THEORY AND PRACTICE IN PRIMARY ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING II

Lecture – Week 12- Assessment and Feedback for Primary ESL

Classroom
(1) Classroom-based Assessment (CBA)
Assessment is a fundamental attribute of pupils' learning. An
assessment provides students and teachers with knowledge and
information about student learning outcomes, strengths, and
weaknesses (Mansor et al., 2020).
• In 2011, SBA which consists of both assessments, formative and
summative has been implemented formally on the Year One
students.
• The school-based assessment (SBA) system is a holistic assessment
system conducted in school by subject teachers to assess the
students’ cognitive (intellect), affective (emotional and spiritual)
and psychomotor (physical) aspects.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
 SBA, in the Malaysian educational context consists of two main
components known as the academic components (school and
central assessment) and the non-academic components (physical
activities, sports, co-curricular assessment and psychometric
assessment)

 It is a form of assessment which is planned, administered, scored

and reported by the subject teachers following the guidelines from
the Malaysian Examination Syndicate (Lembaga Peperiksaan
Malaysia)
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
 CBA used to be known as School Based Assessment (SBA) or
Pentaksiran Sekolah starting from 2011. However, in 2016 the term
was changed into Pentaksiran Bilik Darjah (PBD) or CBA.
 CBA is a part of the learning process, and it is also one of the
components of School-Based Assessment that focuses on the
development and progress of students holistically (Curriculum
Development Division, 2019).
 The goal of the classroom-based assessment (CBA) is to decrease
the burden of the students who depend solely on the exam, albeit
each individual has their unique potential.
 Classroom-based Assessment (CBA) was officially established and
introduced to focus on pupils' learning's holistic development and
eradicate exam-oriented learning.
 The classroom based assessment (CBA) has been intensified and
given attention in recent years to improve classroom instructional
activities.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
 Teachers play a vital and prominent role in implementing CBA by
determining learning objectives based on Learning Standards to
be assessed, planning and building assessment instruments,
performing assessments, recording assessment results, analyzing
assessment information, and reporting and follow-up steps.

 Data obtained through CBA is regulated to assist the school and

parents in planning follow-up steps to uplift the students' mastery
and achievement in learning (Curriculum Development Division,
2021).
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
This classroom-based assessment benefits teachers in five aspects.
 To identify students’ development as a whole.
 To enable teachers in identifying the lesson’s strengths and
weaknesses.
 To address the effectiveness of teaching.
 To plan and adjust suitable teaching methods.
 To take suitable immediate action.
References:
1. Curriculum Development Division. (2021). Classroom assessment
implementation study (PBD) primary school 2021. Malaysian Ministry of
Education.
2. Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. (2019). Panduan pelaksanaan
pentaksiran bilik darjah. Bahagian Pembangunan Kurikulum.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom

(2) Teacher assessing learners

Assessment of Learning - The purpose of this kind of
assessment is usually SUMMATIVE and is mostly done at
the end of a task, unit of work etc. (“It is designed to
provide evidence of achievement to parents, other
educators, the students themselves and sometimes to
outside groups)
Teachers’ Roles in Assessment of Learning
• Teachers have the responsibility of reporting student
learning accurately and fairly, based on evidence
obtained from a variety of contexts and applications.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
• A rationale for undertaking a particular assessment of
learning at a particular point in time.
• Clear descriptions of the intended learning - processes
that make it possible for students to demonstrate their
competence and skill.
• A range of alternative mechanisms for assessing the
same outcomes - public and defensible reference points
for making judgements.
• Transparent approaches to interpretation descriptions
of the assessment process.
• Strategies for recourse in the event of disagreement
about the decisions.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
Assessment for Learning - The emphasis shifts from
summative to FORMATIVE assessment in Assessment
for Learning.
 Assessment for Learning happens during the
learning, often more than once, rather than at the end.
Students understand exactly what they are to learn,
what is expected of them and are given feedback and
advice on how to improve their work.
 In Assessment for Learning, teachers use assessment
as an investigable tool to find out as much as they can
about what their students know and can do, and what
confusions, preconceptions, or gaps they might have.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
 “Teachers also use assessment for learning to enhance
students’ motivation and commitment to learning.
When teachers commit to learning as the focus of
assessment, they change the classroom culture to one
of student success.”
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
Teachers’ Roles in Assessment for Learning:
• Assessment for learning occurs throughout the
learning process.
• It is interactive, with teachers: aligning instruction,
identifying particular learning needs of students or
groups.
• selecting and adapting materials and resources,
creating differentiated teaching strategies and
learning opportunities for helping individual
students move forward in their learning.
• providing immediate feedback and direction to
students.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
Assessment as Learning
Students reflect on their work on a regular basis, usually
through self and peer assessment and decide (often with
the help of the teacher, particularly in the early stages)
what their next learning will be.

