ePortfolio Assessment for Arabic Learners

November 1, 2006

Agenda:

Rationale for Creating Portfolios

• Portfolio Assessment allows students to take over a role previously allowed only to the teacher: assessing progress in learning
• Portfolio Assessment supports research-based methods for increasing proficiency in a second language; such as self-assessment
• Self-Assessment is key to Self-Regulation, along with conscious use of Learning Strategies
• Self-regulated learners are more likely to achieve advanced proficiency
• Self-Assessment gives learners more control over the learning process, and more chances for positive reinforcement; morale-boosting
• Self-Assessment is an element of Metacognitive Knowledge, which is a powerful tool in any learning environment: How do I learn? What do I need to learn more effectively?

Why Electronic Portfolios?

• Multimedia inclusion allows for a more complete picture of language ability
• Authentic language materials can be incorporated
• The portfolio can be shared with gatekeepers more readily; it's portable
• Learners can manipulate the contents (checklists, reflections, etc) and update them easily to reflect current levels of proficiency

Defining assessment terms: Objectives, Criteria, and Rubrics

Expectations should be in accord with the difficulty of the language. See NVTC's list of languages and the time needed to Level 3 in Speaking and Reading proficiency.

Set specific goals for language skills

NCLRC's Goal-Setting tools: General Self-Rating, Specific Goals for Skills

Activity: Try these tools - you can fill out the form, click on submit, and print the result with your answers

Learning Strategy Self-Assessment

Matching portfolio contents to goals

"Artifacts" are how some refer to the contents of a portfolio - these are items chosen by you to support the statements you are making about your progress toward meeting the goals you have set for yourself.

Discussion: How does one choose work to represent language proficiency? Talk with your classmates and give examples of what would be good artifacts from this semester. Share the examples you've brought. Do they represent your work at the time? Why?

Self-Assessment ePortfolio

Sample of an Arabic student portfolio in PowerPoint (links won't work unless you download the entire folder below)

Download the folder with all files here:

Annotate artifacts to be used in the portfolio

Guide for reflections on artifacts (html) (word document)

Possible artifacts (NCLRC Guide) Student works included in portfolios are often called artifacts. This name emphasizes their role as evidence of learning; however, terms such as work and creation are also used. Artifacts, which include student products, self-assessments, and student goals, should be chosen and organized to demonstrate progress toward portfolio goals. Student products document what the student has learned. Student self-assessments and goals demonstrate how the student is learning and how progress is being made. Many of the artifacts can be both student products and self-assessments. For example, journal entries can be used as a product which demonstrates writing skills and/or a self-assessment tool in which students reflect on their writing. The purpose of the journal and the goals of the portfolio determine how the entries are included in the portfolio.

Possible artifacts: compositions and drafts, journal entries, reading responses, letters to penpals, standardized tests and quizzes, skits and plays on video cassette, songs on audio cassette, speeches and presentations on audio/video cassette, goal-setting worksheets, self-assessment records, reading logs, pictures and drawings, souvenirs of class trips, photographs of large works, oral proficiency interview on audio/visual cassette, class worksheets, and learner reflections.

Rubrics for Self-evaluation of Speaking: Interview of a Classmate; Story Retelling; Speaking rubric (NVTC) Word documents: Presentational Speaking, Interactive Speaking

Discussion: What issues do you have with keeping a portfolio? What would help you to manage this portfolio more effectively?

Activity: Using the artifacts you brought today, write a sample annotation for them.

Question on learning styles:

Here is the most widely-known survey, automatically scored, referring to four styles, Visual, Auditory, Reading, and Kinesthetic:
http://www.vark-learn.com/english/index.asp
Here is another, more detailed learning style survey and explanation: http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Learning_Styles.html

Comments/Questions email Jill