Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Blue Flower]

I want to test my delightfuls on thier grasp of the English language, not thier ability to spew out the concepts we have been learning verbatim to the book. But, herein lies the rub, I have no idea how to go about it. I have some basic ideas for a marking schedule - doing it in a 5 level thing - 1 being worst, 5 being best. But, what should I do for it? This is mainly for elementary - so from 8 - 13 really. Any help would be totally appreciated.

[kiwioutofthenest]

i dont really like grading the kids but i find they really get into quizes you can make them dead easy like what fruit is white on the inside red on the outside and starts with A? if you want to grade them you could do it in written format but they like the competivness of teams

[Blue Flower]

Thats a good suggestion - but not what I was after. To make it clearer - I want to test their conversational skills, their ability to actually use the vocab/grammer/concepts we have been covering. To see if we are making any headway, or if I need to change things around. It's not so I can say - Oh Song Sin=seok, you are a bad, bad boy - your english is pathetic, go grovel in the corner untill I can bear to face your uselessness again - nothing like that, more of a test of how well i am making them understand the spoken language that is English.

[gypsyfish]

Show them pictures of things that you have studied and ask them to describe them or tell a story about them.

[peppermint]

Never really taught kids,but why not play a conversation type game with them, so you can just sit back and observe where the weak points are both for individuals and the group.

I play a guessing game often. I have a bunch of pictures (vocab words are often good for this) and then other students have to ask questions to find out what the picture might be. You can write a bunch of questions on the board the first time. (Is it big? Is it soft? What color is it? Can I eat it? Does it make a noise? etc) Just make sure that each child has a turn asking questions and answering them.

Charades might work too. From what I see, Korean kids are way too stressed about tests, maybe the best way to check their conversation skills is to trick them into talking.

[kimcheeking]

I recommend a 7 point scale instead of five. smaller variances allowing for greater reliability and accuracy.

testwise prepare a list of questions that will elicit language you have covered in class. Have more questions than necessary and be prepared to digress if necessary.

I would recommend that you assess the students on language skills rather than on their ability to answer specific questions. Categories that I use in assessment include.

fluency
accuracy
pronunciation
volume (too quiet is bad)
length of answer (one word answers are not allowed)


I just checked an old excell sheet and here are the categories I used for a mid-term evaluation

• intonation
  
• pronunciation
  
• use of Korean
  
• asked me a question
  
• confidence
  
• not nervous
  
• expressability
  
• comprehension
  
• conversation quality
  
• Full Sentences
  
• volume
  
• grammar

Use of Korean was on a scale of 3 and resulted in minus points
asked me a question was on a scale of 0-2 students were required to ask me questions

Hope this helps

KK

[Zyzyfer]

This is what eludes me, this conversational ability measurement. I really can't figure out how to do it, especially not in my current situation.

If you had to do listening, Jeopardy would be the awesome way to go, as that game which students love also helped me notice a vast improvement in the listening skills of several of my classes...but it don't do a lick of testing for conversational ability.

I tried out one of those ice breaker games today that I pulled off of Dave's site:

http://www.eslcafe.com/ideas/sefer.cgi?display:938833144-29051.txt

This helped me to identify that many students could actually speak a lot of great English, but they just needed a push in the right direction activity-wise.

I suggest you keep it as low-key as possible, since you're testing your teaching thus far just as much as you're testing their English skills. Some kind of fun game or activity like the one above.

[Blue Flower]

Kimchee King - I was reminded yet again of exactly why you are the king. thank you. Now if your avatar was half as attrative as Zyzyfers, you would be a force to be reckoned with.

Any suggestions for the 7 point scale?

I've gotten lost as the new curriculum in NZ schools involves 4 - no credit (fail), credit, merit, and excellent. Very easy.

I know the poor lambs hate tests, but this is not a formal test for the school, just for me. I want to know their weaknesses so i can concentrate on those in class. Making the lessons worthwhile.

What i was sort of dreaming of, would be that someone would email me a set of tried and true tests, including marking schedules, that I could just use. *sigh* I guess i will have to pull finger and write them myself.

[kimcheeking]

I'm not sure what you mean with regards to the 7 point scale.

I set my assement categories and then score my students with 7 being highest.

add up all the scores and divide by the max possible to get a percentage.

[matthews_world]

At my hagwon at the end of the month, my students are given an interview. The interview is a relevant list of questions concerning the topics, sentence structures and grammar that they learn over the course of the month.

They rehearse and memorize the questions ahead of time so that they won't go into the interview unprepared.

I tape record each student. The students are graded on: Structure, Grammar, and Pronunciation. I generally give 2 points per each criteria, so a total of 6 points for each question.

Copies of the master tape are made for each student to send home to their mother. The mothers can then compare their student to others in the class.

I'll post a link to the score sheet I use soon.

[gypsyfish]

[matthews_world]

They've studied the stuff before and have practiced it in class. They just get a second time to 'get familiar' with the questions on the interview.

[sandstorm]

Rewards or bribes! A handful of candy goes a long way to making the kids feel like the oral tests were kind of fun if they get to shove some candy in their mouths after the test. Maybe they'll be begging for more oral tests.