Job Discussion Forums

[Lynn]

So far in my ESL career in the states, the schools I work for require quizes every week and a final exam when the students finish a text book. Now I am working at a small school where I have a lot of freedom. I can go as slow as I want, and there is no final exam. Right now we are using "interchange" intro level. There is a unit test in the teacher's book. I'm so used to giving exams that I've lost perspective if exams are really necessary or not. What are your opinions?

On one hand, an exam can be a tanglible record of the students' comprehension. However, on the other hand, maybe exams can't really measure a student's comprehension, and it will just make the students nervous.

This is a small class with about 5 women and 1 man, all Chinese.

[Sherri]

Lynn
I have a question about your question! What do the students do after the course finishes? How do you know if they can go up to the next level? Does your school have exit criteria for each level? You may need to use testing to help you make the decision to promote. Also if any of your students are weak in a certain area, the test may help the student recognize their weakness and work on it before it is too late--that is too late to be promoted. Another question--do the students want tests? Does testing fit in with their objectives for study?
Good luck whatever you decide to do
S

[Lynn]

Hi Sherri!
Thanks for taking the time to reply. This school is unusual because there really is no "course". There is no exit criteria for each level because there really are no "levels" So, it's not neccesary for me to worry about promoting. I don't think testing fits in with their objectives for studying. They are all immigrants from China and most work in Chinese restaurants. I have a feeling they don't want a test, but I've never actually asked.

Thanks Sherri. Answering your questions just made me answer my own question.

[Marcethebest]

Hello Lynn
I am a teacher from Argentina.
I think that even if you don�t want to test your students as such (I mean, giving them a written paper whose title reads "Test"), you may be testing them all the time in their oral production, and make them, for example, do some kind of Practical Work. I think the words Practical Work sound less scary than Test, so you may try change the title.
I think , though, you need to test them in some way, even in their written production, so change the title and see if they don�t look so much scared!
Good luck and let me know how it was whatever you decided to do!