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Unit 10, Evaluating Students,came as a surprise as I wasn't aware that there are so many exams for tracking the progress of my students! One question I had before stating what I learned is, what is the difference between a diagnostic and a placement test? I see question #3 above states: "Which of the following assessments is used to grade students’ language levels prior to commencing an EFL course?" I think the answer could be placement test or diagnostic test because during my studying, I had difficulty distinguishing them.
What I will take with me on my journey as a teacher is to first give them the placement test or a diagnostic test (on page 4-5 of this TEFL presentation), so I can understand what they already know and what they need to work on through the semester. This will help me to place the same level students together. Next, I need to think about giving students regular exams along the way, called practice tests or progress tests, and then give them a larger test at the end of the term. I like the idea of mixing it up; so, I could alternate between giving them practice tests and an informal group exercise. For instance, I could give them a practice test which follows the format of an external exam or the larger test so that students can better prepare for the comprehensive exam at the end of the term; this way, students won't get so overwhelmed and can learn the material better along the way. I would vary it (so students don't get bored or predict what's going to happen next) by using informal group activities like games. This would help me to evaluate what each student is retaining individually and as a group. In this way, I can better process and plan what they could benefit within each of the lessons going forward. Having a background in music therapy, I like using creative means by which to analyze student progress. I am one of those teachers who likes to cultivate a spirit of innovation in her classroom and as such, if the school doesn't require it, I'd be one of those teachers that uses games and projects to stimulate learning instead of tests. Additionally, from my experience as a student I always felt I gained more discovery and learning through creative avenues; I actually remember dreading exam day!! This unit, overall, was very informative, and I look forward to using it as a reference to better evaluate my students in my future classroom!!
