Validity, Reliability, Flexibility, Fairness, and Authenticity
Review of the Literature with Regard to Validity, Reliability, Flexibility, Fairness, and AuthenticityThe summative activity demonstrates validity, reliability, flexibility, fairness, and authenticity with regard to the most current literature and thought on language teaching. It also integrates the use of technology into the final assessment. Students are given several formative assessments before the summative assessment in order to correct their mistakes and misunderstanding of Spanish adjectives. Validity:
The summative assessment demonstrates validity through the use of a rubric which addresses the different components of the project. It is also valid as a form of assessment because it requires the language learners to use their skills in different ways. Learners observe or participate in many different types of language events: brief greetings, commercial transactions, exchanges of information, arguments, instructions at school or in the workplace. They also encounter the written language in the form of notices, newspapers, posters, etc (Lightbown & Spada, 2003, p.94). In language teaching, students are expected to demonstrate language use in a variety of settings, in this summative assignment they will write a short poem describing themselves and another person and then record the poem with background music. This blends the productive skills of writing and speaking as well as the receptive skills of reading and listening. The focus may occasionally be on the language itself, but the emphasis is on using the language rather than on talking about it (Lightbown & Spada, 2003, p.92). Reliability:
The summative assessment demonstrates reliability through replication and its focus on standard skills in language acquisition. The topics which are discussed in communicative and task-based instructional environments are often of general interest to the learner, for example, how to reply to a classified advertisement for a newspaper (Lightbown & Spada, 2003, p. 92). With a focus on production in the target language, students are being judged not on their personalities or opinions, but on their actual skill in use of the language. Students’ success in these courses is often measured in terms of their ability to ‘get things done’ in the second language, rather than on their accuracy in using certain grammatical features (Lightbown & Spada, 2003, p.92). Flexibility:
The summative assessment demonstrates flexibility in a two ways. First, students are allowed to create their own poems with Spanish grammar they have already mastered, choose their own music, and film their own music videos. This allows for creativity and originality on their part. Students, who are musically inclined, will have a chance to make their own songs to display mastery of the adjectives. Students who do not excel in music can easily use the background music supplied by the teacher. Students should be given an opportunity to express their ideas and opinions (Larsen-Freeman, 2003, p. 126). Second, students can demonstrate mastery of the Spanish adjectives through through the skills of writing and speaking; therefore, students struggling with writing, for example, have a chance to rely on their speaking ability. Speaking is an activity requiring the integration of many subsystems.... all these factors combine to make speaking a second or foreign language a formidable task for language learners.... yet for many people, speaking is seen as the central skill (Baily & Savage, 1994, p. vi-vii). Fairness:
The summative assessment demonstrates fairness through its focus on skills, rather than content. Students’ success in these courses is often measured in terms of their ability to ‘get things done’ in the second language, rather than on their accuracy in using certain grammatical features (Lightbown & Spada, 2003, p.92). Students who are able to write or speak in Spanish will be able to accomplish the task. Today, teachers are expected to balance a focus on accuracy with a focus on fluency as well (Celce-Murcia, 2001, p. 104). The assessment allows for students to display skill in fluency as well as accuracy, because they will be allowed to edit the final assessment several times; plus, while they are filming, they can practice as often as they like or want. Oral skills teachers should always connect speaking, listening, and pronunciation teaching although the focus in any one class or activity may highlight one or another (Murphy, 1991, p. 51). By focusing on the several skills at the same time, students are able to demonstrate mastery in multiple ways. Authenticity:
The summative assessment demonstrates authenticity through its use of a ‘real-life’ situation. Students should be given opportunities to listen to language as it is used in authentic communication (Larsen-Freeman, 2003, p. 128). The students will be given a exemplar as a model of a good final project and the teacher will even supply background music. Whenever possible, ‘authentic language’ -- language as it is used in a real context -- should be introduced (Larsen-Freeman, 2003, p. 125). The Spanish language has a rich tradition of literature and music; therefore, writing a poem and making a song, provides students with real-life tasks. A variety of discourse types are introduced through stories, role playing, and the use of ‘real-life’ materials such as newspapers, television broadcasts, and field trips (Lightbown & Spada, 2003, p.95). Finally, poetry and music deal with the sound of a language. Students should work with language at the discourse or suprasentential (above the sentence) level. They must learn about cohesion and coherence, those properties of language which bind the sentences together (Larsen-Freeman, 2003, p. 126). ReferencesBailey, K. M. & Savage, L. (1994). New Ways in Teaching Speaking. Alexandria, VA: TESOL. Celce-Murcia, M. (2001). Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. (3rd ed.). Boston, MA.: Heinle & Heinle. Larsen-Freeman, D. (2000). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. (2nd. ed.). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Lightbown, P. & Spada, N. (1999). How Languages are Learned. Revised Edition. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Murphy, J. M. (1991). Oral communication in TESOL: Integrating speaking, listening and pronunciation. TESOL Quarterly. 25(1):51-75.
