A new approach to instruction requires a new approach to assessment, and many teachers that are focused on teaching language with a focus on acquisition have chosen to adopt a standards-based approach to assessment. Instead of grading students on their performance on classwork, homework, and quizzes and tests of knowledge, a standards-based approach to assessment involves the evaluation of students’ interpretive, productive, and possibly interpersonal communicative ability.
Assessment in The Somos Curriculum
The Comprehensible Classroom has championed a Standards-based approach to assessment, and we have designed the assessments contained within The Somos Curriculum to fit this vision. For teachers and departments that are implementing The Somos Curriculum (or the Nous sommes or Sumus Curriculum) for the first time, it can be overwhelming to navigate all of the resources available in order to find answers to the questions you are asking.
To support teachers and departments using The Somos Curriculum in learning about Standards-based assessment and grading as it relates to the implementation of the curriculum, Director of Training Elicia Cárdenas has created an Assessment in Somos launchpad. This digital dashboard is a single link from which you can explore the many angles of standards based assessment.
The launchpad is a clickable slide that will launch you to different articles, videos, and other resources related to specific assessment-related subtopics. To access and begin exploring, click here.
Looking for resources for getting started with The Somos Curriculum? Check out our Curriculum Launch pad here »
How to navigate the launch pad
Since some key mindsets are introduced in the Welcome Video, we encourage you to start there. You will find links to rubrics, grade book set-up recommendations, ideas and resources about standards and benchmarks, and some clear guidelines for how to actually grade. There are even ideas for midterms, finals, and some thoughts about projects!
We recognize that not every teacher will be able to (or choose to) implement our suggestions- many of us are in teaching contexts that require certain things, such as common assessments and required grades. With that in mind, we hope that this information can empower you to make the best decisions for you and your students when using resources from the Somos family of curricula.
Learn more about assessment
For schools and departments
If your department has adopted The Somos Curriculum and would like to support teachers through focused training on assessment, we can help. Director of Training Elicia Cárdenas works with schools throughout North America to provide one-day Assessment in Somos workshops as an add-on or follow-up to our Stepping into Somos training. Elicia is also available for more generic in-service workshops on Teaching and Assessing for Acquisition to districts that have not adopted The Somos Curriculum.
To start a training inquiry, click here.
For individual teachers
If you are an individual teacher seeking to grow in your understanding of standards-based assessment, whether or not it is within the context of The Somos Curriculum, look for the following open-to-the-public trainings, which we schedule and announce several times throughout the year:
- Teaching and Assessing for Acquisition (2 days, in person)
- Acquisition Academy (3 days, in person)
- Acquisition Boot Camp (online, 30 days)
