Unit 8 - Activity 1: Assessment that supports learning and growth

Forms of Assessment:

Diagnostic - much like that of a physician examining a patient for clues to help this kind of assessment is used to help identify student's knowledge, skills, and abilities and where on the Canadian Language Bank they may fit to promote an ideal learning experience. I believe this would be a challenging undertaking requiring some expertise with CLB classifications as students may be high in one skill area and lower in another requiring unique needs. I think a variety of listening exercises, combined with in-person interviews, and written testing around the CLB "can do" statements would be especially helpful way to frame the incoming student experience.

Formative - much like putty is shaped and moulded into familiar figures and patterns this kind of assessment is ongoing throughout the lesson as the interplay between student practice and instructor / peer feedbacks and support build structure around the learning experience. Engaging learning activities like group work with teachers walking about and listening to how students are exchanging their ideas and practicing combined with small feedbacks / occasional corrections is one example. Other types of formative feedback would include oral quizzes like listening and responding to questions about audio recordings so the the teacher can get a sense of whether the learning goal is being achieved. Additionally, questions / answers about videos watched would all be excellent examples of formative assessment.

Summative - this is the unit or programs final stage where student learning of terminal objectives are assessed. This should be comprehensive so that students can constructively build their new learning goals or readiness for next units or course level targets.