Meeting 02 • 07 January 2010 • Thursday

Version:
1/12/10
Today

numbers in ( ) = minutes planned for activity/ topic
√ = topic / activity that was adequately dealt with during the class
+ = topic needs more attention & will be resumed at next / subsequent meeting(s)
- = a topic / activity that was proposed but not carried out (but will be taken up later)
Struckthrough text like this = a topic / activity that was proposed but not included / is not going to be taken up after all
Italic text like this = comments after the meeting
Main topic(s): Introduction to Assessment; the FL and AL Cultures

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(5) (possibility a regular feature:) assessment in the news! Today: statistics in discussion of economics and politics at the top level

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(20) How do non-specialists talk about tests? How do they express their estimates of language skills?
Media clips: failing a German Coast Guard ESL test; failing a German high-school Shakespeare & ESL test; (caution advised) passing (or failing?) a low-level Spanish OPI at the Mexican border; to sample the larger collection of such (caution advised), go to my language-related media page.
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(10) norm-referenced vs. criterion-referenced tests: some examples outside the area of languages: Prof. Fischer's swimming class (at age 6); yearly medical checkup; SAT and other ETS-type tests; driver's license; "white glove & dust"; DUII; speed-dating and the notorious 1-10 rating (someone help me here!). Which type are they, and how is that related to the purpose(s) they serve? And now the TOEFL and OPI

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(30) Group discussion(s): The difficulties, breadth, and purposes of assessment: don't forget logistics and stakeholders
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(10) How to adjust the course: issues related to Applied Linguistics, ESL, and the TOEFL? How to support participants who haven't had an intro language pedagogy course?

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?(10) Demographic "survey": backgrounds and professional interests of instructor(s)

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?(10) Demographic survey: participants' previous coursework and work experience; language inventory

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(5) Assignments - checking in and up: 1) reading, see the "schedule & assignments" page (under modification); 2) written assignment #1: reflection about a newspaper article

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(10) Announcements, debriefing and summation
Upcoming class meetings

12 January: discussion of Hughes reading and the Oregonian article; the AL and FL "cultures" - differences and similarities; scoring guide for Assignment 1; broader discussion of assessment and grading in the course
14 January: the OPI - principles and lots of examples and practice
Upcoming assignment(s)

This section offers a PREVIEW, not activated assignments. Assignments are made, with announcement of their deadlines, both in class and on the "schedule" page. The next topic (week 2, 12 & 14 January) is "Language 'gold standards'": ACTFL Guidelines, the standards and test instruments of the European, ••?? and the TOEFL Test. Also information about where to find other widely-circulated tests. The FL participants will get an assignment that emphasizes ACTFL Guidelines; ••?? the AL participants will get one that focuses on the TOEFL. All participants will rate themselves (or someone else) on the ACTFL scale, by comparison to its profiles. ••?? All participants will examine items from the TOEFL test.
Announcements

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Misc.

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