Preliminary Unit: How do I assess it?

 

Hi! 

If you read my last post, then you know that I have been working on making the preliminary unit better with 6th grade. 

Another part of my goals is to make my quizzes and other assessments a little more meaningful. I want them to see the purpose for what they are learning. 

This is no easy task, and it often becomes a logistical NIGHTMARE. 

In the end, however, if it works, it's really useful. 

So how do I assess the first unit?

I do have a performance assessment that is a little longer than this, but I recently gave a quiz that I liked A LOT. 

Here's what I did:

We have a virtual language lab with Sanako Connect. It's not my FAVORITE language lab I have ever used, but it has some really cool features. One feature is to put the kids in pairs and have them type to each other. 

So, I had the students sign in with a different name.  That's the key. Then, I put them into groups, and they had three tasks:

1. To figure out who they were actually talking to (the only way they know how to do this is to ask 'what's your name?').

2. To figure out how that person feels. 

3. To say goodbye.

Is it the best communicative task? No. But the kids had fun and how often do you hear kids say that a quiz is fun?! 

Also, I rarely do interpersonal writing, so this was a cool way for me to test out those waters a bit. 

Hope this helps someone!

Timothy