Alternative Assessment

Alternative Assessment as Umbrella

as Accommodations to special needs

as Authenticity of tasks

portfolio

when product-focused (not really alternative assess., just alt.

procedure) = traditional values

content coverage

Sorting and ranking

surveillance and accountability

externally directed performance

conferences

simulations of real-life situations

diaries

projects

Non-intrusive (Huerta-Macias)

observational checklists

journals

work samples

anecdotal records

as Educational equity

fairness

ethics

values individuality/diversity of learning processes

as Complementary assessment multiple procedures

as Embedded assessment integrated in teaching tasks

as Dynamic assessment

Social interaction triggering learning

zone of prox. development (Vygotsky)

Scaffolding (Bruner)

Procedural & Conceptual level

Assessment Culture

centrality of teaching/learning

active role by students

process more valued

outcomes as detailed, informative learner competencies

Definitions of language knowledge

discrete point

integrative

communicative growing of notion of lang. proficiency

performance language+content area+context

Models (theoretical rationale) and assessment

Canale

Communicative competence (Knowledge)

grammatical competence

sociolinguistic knowledge

strategic competence

discourse competence (Canale, 1983)

Ability for use (Skill)Instances of language use affecting

performance (Canale, 1983)Psychological conditions

Environmental conditions

Bachman&Palmer ('90-'96)

topical knowledge, affective factors

FUNCTIONS

grammar

Text

Sociolinguistic

Metacognitive

Celce-Murcia et al. ('95)

Strategic competence

mediating

sociocultural

actionalspeech acts/

interpersonal exchanges

linguistic

Markee (2000)

interactional competence

conversation struct.

non-verbal comm.

strategic compt.

meaning is created by individuals (interacting)

context-bound aspects of performance occurring in interaction

Alternative-MULTIPLISM

Brown's traditional v.s. alternative Idea

Performance testing

Performance-based assessment (McNamara)

non-linguistic components

comm. competence depends on learners' and learning objectives

against discrete-point tests

consideration of performance conditions for test-takers

knowledge

skills&abilities

contextual factors

processing factors

assessment of how lang. performance responds to the naturally evolving situation

tasks performance replicating real-life situations

sample of performance behavior

context defined

test-taker placed in target situation

≠ lang. samples as evidence for ≠ lang. types/domains

multiple purposes of lang. assessment

improve learning

make decisions

place

predict

categorize

accept/reject

provide feedback

hold accountable

conduct research

multiple definitions of lang. knowledge

multiple procedures for measuring

multiple criteria for determining good lang. use

multiple ways of interpreting assessment results

proficiency attained through a structured tests (the achievement part of them)

rating scaleshierarchical

functional descriptions

holistic scaleslang. knowledge in global

terms (summative purposes)

analytic scalesgives hierarchies of lang. knowledge in terms of specific

aspects (grammar, lexicon, fluency, pragmatics)