• Assessment as learning helps students to take more

responsibility for their own learning and monitoring
future directions.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
Teachers’ Roles in Assessment as Learning
 Guide students in developing internal feedback or self-
monitoring mechanisms to validate and question their
own thinking, and to become comfortable with ambiguity
and uncertainty that is inevitable in learning anything
new
 Provide regular and challenging opportunities to practise,
so that students can become confident, competent self-
assessors
 Monitor students’ megacognitive processes as well as
their learning, and provide descriptive feedback
 Create an environment where it is safe for students to take
chances and where support is readily available.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom

(3) Peer Assessment (PA)

 Peer assessment defined as an arrangement in which individuals
consider the amount, level, value, worth, quality of success of the
products or outcomes of learning of peers of similar status.
 Cheng and Warren (2005) believe that there are several approaches
to classroom assessment such as performance assessment, portfolio
assessment, self and peer assessment.
 Teachers play a major role in traditional pen and paper and
performance assessment, whereas self and peer assessments are
more student-centered.
 PA can be referred to as evaluating the work conducted by the
pupils within the framework of specific criteria by their classmates
(Tunagür, 2021)
 Peer assessment is believed to enable learners to develop abilities
and skills denied to them in a learning environment in which the
teacher alone assesses their work.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
 PA can enhance social skills, sense of ownership, self-
confidence responsibility, negotiations, and group work
among students. It can also convert passive learning into
active learning in a way that increases interest among
the students (Esfandiari & Tavassoli, 2019)
 It provides learners with the opportunity to take
responsibility for analysing, monitoring and evaluating
aspects of both the learning process and product of their
peers.
 Peer assessment can act as a socializing force and
enhances relevant skills and interpersonal relationships
between learner groups.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
Considerations for using peer assessment
 Let students know the rationale for doing peer review. Explain the
expectations and benefits of engaging in a peer review process.
 Consider having students evaluate anonymous assignments for more
objective feedback.
 Be prepared to give feedback on students’ feedback to each other.
Display some examples of feedback of varying quality and discuss
which kind of feedback is useful and why.
 Give clear directions and time limits for in-class peer review sessions
and set defined deadlines for out-of-class peer review assignments.
 Listen to group feedback discussions and provide guidance and input
when necessary.
 Student familiarity and ownership of criteria tend to enhance peer
assessment validity, so involve students in a discussion of the criteria
used. Consider involving students in developing an assessment rubric.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom

(4) Feedback during oral work

 Harmer (2003) states that in the learning process, the teacher
needs to manage the learners' mistakes and give appropriate and
relevant feedback in teaching and learning process.
 Oral feedback is regarded as the essence of the interaction
between teachers and students. Oral feedback can be evaluative,
corrective, descriptive, or motivational.
 Oral feedback is sometimes underestimated because it is less
formal, but it can be a very powerful and effective tool as it can be
provided easily in the 'teachable moment' and in a timely way.
 A teacher's oral feedback facilitate classroom interaction (Irawan
& Salija, 2017; Sahyoni, 2018; Smith & Higgins, 2006) in the
classroom.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
 Students realize that oral feedback gives positive effects to
improve their achievement in learning language.
 Types of oral feedback are evaluative feedback, descriptive
feedback, corrective feedback, interactional feedback and
motivational feedback.
 Oral feedback is effective because it is often given during, or
very quickly following, the learning or task. It offers more
opportunity for dialogue between you and your pupil, ensuring
that they understand the feedback, enabling them to respond to
it and to action the feedback straight away.
 Oral feedback consists of positive comments such as “good”,
“ok”, “yes”, and “well done”, it validated a correct response
and also provides support to the learner and fortifies
motivation for learning sustainability (Ellis, 2009).
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
(5) Feedback during written work
 Written feedback typically involves both marks or
grades and comments. It is typically given to pupils
after they have completed the task and is usually
intended for them to read on their own.

 Written feedback involves feedback given to students’

written work. This type of feedback is usually not
immediate and the teacher has time to think about how
to give feedback and on what.
Assessment and Feedback for Primary
ESL Classroom
 Written feedback is a record of guidance meant to help someone in
the workplace improve and develop professionally. Generally,
written feedback can include praise, a look at what can be
improved, and some next steps for the person to follow.
 Giving too much of feedback in written form can be overwhelming
for students and difficult to understand. Some students have
difficulty understanding and processing written feedback.
 Make comments specific rather than general. Teachers could say,
“use more examples from the text to support this argument,” for
example, rather than labeling a student essay as a “weak
argument.” Connect comments to the learning goals and criteria
associated with the assignment.
 Teachers should be precise and thoughtful with their comments in
order to help students concentrate solely on the purposes of their
writing.
Thank you
 Tutorial Tasks
Individual Task
1. Explain three characteristics of a good test.

2. What are the elements a teacher should

consider before administering a test to his/her
pupils?
3. List the strengths and weakness of peer
assessment.
4. Ready to share with others when you are
called.
 E-LEARNING
 Read the available articles from online journals
(MELTA- Malaysian Journal of ELT Research) / FOSTER – JELT /
Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research)

and prepare a minimum of 5 ppt slides on the

importance of giving constructive corrective
feedback to students’ work.