Classroom-based evaluation in second language

Classroom-based evaluation in second language

Some English teachers think of evaluation as the simple action of grading academic performance of students in order to make them pass or fail the course. Once the book "Classroom-based evaluation in second language"(Genesee and Upshur) is read, the perspective and idea of what evaluation really is, changes. 

Genesee and Upshur take into account the many decisions that teachers have to make every single day in classrooms and the different roles that as teachers as parents and students play in the process of evaluation. The kind of information evaluated is also important. It is not only academic achievement, but other factors as behavior, attitude,goals and needs, work habits, learning styles and strategies have to be considered when a student is assessed. 

The book proposes different reasons for doing assessment: purpose of evaluating, collecting information, interpreting this information and decision making. Also, some reasons for classroom-based evaluation are considered, such as to make decisions about a successful instruction for an entire class, to ascertain the effectiveness of particular instructional units with the idea of improving them and to encourage student involvement in formulating personal learning objectives.

Finally, a strategy for conducting evaluation is given, starting with determining what information is useful, checking ways of collecting information, making sense of evaluating information and making appropriate decisions.