ASSESSMENT AND SOME RESEARCH ON ELT AN ESSAY OF A READING REPORT

ASSESSMENT AND SOME RESEARCH ON ELT

AN ESSAY OF A READING REPORT

Submitted as the Requirement to Fulfill an Assignment of

English as Foreign Language Methodology Course

by:

Rezki Firdaus

1407335(1B)

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

SCHOOL OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES

INDONESIA UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION

2014

Summary of the Topic

Assessment is a variety ways of collecting information on a learner’s language ability or achievement. In measuring how far students can get along learning process, it is important to test the students as a part of assessment. Assessment is a central element in curriculum design: it is the critical link between learning outcomes, content and learning and teaching activities. The testing and assessment usually used interchargeably, the latter is an umbrella term encompassing measurement administered on a one of basis of tests, qualitative methods of monitoring and recording students learning such as observation, stimulations or project work. Actually assessment also familiar as a part of evaluation which take a part with overall language programme and not only with what have learn by individual learner.

There are 4 kinds of assessment; 1) Proficiency assessment, the assessment of general language abilities acquired by learner independent of course study (Carter., R, Nunan., D, 2001:137), 2) Assessment of achievement, what students has learned in relation to a particular course or curriculum (Carter., R, Nunan., D, 2001:137), 3) Formative assessment, assessment which carried out by teachers during the learning process with the aim of using the result to improve instruction (Carter., R, Nunan., D, 2001:137), 4) Summative assessment, assessment which take at the end of a course, term or school year – often for purpose of providing aggregated information on programme outcomes to educational authorities (Carter., R, Nunan., D, 2001:137).

For the interpretation of assessment devided into two part such: Norm referenced: assessment rank learners in relation to each other. Criterion referenced occurs when learners’ performance is described in relation to an explicit stated standard (Carter., R, Nunan., D, 2001:137).

Furthermore, based on what have been discussed by Geoff Brindley cited in Carter., R, Nunan., D, 2001: 137-138 there are three types of validity; 1) construct validity, the extent to which the content of the test/assessment reflect current theoritical understanding of skill (s) being assessed, 2) content validity, whether it represent an adequate sample of ability, and 3) criterion-related validity, the extent to which the results corelated with other independent measure of ability.

Assessment is caried out to collect information on learners’ language proficiency and achievement that can be used by stakeholders in language learning programmes for various purposes. These purposes included; selection, certification, accountability, diagnostic, instructional decision-making, and motivation (cited in Carter., R, Nunan., D, 2001:138).

Under the influence of structural linguistics, language test were design to assess learners’ mastery of different areas of linguistic system such as phoneme descrimination, grammatical knowledge and vocabulary (Carter., R, Nunan., D, 2001:138). To maximise reliability, test often used objective testing formats such as multiple choice and included large numbers of items. Discrete item test provided no information on learners’ ability to use language for communicative purposes (Carter., R, Nunan., D, 2001:139). It began to look for other more global forms of assessment which were ablr to tap the use of language skills under normal contextual constarints. Integrative test, sush as cloze test, and dictation which focus on learners to use linguistic and contextual knowledge to reconstitute the meaning of spoken or written texts (Carter., R, Nunan., D, 2001:139).

In language assessment there are two major point should be focus on (by Geoff Brindley in Carter., R, Nunan., D, 2001:139) 1) the key question of how to define language ability and 2) self assessment of language ability. To answer this question, it is necessary to describe the nature of the abilities being assessed, known as contruct definition. Assessment not only assess a language performance but also need to meet the requirement of validity and realibility and also practically feasible. In a direct assessment of language performace is time consuming and particularly individualised testing. So, if teachers are required to construct and administer their own assessment tasks. It is crucial to provide adequate support and establish system for ensuring the quality of assessment tool used (Bottomley et al. 1994; Brindley 1998a; Geof Brindley in Carter., R, Nunan., D, 2001: 141)

Related theories from other books

Assessment is a popular and sometimes misunderstood term in current educational practice. Assessment on the other hand, is an ongoing process that encompasses a much wider domain (Brown, 2003:4). Whenever a student responds to a question, offers a comment, or tries out a new word or Structure, the teacher subconsciously makes an assessment of the student's performance. Written work from a write down phrase to a formal essay is performance that ended is assessed by self, teacher, and possibly other students. Reading and listening activities usually require some sort of productive performance that the teacher implicitly judges, however around that judgment may be. A good teacher never stop to assess students, whether those assessments are by chance or intended. Some signification definition of assessment according to expert:

·       Angelo T.A.(1991): Classroom Assessment is a simple method faculty can use to collect feedback, early and often, on how well their students are learning what they are being taught.

·       Palomba and Banta (1999), Assessment is the systematic collection, review, and use of information about educational programs undertaken for the purpose of improving student learning and development.