The summative assessment demonstrates validity through the use of a rubric which addresses the different components of the project. It is also valid as a form of assessment because it requires the language learners to use their skills in different ways. Learners observe or participate in many different types of language events: brief greetings, commercial transactions, exchanges of information, arguments, instructions at school or in the workplace. They also encounter the written language in the form of notices, newspapers, posters, etc (Lightbown & Spada, 2003, p.94). In language teaching, students are expected to demonstrate language use in a variety of settings, in this summative assignment they will write a short poem describing themselves and another person and then record the poem with background music. This blends the productive skills of writing and speaking as well as the receptive skills of reading and listening. The focus may occasionally be on the language itself, but the emphasis is on using the language rather than on talking about it (Lightbown & Spada, 2003, p.92). Reliability:
The summative assessment demonstrates reliability through replication and its focus on standard skills in language acquisition. The topics which are discussed in communicative and task-based instructional environments are often of general interest to the learner, for example, how to reply to a classified advertisement for a newspaper (Lightbown & Spada, 2003, p. 92). With a focus on production in the target language, students are being judged not on their personalities or opinions, but on their actual skill in use of the language. Students’ success in these courses is often measured in terms of their ability to ‘get things done’ in the second language, rather than on their accuracy in using certain grammatical features (Lightbown & Spada, 2003, p.92). Flexibility:
The summative assessment demonstrates flexibility in a two ways. First, students are allowed to create their own poems with Spanish grammar they have already mastered, choose their own music, and film their own music videos. This allows for creativity and originality on their part. Students, who are musically inclined, will have a chance to make their own songs to display mastery of the adjectives. Students who do not excel in music can easily use the background music supplied by the teacher. Students should be given an opportunity to express their ideas and opinions (Larsen-Freeman, 2003, p. 126). Second, students can demonstrate mastery of the Spanish adjectives through through the skills of writing and speaking; therefore, students struggling with writing, for example, have a chance to rely on their speaking ability. Speaking is an activity requiring the integration of many subsystems.... all these factors combine to make speaking a second or foreign language a formidable task for language learners.... yet for many people, speaking is seen as the central skill (Baily & Savage, 1994, p. vi-vii). Fairness:
The summative assessment demonstrates fairness through its focus on skills, rather than content. Students’ success in these courses is often measured in terms of their ability to ‘get things done’ in the second language, rather than on their accuracy in using certain grammatical features (Lightbown & Spada, 2003, p.92). Students who are able to write or speak in Spanish will be able to accomplish the task. Today, teachers are expected to balance a focus on accuracy with a focus on fluency as well (Celce-Murcia, 2001, p. 104). The assessment allows for students to display skill in fluency as well as accuracy, because they will be allowed to edit the final assessment several times; plus, while they are filming, they can practice as often as they like or want. Oral skills teachers should always connect speaking, listening, and pronunciation teaching although the focus in any one class or activity may highlight one or another (Murphy, 1991, p. 51). By focusing on the several skills at the same time, students are able to demonstrate mastery in multiple ways. Authenticity:
The summative assessment demonstrates authenticity through its use of a ‘real-life’ situation. Students should be given opportunities to listen to language as it is used in authentic communication (Larsen-Freeman, 2003, p. 128). The students will be given a exemplar as a model of a good final project and the teacher will even supply background music. Whenever possible, ‘authentic language’ -- language as it is used in a real context -- should be introduced (Larsen-Freeman, 2003, p. 125). The Spanish language has a rich tradition of literature and music; therefore, writing a poem and making a song, provides students with real-life tasks. A variety of discourse types are introduced through stories, role playing, and the use of ‘real-life’ materials such as newspapers, television broadcasts, and field trips (Lightbown & Spada, 2003, p.95). Finally, poetry and music deal with the sound of a language. Students should work with language at the discourse or suprasentential (above the sentence) level. They must learn about cohesion and coherence, those properties of language which bind the sentences together (Larsen-Freeman, 2003, p. 126). ReferencesBailey, K. M. & Savage, L. (1994). New Ways in Teaching Speaking. Alexandria, VA: TESOL. Celce-Murcia, M. (2001). Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. (3rd ed.). Boston, MA.: Heinle & Heinle. Larsen-Freeman, D. (2000). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. (2nd. ed.). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Lightbown, P. & Spada, N. (1999). How Languages are Learned. Revised Edition. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Murphy, J. M. (1991). Oral communication in TESOL: Integrating speaking, listening and pronunciation. TESOL Quarterly. 25(1):51-75.
