Become a more confident language teacher.
Dictations have been a standard activity for language classes for a very long time. In particular, the traditional French dictée has a non-negotiable place in courses from Kinder through university level courses. Traditionally, dictations are used to learn spelling– a purpose which is debatable at best. Certainly, direct spelling instruction and practice has a positive…
Read MoreThis is a listening assessment that I used after we spent some time using present progressive verbs, and I think that it works best when you have a targeted verb tense that you are comparing to something else. In this case, present vs. present progressive. First, write up five to six mini-scenes (only one or…
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A binary CLOZE reading comprehension assessment is an easy way to measure student comprehension of a text. It is used across content areas, and it gives the teacher a different view of students’ reading comprehension than they would receive by asking comprehension questions. What a Binary CLOZE assessment looks like In a Binary CLOZE assessment,…
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When I began using TPRS® (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling), one of the first routines that I implemented was weekly timed free writes. What is a free write? A free write, also known as a timed write or a fluency write, is a tool that teachers can use to get a window into what…
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For my student’s writing assessment today, I allowed them to “choose their target”. I gave them the expectation for what Advanced, Proficient, and Developing skill level would look like and let them choose how to proceed. Proficiency-based Performance Assessment All assessments in my classes are Performance assessments that are proficiency-based. Remember that Proficiency is what…
Read MoreAs Carol Gaab would say, our brains crave novelty! We need new experiences to remain engaged. She shared this assessment (or something like it, at least) with us at our most recent TPRS course webinar. Divide students into pairs (working with shoulder partner is preferable). If there is an odd number, one group can have…
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An Up/Down Quick Quiz is a simple, formative listening assessment that I use at the end of almost every class period. I first learned about Up-Down Quick Quizzes when I observed a TPRS lesson for the very first time in Michele Whaley‘s class last spring. It is an easy way for teachers to get a…
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How did you decide how to structure your gradebook? Without exception, in every language class that I took from middle school through college, the gradebook looked very similar. Every graded assignment in the course was placed into a category that matched the assignment type: quizzes, tests, homework, classwork, participation, projects, etc. The weight of each category varied–sometimes,…
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Instead of letter grades, my students receive an abbreviation of one of the following terms on their assignments. Some are entered in the gradebook (summative), but others are not (formative). Formative assessments are given during the learning process and are a way for me and my students to see how they are progressing. Summative assessments…
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