Activity-based Learning VS. GTM
Means of assessment
Introduction:
Assessment is a means of formative or informative testing to improve the learners' standards. It refers to improving. How? I can use an alternative teaching aid , modify my method of teaching or even use an alternative technique of teaching to help carry out the objectives of the lesson. It happens during the process of presentation inside the class every day or every period.
Evaluation is a means of testing to measure the progress of learning that has been achieved and the one that hasn't been achieved. It refers to grading. It happens at the end of the course, the term or the whole year to measure the general standard of the learners through giving grades, scores, marks or standards.
1-) In the activity-based Learning method:
There are a lot of ways to assess the
education process, the teaching method itself and the achievement of the
learners.
A-) For the teacher:
The teacher must ask himself:
1-If he has achieved the desired lesson objectives or not.
2-If he has used the appropriate method of teaching or not.
3- If he has used the appropriate teaching aid or not.
4- If he has used the appropriate means of technology or not.
5- If the lesson was interesting or not.
6-He linked between the objectives, activities and assessment or not.
7-He implemented active learning or not.
8- He used classroom management and time management.
9-He used analysis, synthesis and evaluation as critical thinking standards.
10- He used technology and electronic lesson programs .
Look at the simple diagram below to know about the way of assessment in this activity-based teaching method. Assessment includes :
.
B-) For the learner:
The teacher checks if his learner :
1-Did Story theater and story telling.2- Did integration, interaction, participation and communication.
3- Shared in individual work, pair work and team work.
4-Did role- playing practical learning and independent learning.
5-Practiced activities and mastered the 4 skills of English language.
6-Acquired real-life experiences and used real situations.
7- Had the chance to think, guess, compare, build, analyze and evaluate.
8- Enjoyed the ability to observe and do.
9- Was able to express himself and dialogue with himself and with others.
10-Transfered knowledge to others.
11-Answered exercises that are prepared electronically through:
"Hot potatoes" program, Jing program and " Free-mind" program.
Assessment:
Assessment is a strategy used to collect information based on evidence to improve the process of learning or performance. Assessment is part of evaluation. It is done by the teacher himself inside class during the presentation. This collected information is learner-centered, course based, frequently anonymous, and not graded. Assessment is the process of objectively understanding the state or condition of a thing, by observation and measurement. Assessment of teaching means taking a measure of its effectiveness. “Formative” assessment is a measurement for the purpose of improving it.
It measures terms, knowledge, skill, attitudes, and beliefs. It is a tool or method of obtaining information from tests or other sources about the achievement or abilities of individuals. Often used interchangeably with test. Assessment can focus on the individual learner, the learning community (class, workshop, or other organized group of learners), the institution, or the educational system as a whole.
Assessment focuses on learning, teaching and outcomes. It provides information for improving learning and teaching. Assessment is an interactive process between students and faculty that informs faculty how well their students are learning what they are teaching. The information is used by faculty to make changes in the learning environment, and is shared with students to assist them in improving their learning and study habits. This information is learner-centered, course based, frequently anonymous, and not graded.
Tools and methods of assessment:
1-The oral discussion.
2-The feedback.
3-The observation sheet.
4-The grading register.
5-The weekly and monthly reports.
6-The learners' portfolio and achievements.
7-The projects and the monthly tests.
8-Performance tasks and self reflection.
9-Periodic quizzes and discussion out of a questions bank .
10-Baseline assessment.
11-Check lists, check points or grade books.
12-Unit projects and extended projects .
13-Register of standards and anecdotal records .
14-Remedial work plan for slow learners and prizes for
advanced or gifted ( Learners with special needs ).
15-Formative and summative interviews.
16-Diagnostic tests.
17-Formative general pretests.
18-summative specific standardized oral tests.
19-Marking and grading.
20-Embedded projects / Electronic projects.
21-Multiple choice Exercises/Close tests/True or false/short answer
22-Essays / written reports / paragraphs / experiments.
23- A survey and a data analysis.
Areas of assessment:
1-The discussion share between the teacher and the learners.
2-The learners' share in pairs and in groups.
3-The learners' role-playing, practical learning .
4-The learners' share in solving problems and projects.
5-Learners' story telling, feedback and self-evaluation.
6-The learners' share in the electronic teaching programs.
7-learners'share in songs, debating, interviewing and miming.
8-The learners portfolio, written exercises and tests.
9-The learners' ability to listen, speak, read and write fluently.
10-The learners' ability to dialogue with themselves and with
others, imagine, discover, research, create and innovate.
11-The learner's interaction with the course content, the peer,
the pair, the group, teaching aids, means of technology, the
teacher and with the environmental activities.
Stages of Assessment:
1-Pre-assessment:
1-It helps to differentiate instruction.
2-It also helps the learning process by identifying the misconceptions .
3-pinpointing a starting point for learning.
4-It is conducted at the beginning of a learning event.
5- It is not graded.
2-During assessment:
1-It is usually done to gauge where the learner is.
2-It is helpful to pinpoint if the learner is progressing or having a
misconception that needs to be cleared up .
3-It is either formative or summative.
4-It is graded or ungraded.
Post Assessment:
1-It is used to determine if the learner has met the learning outcomes.
2-It is either formative or summative.
3-It is graded.
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2-)In the traditional method of teaching (Passive learning ):
A-) For the teacher:
The teacher asks himself:
1-If his learners have mastered the new vocabulary or not.
2-If his learner have mastered the new structure or not.
3- If many of his learners were involved or not.
4- If his learners were interested or not.
5- If his learners were mentally and emotionally engaged or not.B-) For the learner:
The teacher makes sure of his learners':
1-) Personal reading and their size of attainment.
2-) Recitation or learning by heart.
3- Memorizing or recalling grammar and vocabulary.
4-) High marks in final written exams.
5- Learning the diagrams and pictures.
6-Learning the tables, charts and lists.
7-) Doing the exercise, discussion, tests and written exams.3-) Self-Evaluation/Self-reflection:
1-The Teacher
From what has been mentioned above, the teacher does a self-reflection for himself. If he has found that the learners have not achieved the desired objectives, he can modify or use an alternative method, teaching aid or another suitable means of technology in teaching.
2- The learner:
The learner can be evaluated by himself, his peer, his pair or his group. The pair work done by 2 learners, can be evaluated by another pair. The work group can be evaluated by another work group. All of these are called learners' self-evaluation under the guide of the teacher in the form of a wonderful interview inside the class.
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View other resources:
1-Assessment and evaluation.
2--How to conduct ELT worksho
3-Task-based language teaching.
4-Reader's Guide.
5-Teaching methods for 3 stages.
6- The role of Assessment in Language Teaching.