After having experimented with different ways of formative assessment, I developed a set of varied techniques and activities that can be routinely integrated into classroom practice. As children learn through social interaction, classroom practice should be socially oriented, incorporating elements of conversation, play, work and celebration (Petersen, 1927). In the context of teaching young learners, these elements can be also seen as lesson stages:
Stage 1 – Conversation (opening routine, e.g. circle time)
Stage 2 – Play (e.g. games, stories, songs, crafts)
Stage 3 – Work (table time activities, e.g. book work)
Stage 4 – Celebration (closing routine, e.g. reflection)
Each of these stages creates informal assessment opportunities, e.g. classroom observation.
Classroom observation takes place as teaching and learning proceeds (on-the-run assessment). As “children do not behave the same in every setting” (Lowenthal, 1988: 505), it is helpful to observe them in different settings (stages) in order to increase assessment validity. Before each lesson, I suggest selecting 2-3 children you want to focus on. It is important to include the child’s name, the date, the time and the observation in your notes.
Stage 1 - Conversation (during the circle time)
Get the learners in a circle and get them to ask each other the same question, for example, How are you feeling? Why? Once all the learners have spoken, ask them How is (Alba) feeling?
First of all, this activity helps to develop classroom routines. Then, as the learners gain a sense of security, they will be more willing to elaborate their (personalized) answers and this will help you to identify not only their current level, but also their linguistic needs.
Stage 2 - Play (during the story time)
Pay attention to the learners’ body language and listen for linguistic responses that show their language development and comprehension.
Possible guiding questions:
- Do the learners pay attention?
- Do they show interest in listening to stories?
- Do they participate in storytelling?
- Do they respond to the story (L1/L2)?
Good storytelling activities help to capture the attention of learners and provide opportunities for continuous observation of the learners’ verbal responses indicative of enjoyment and comprehension (McKay, 2006: 153).
Stage 3 - During table time activities
Focus on achievement, on what the children can do.
Possible aspects:
- Being involved
- Taking an interest
- Taking responsibility
- Persisting with difficulty
- Following the instructions
- Using the taught language
Focusing on what the learners can do is useful for finding specific information, making interpretations about their level of achievement, and identifying additional needs.
Stage 4 – Free play
Observe the children while they play with no interference. I suggest allowing them to choose their activities freely and providing support when needed.
Although observing the children when they are playing might seem an easy task, it is a skill which needs to be developed. It is particularly important to consider the reasons for doing it. You might observe the children to learn about their interests and favourite activities or their strengths and weaknesses. As children are fully involved in free play, observation can be done without interfering with their play.
(This blog post is based on my article ‘Young learners' assessment step-by-step’ which was first published in Testing, Evaluation and Assessment 3 (October 2020), Faversham: IATEFL)
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