Job Discussion Forums

chryanvii · Joined: 19 Jul 2009 Posts: 125

A fellow colleague of mine said that she never gives her finals/speaking tests on the last day of class, and that in some cases, the school doesn't even allow this.

I have been planning on the last day of class, as I am not even sure yet when the last day of class is! Will the students all hate me for this? This will be my last semester at this particular school, so I really don't want to leave them behind with a bad taste in their mouth.

But I am wondering about the future as well, and how appropriate it is to administer the final exams on the last day.

randyj · Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 10:09 pm Post subject:

In my experience, giving final examinations on the last day of class is normal. I have colleagues who use the last several periods, maybe stretching over weeks. Next month I will administer a final test to a large (53) oral class in groups of three or four students.

xjgirl · Joined: 02 Feb 2010 Posts: 242

I would just play games or watch a movie in my last day of class,
as this is when the students are studying for their "real" exams,
they're not too bothered about the stupid laowai's exam as in their eyes, you're not even a real teacher! Don't be afraid to stretch it over several class time periods
and remember not to make any paperwork for yourself, your admin doesn't care what you do anyway

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Don't be a martyr. After the tests you still have to collate/moderate and report the marks.
Having finished the testing in good time doesn't mean the learning stops unless the students just don't front for class.
Have a debate or other whole of class activity. Reprise all the songs they have learned. End on a good note.

TexasHighway · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 779

xjgirl wrote:

Songbird · Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 12:34 am Post subject:

I always do mine from the last day, backwards (2-3 weeks depending on class size). This year, week 18, th e 30th June falls mid week (end of contract) and trying to get paperwork formalities out the way, so the department declared week 17 the final week for foreigners. That week I will just have mini parties, and photo ops (it will be stinking hot by then anyway).

The other thing is, I meet many of my classes only every 2nd week, AND they are up to 55 students Shocked

. Teh biggies need 3 weeks, if you give each student 5 mins each (I put them in groups of 2-3 so they don't freak out, and to encourage each other). It's to the point that I've actually STARTED my exams last week! I diarised all the exams working backwards and including the June holiday, which will affect a couple of classes.

But one week, even with a class of 30....not going to happen, not if you want a good, solid idea of their overall English abilitiy!

chinanoodles · Joined: 13 May 2011 Posts: 74

I don't like to give exams at the very end. I usually give them a week or so prior so I have time to grade them and discuss the results with my students.

I don't believe there is much value in giving a test without providing feedback.

That said, I only do this for classes with actual content like grammar or idioms. For strictly oral English I will still provide feedback but do so directly after the test.....still not keen on doing them on the very last day though.

xjgirl · Joined: 02 Feb 2010 Posts: 242

again, a small minority, a few people working in international schools on 2 year contracts,
any other job is pretty much a joke.

It's not that my students don't get a professional lesson, it's just that
in a Chinese school, there's no job security or opportunities for advancement
or credit given for doing a good job, so why break your back, they don't expect you to. That situation is unlikely to change in the future.

Mr. Kalgukshi · Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 1:58 am Post subject:

A permanent banning has just occurred as a result of comments posted on this thread while several inappropriate postings have been deleted.

A wise person would not repeat such behavior here unless he or she were making a deliberate decision to no longer be part of our community.

Address the message and not the messenger. Avoid posting any and all insults. In other words, play by the rules.

Not playing by the rules has consequences.

xjgirl · Joined: 02 Feb 2010 Posts: 242

To texashighway,

It gives the students an option to use that last class as study time, they don't have to watch the movie or take part in the game

Agree with the fact it's unwise to try and fit your exams, especially oral into one week, spread it out
it also means less lesson plans to prepare

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

I think Songbird has it sussed.
My further questions is whether you can get your average oral English class tested in one 90 minute class?
Only seeing some classes on alternate weeks complicates things and makes the 'count back from final day' to get your start-point even more important.
I announce the topics a week before the first day of testing and the students select their speaking partner or partners at that time.

Halapo · Joined: 05 Sep 2009 Posts: 140 Location: Jiangsu, China

Marking alone should be reason enough to not wait until the last class.

Also, like you , I often don't know what is the last day, since I don't always get memos about class changes (in english anyway and I don't always trust my classes if I ask "Do we have school next X-day?)". In my first year this really threw me off.

AND

Since the testing should be done before the last day, I do normally play a movie or have a very relaxed class.

Strangely I hear more english spoken correctly by students on the last day then on the test day...