at a university level 3, it can be that they are shy and afraid they are going to make a mistake. Do you ask them in front of the class or are your question one on one. If so you might want to start by asking them question just you and the student until they get used to speaking in front of other people.

C. Ruiz

Thank you for replying back. Indeed my students are shy, but I do ask students one on one. However, whenever I do this, the non-shy students answer the questions for them. I have to use classroom management a lot during class. I have to explain to them to allow these students to answer the questions themselves so they can try.