·       Overton, Terry (2008): Assesment is a process of gathering information to monitor progress and make educational decisions if necessary. As noted in my definition of test, an assesment may include a test, but also include methods such as observations, interview, behavior monitoring, etc.

·       Kizlik, Bob (2009): Assessment is a process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective or goal. Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special form of assessment. Tests are assessments made under contrived circumstances especially so that they may be administered. In other words, all tests are assessments, but not all assessments are tests.

Brown (2003:5) divides assessment into formal and informal one. Informal assessment is engaged in all incidental, unplanned evaluative coaching and feedback on tasks designed to elicit performance, but not for the purpose of recording results and making fixed judgments about a student's competence. The term informal assessment is also referred to as formative evaluation or assessment which assesses students in the process of forming their competencies and skills in order to help them continue that growth process. It implies the observation of the learning process, as opposed to the product, on which the success of the teachers is greatly dependent. On the other side of it, formal assessment which is also sometimes referred to as summative assessment is a systematic, planned sampling technique constructed to give teacher and student an appraisal of student achievement. It could occur at the end of a lesson, unit, or course and therefore attempts to measure, or summarize, to what extend a student has grasped. Summative assessment tends to focus on products.

A coherent curriculum means that for teachers and students, the learning goals, activities, and assessments align with each other. Especially for students assessment considered teamwork, critical thinking skills, problem solving, and time management (Susan M. Drake., Rebecca C. Burns, 2004:15). Another expert also said that Teaching as a three steps activity, the first step consists of activities – planning and preparation – required before teaching a class; the second of activities in the classroom – classroom management, teaching, learning; and the third of activities that take place after the lesson – assessment, with associated activities such as recording and reporting, and evaluation (Haynes, 2010:1). Assessment or evaluation refers to the means for determining whether the curriculum has been successfully implemented (Claire McLachlan, Marilyn Fleer, Susan Edwards, 2010: p.24).

Related research reports

Brown (2001) states that assessment is an integral part of teaching-learning cycle. Tests, as a subset of all assessment process, do not necessarily need to violate principles of authenticity, intrinsic motivation, and student-centeredness. Assessment and teaching are partners in the learning process.

Related to (Mulyani, 2013:19) state that assessment is conducted to evaluate students’ results of study in which the instruments used are based on the indicator of competency achievement and Standard of Assessment. It can be elucidated that assessment is required to execute using rubrics in order to evaluate students’achievement towards indicators determined.

To find out students’ needs or interests, teachers can carry out a need assessment/analysis or an interest analysis by talking to, or asking, students to write or to choose activities, materials to learn, and methods preferred through giving lists or administering questionnaires (Harmer, 2007).

Putra, B.M., Nitiasih, P. K., Budasi, I.G. (2014) states that the objectives will determine the learning materials used, and the learning materials used will determine the kind of teaching learning activities conducted which finally will result in a certain form of assessment. However, one thing must keep in mind that the development and events happening in the assessment may cause changes to the teaching learning activities, which may also lead to changes in learning materials and so on. Therefore a curriculum may undergo changes as it is implemented as a result of problems, obstacles and deficiency found within the implementation.

The process standard which is applied to the latest curriculum (Curriculum 2013) is also emphasis more authentic assessment (Permendikbud No. 81A 2013). An authentic assessment is considered necessary to measure the overall learning outcomes of students.  Devianti, H., Dantes, N., Mahrhaeni, A, 2014 state that all of the assessments evaluate the progress of learning, not merely the result but also the process and other aspects in different ways. In other words, the assessment system would be fairer to students as learners, because every effort which the students produce will be more appreciated.

Regarding the importance of ongoing learning, assessment must be administered to the students in order to assess the competence level and to determine the quality and the quantity of the students’s ability (Ni Putu Prasanti Devi, Anak Agung Istri Ngurah Marhaeni, Dra. Luh Putu Artini, 2014). Thoroughly assessing the students, the teacher will be able to decide what further action is required in the classroom for the development of students’ competence and skill. (Nitko, 1996 cited in Ni Putu Prasanti Devi, Anak Agung Istri Ngurah Marhaeni, Dra. Luh Putu Artini, 2014), state that assessment in education helps teachers to make a better decision regarding teaching the strategic acquisition of language skills.

Critical Analysis

Most experts cited in this report concur on the importance of assessment in the context of classroom activities. The teaching-learning process is highly dependent on assessment. By means of assessment, teacher will gain information about what the students have and have not achieved during and/or after completing a course. Assessment helps teacher modify the course when certain students fail to meet the desired goals. Likewise, the students will know how they are progressing towards objectives and so they could determine what steps to be taken next time in the learning process in order to get the results they wish. It is suggested that when administering a test we take a good care of principles of authenticity, and student-centered, then it is a must that we construct valid and reliable tests.

