How are your students feeling about the end-of-class finals? Stressed? Excited?
How are YOU feeling about the end-of-class finals? Stressed? Excited?
As I look at my finals, I’m seeing many positives and some negatives. Here are some questions I go through and reflect on…
Do the finals cover different modes and skills? Do students have different ways to show what they know?
Interpretive Listening and Reading – I did not do the listenings well this year. We had some, but I never formally assessed them on it. This will be one to work on next year. My professional growth goal this year was to include and assess reading, so I’m excited to see how the students have improved from last year.
Presentational Speaking and Writing – We practiced both of these equally this year. For the final they will pick either one to complete.
Interpersonal Speaking and Writing – For this we did many activities, especially pair and group speaking activities. They will choose either one to do. I push them to do the skill they didn’t choose for the presentational final. If they choose writing, we can Skype or write back and forth.
I remember when I use to give scantron finals. It was easy to grade, but I felt like they did not represent what they could do. Also feel that there are so many other ways for students to demonstrate learning. Let them be creative!
Do the finals represent what we covered in class?
Each year it seems that we cover slightly different material based on their interests and what’s relevant to the year. I know that mine are not going to study much anyways. Also proficiency really means what they can do at any moment, not after cramming for the moment.
Are they based on what they can do, not what they can’t?
If they are proficiency-based and appropriate to their proficiency level, the students feel successful. Usually I have them reflect on their learning for the year by giving them their portfolios with their unit assessments. They are amazed about their progress. That’s what I want! That they are proud of what they have accomplished!
So..what, exactly, will be the format of your final exams?
One interpretive reading with multiple-choice, matching, short answer English questions.
One presentational, they choose speaking or writing all using open-ended prompts. This looks just like our unit assessments but covers all topics.
One Interpersonal, they get whatever they didn’t choose above. I’m the person they talk with about the topics. This one takes several days depending on the class size. I have them sign up for a day and take about 1 per 5 minutes.
Because my seniors are ending early (as in this is this last week), I’m going to exempt the interpersonal for them if they have a Intermediate low or higher.