When Asking Isn't Enough

Kathy Brucker

This year I tested a variety of evaluation tools with my level one spanish-speaking students at El Centro de Cardinal in Boston. These evaluations were based on our class lessons, but they could be adjusted for any class and used at any time.

First Evaluation

The first evaluation was completed by students at the end of the first week of classes. I gave the students 20 minutes and provided activities for those who finished early.

I encouraged the students to answer this evalu- ation in Spanish. Although I don't read Spanish well, I can always find a staff person or another teacher to translate for me. This extra step is worth my time because students can give me "true, " that is to say, more accurate and more complete answers, using their first language. They feel freer to express themselves and let me know what they want. It also gives me a sense of the students ' native language competency. This is important in order for me to understand where students are starting. I ask students to identify themselves on the assessment so that I can find out if someone is uncomfortable with certain activities, such as going to the board, reading out loud, being on videotape, or working with partners.

Second Evaluation

The next type of evaluation I used helped students identify which activities they had enjoyed and found useful and which they had not. This was done a week later (two weeks into the cycle) and took about one half hour.

I used the headings "a little, " "ok, " and "much (a lot)," because this is language the students know and can read. I also displayed examples of each activity mentioned in case students had trouble connecting the written description with the activity.

The problem with this evaluation was that it didn't give me enough direction. Because everyone had different opinions, it was hard to integrate all individual tastes. One way I would amend the second evaluation is by adding the following questions:

• Which did you enjoy? Why?
  
• Which part helped you remember English ?
• Which didn't you enjoy? Why?

I think these questions would provide better feedback because they ask students to reflect on why they enjoy certain activities and why they don't enjoy others. This would give me a better sense of what activities are useful and, at the same time, help students reflect on their learning styles.

Third Evaluation

The next evaluations incorporated some learning strategies to encourage critical thinking and students taking control of their own learning. This evaluation took students up to one hour to understand and complete.

Most of the answers were predictable: they liked learning with pictures and having conversations in English. But, there were surprises, like the student who said he only wanted to speak and hear English, yet never spoke English in the classroom and often asked for translations.

Part of the third evaluation was taken from El Centro's teacher evaluation that all students complete at the end of each cycle. I like to include this section to see how students rate themselves on the same type of scale as they rate the teacher. Because there is a point in each cycle when students question whether they are making progress, I also like to include statements that help them consider how much they've learned. In addition to helping students see what we have covered, this evaluation gives them the opportunity to request individual or class reviews of particular activities.
Subsequent biweekly evaluations were formatted with the addition of new activities. I found this format the most accessible to the students and the one we could draw useful conclusions from the most.

Final Evaluation

The final evaluation was done in English. I had assumed the students would use Spanish, but when I gave them the evaluation, they started writing in English; of course, I didn't stop them! I instructed them not to sign the evaluation if they wished not to be identified. Students spent from one to one and a half hours on this evaluation.

I included a question to help the students begin to think about their learning strategies. I hoped that this evaluation would enable the students to tell their next teachers how they best learn and in what ways the teacher could help them. Next time, I plan to introduce the idea of learning strategies early in the cycle so that students can experiment with learning styles throughout our time together.

Analyzing Our Learning

I find evaluations very helpful. In addition to the roles they can playas described above, I now also use them to promote discussions about tensions people are feeling in the classroom. For example, working with a homogeneous language group I find people disagreeing on how much native language or English should be used. I read in evaluations the frustrations students are feeling about anything from having enough English conversation in class to personal problems with neighbors. Using the evaluation as a code to promote discussion enables me not only to introduce new phrases and vocabulary to students but also provides an opportunity to have them role play situations they want to discuss.

I like to know which lessons are successful and which are not, and what studetns consider improtant or enjoyable. Most of the time, asking isn't enough. I find that writing about our learning helps us analyze it. Evaluations give the students input and control over their classroom. They help people structure their thoughts and discover if they're learning, what they're learning, how they are learning, and finally, why they're learning.

Kathy Brucker is an ESL teacher at El Centro del Cardenal in Boston and Concilio Hispano de Cambridge.

Originally published in Adventures in Assessment, Volume 2 (May 1992),
SABES/World Education, Boston, MA, Copyright 2003.

Funding support for the publication of this document on the Web provided in part by the Ohio State Literacy Resource Center as part of the LINCS Assessment Special Collection.