If we bring the case to the English Language Teaching-learning process in Indonesia, the report writer believes that most Indonesian teachers fail to apply the assessment principles top down by some experts cited in this paper especially assessment in curriculum 2013. They are still trapped in the product-oriented traditional assessment system which focuses on the "right" answer. They find scores are sufficient for feedback. Such assessment system fails to foster the students' intrinsic motivation.

Conclusion

Assessment is the key to the success of teaching-learning process. It measures the progress achieved by the students, and determines whether or not the goals of education are met. In the context of classroom application, there are four kinds of assessment: 1) Proficiency assessment, 2) Assessment of achievement, 3) Formative Assessment and 4) Summative Assessment. Proficiency assessment, the assessment of general language abilities acquired by learner independent of a course study. Assessment of achievement, what students has learned in relation to a particular course or curriculum. Formative assessment, assessment which carried out by teachers during the learning process with the aim of using the result ro improve instruction. The formative or formal assessment also process-oriented. It is incidental, unplanned evaluative feedback on tasks designed to elicit performance and assesses students in the process of forming their competencies and skills in order to help them continue that growth process. Summative assessment, assessment which take at the end of a course, term or school year – often for purposes of providing aggregated information on programme outcomes to educational authorities. Summative assessment is product-oriented. It is a systematic, planned sampling technique constructed to give teacher and student an appraisal of student achievement.

References

Angelo, T.A., (1991). Ten easy pieces: Assessing higher learning in four dimensions. In Classroom research: Early lessons from success. New directions in teaching and learning (#46), Summer, 17-31.

Brown., H.D. 2003. Language Assessment, Principles and Classroom Practices. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.

Drake., Susan M. Rebecca C. Burns. (2004). Meeting Standards Through Integrated Curricullum. Alexandria: Virginia USA.

Devianti, H., Dantes, N., Mahrhaeni, A. 2014. Developing Self Assessment Instruments for Teaching Speaking to Grade Eight Students of Junior High School. Singaraja: Postgraduate Program Ganesha Education University, 2014. Downloaded e-Journal on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 at 02.48.

Devi, N.P.P., Marhaeni, A.A.I.N, Artini, L.P.A., 2014. Developing self-assessment for writing competency of Grade 8 Junior High school students in Denpasar. Singaraja: Postgraduate Program Ganesha Education University, 2014. Downloaded e-Journal on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 at 02.50.

Haynes, Anthony. 2010. The Complete Guide to Lesson Plan and Preparation. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group

Kizlik, Bob. (2009). Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation in Education. Online: http://www.adprima.com/measurement.htm accessed on Wednesday, 29-10-2014 at 12.15

McLachlan., C, Fleer., M, Edwards., S. 2010. Early Childhood Curriculum: Planning, Assessment and Implementation. UK: Cambridge University Press

Mulyani. 2013. An Analysis of English Lesson Plan Academic Year 2012/2013 At The First Semester of MAS Darul Ulum, Banda Aceh. Banda Aceh: unpublished. https://www.academia.edu/6545997/AN_ANALYSIS_OF_ENGLISH_LESSON_PLAN_ACADEMIC_YEAR_2012_2013_
AT_THE_FIRST_SEMESTER_OF_MA DARUL_ULUM_BANDA_ACEH. Downloaded on Thursday, 23 Octobers 2014 at 00:01

Nunan., D, Ronald., C. (2001). The Cambridge guide to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Overton, Terry. (2008). Assessing Learners with Special Needs: An Applied Approach (7th Edition). University of Texas – Brownsville

Palomba, Catherine A. And Banta, Trudy W. (1999). Assessment Essentials: Planning, Implementing, Improving. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Putra, B.M., Nitiasih, P. K., Budasi, I.G. (2014). Developing Character Based Lesson Plans for The Tenth Grade Students of Vocational School (smk). Singaraja: Postgraduate Program Ganesha Education University, 2014. Downloaded e-Journal on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 at 02.45.

CHAPTER REPORT PRESENTATION

EFL Methodology

Presenter’s Name       : Rezki Firdaus

Student’s ID               : 1407335

Topic                           : Part Four: Assessment in ELT – Basic Consept, Test                                                          Development, and Issues (Assessment and Some Research on                      ELT)

Date                            : 18 November 2014

Aspects	Criterion Score and Description	Comments	Rater’s Score
Content	9 The inclusion of other resources as well as research findings or illustration   (9) Without enrichment (7)
Media	5 Readability of the media Not too wordy Effectiveness of using it
Language: Grammar	4 Limited mistakes/errors. (4) Several mistakes (3) Many mistakes (2) Too many mistakes (1)
Pronunciation	4 Several mistakes in pronouncing words.
Encoding	6 The concept was easily understood by the floor. The presenter show his/her knowledge about the topic discussed.
Decoding	6 The presenter can cope with the questions from the floor.
Presentation Technique	6 During the presentation, the presenter make use of the media as her/his guidelines without reading the transparencies.
Total Score	40:10 = 4.0 (A)