Outline: TSL204

PRINCIPLES OF EVALUATION

TSL200 and TSL201.  TSL203 is recommended, but is not a formal prerequisite.
 

Topic Outline

1. Introduction

• Testing, assessment and teaching
  
• Approaches to language testing
  
• Current issues in classroom testing
  

• Practicality, reliability, validity, authenticity and washback
  
• Applying principles to evaluation of classroom tests
  

• Test types
• Practical steps to test construction
  

• Developing a standardized test
• TOEFL, IELTS etc.
  

• Books, audio/videocassettes, CDs etc.
  

• Types and skills of listening
• Intensive listening
• Responsive listening
• Selective listening
• Extensive listening
  

• Types and skills of speaking
• Imitative speaking
• Intensive speaking
• Responsive speaking
• Test of Spoken English (TSE)
• Interactive speaking
• Extensive speaking
  

• Genres/types of speaking
• Skills and strategies for reading
• Perceptive reading
• Selective reading
• Interactive reading
• Extensive reading
  

• Genres/types of writing 
• Skills of writing
• Imitative writing
• Intensive (controlled) writing
• Responsive and extensive writing
• Scoring methods for writing
  

• Assessments in grammar, pronunciation classes etc.
• Canadian Language Benchmarks
• Portfolios
  

Modes of Instruction

The teacher may use some of the following teaching modes:

• lectures 
• questions and answer techniques 
• classroom discussion 
• pair/group work 
• individual consultation 
• student presentations
  

Prescribed Texts and Tutorials

Brown, H. Douglas and Abeywickrama, Priyanvada.  Language Assessment: Principles and Classroom Practices.  White Plains, N.Y. : Longman, 2nd Edition ISBN 978-013-814-931-4

Modes of Evaluation

The final grade is based on the following marking scheme:   

Assignments are due at the beginning of the class on the dates specified.  Begin your assignments early in anticipation of unforeseen problems that may arise in your work or personal life.  Should extenuating circumstances arise, please contact your instructor immediately, prior to when your assignment is due, so an appropriate course of action can be established.  Late assignments may be subject to a penalty of up to 10% per week and will not generally be accepted beyond two weeks after the assignment due date.

Assignments may consist of written and/or oral components and may involve group work.  Specific instruction on expectations will be provided to students.  Assignments will be marked on the basis of an appropriate standard of research, content, organization of material and presentation.   Students are expected to demonstrate a professional level of communication skills both verbally and in their written work appropriate to the teaching profession.  All written work must meet the Expected English Competencies listed below.  All assignments are to be word processed.

Assignment dates have been pre-arranged and are non-negotiable.  If an assignment due date  is missed, the student must provide the reason in writing to the teacher within one week.  If acceptable, the weighting from the assignment  will be added to the Final assignment;  otherwise, a zero grade will be the result.

Test dates have been pre-arranged and are non-negotiable.  If a test is missed, the student must provide the reason in writing to the teacher within one week.  If the reason for missing the test is acceptable, the weighting from the test will be added to the other assignments; otherwise, a zero grade will be the result.  All tests must be written in a legible manner by students.  A test which is deemed to be illegible by the TESL teacher shall not be marked.

Students must have a minimum average of 60% in order to pass the subject.  For further information on evaluation and academic standing, see a copy of Academic Policy, available at the Seneca registration office, or online at http://www.senecac.on.ca/home/academic_policy. The Seneca grading policy for final grades is as follows:  

The College Academic Policy will prevail regarding Academic Honesty.

Expected English Competencies

The ability to communicate in writing is essential for success in all TESL subjects. All written work must demonstrate the following characteristics for clarity and conciseness: 

• writing is consistent with the rules of English grammar 
• spelling and punctuation are correct 
• appropriate vocabulary is used 
• sentences are structured correctly 
• main points are supported with specific, relevant examples and reasons 
• work flows logically through supporting statements/paragraphs 
• work is arranged in correct format (i.e., reports, essays) 
• layout is attractively displayed. 

Assignments for TSL204

1.  Interview ESL teacher on 2 assessments (10% of final course mark)

Students make up interview questions for an experienced ESL teacher who agrees to participate.  This ESL teacher may be a Seneca ESL instructor, the TESL coordinator or another ESL teacher.  Students’ interview questions should clarify any potentially unfamiliar jargon for interviewees.  The interviewee will answer questions relating to the advantages and potential disadvantages of a “minor” ESL assessment which he/she has used and a “major” ESL assessment.  The interviewees will choose their own assessments for this task.

2. Comparing 2 standardized English tests (20% of final course mark)

Students compare and contrast two standardized English tests.  Examples of standardized English tests are the TOEFL, TSE, IELTS, MELAB, TOEIC etc.

3.  Teaching Resources Assignment (10% of final course mark)

In this assignment, the student reviews and evaluates a number, to be determined later, of ESL resources such as textbooks.

 4. Mid-term (20%)

The in-class mid-term covers material covered in the course to date.

 5. Evaluative Tools Assignment I (Speaking/Listening) (20% of class mark)

This assignment has both an oral presentation and a written component.  In this assignment, students are asked to create three evaluate tools for a given curriculum, and to present the details to the class in a 15 minute presentation.  Some students will be selected by the instructor to create speaking evaluative tools while others will be selected to create listening evaluative tools.

 6. Evaluative Tools Assignment II (Reading/Writing/Other) (20% of class mark)

This assignment has both an oral presentation and a written component.  In this assignment, students are asked to create three evaluate tools for a given curriculum, and to present the details to the class in a 15 minute presentation.  Some students will be selected by the instructor to create reading evaluative tools while others will be selected to create writing evaluative tools.  Other students may be required to create evaluative tools for pronunciation or grammar.
 

____________________________                         ____________
Beverly Hartford, Program Coordinator                          Date 
Adult Education

____________________________                         ____________
Bev Malcolm, Chair                                                      Date