Meeting 03 • 05 April 2011

Version:
4/7/11
Today • my deadline page

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)
N = a topic / activity that was proposed but not included / is not going to be taken up after all
Red italic text like this = comments after the meeting
Main topic(s): Introduction to Assessment; the FL and AL Cultures

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(5) Review of previous meeting: main points; thoughts in the meantime?

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(5) (possibility a regular feature:) assessment in the news! Recent newspaper items. Discussion of WebCAPE in WLL: allow as proof of meeting language requirement? give (some, much) credit?

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(10) Media clips: failing a German Coast Guard ESL test; failing a German high-school Shakespeare & ESL test; to sample the larger collection of such (caution advised), go to my language-related media page.

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(30) ACTFL Guidelines (speaking and writing) - general issues (history, structure, criticism). Guestimate levels of learners you have encountered.
Some bibliography (some just abstracts, due to © issues: Liskin-Gasparro (2003), history and survival of Guidelines (0390abs); Fischer (1984), on testing and curriculum in GER 10X (0054); Swender (2003), answers to real-world questions (0391abs)
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(15) The OPI (media clips) - structure, examiner stance, question types

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(10) Estimating some levels of English proficiency from informal samples:

Big Crush • Devard • French Organist • German Early Musicians

Gudrun • Hass 01 • Hass 02 • Hass 03 • Italian Conductor

Rosie-Grace Marie • Uchida • VandeGraf

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(10) backgrounds and professional interests of instructor; embarrassing example of one of his old tests (0347), for which he pleads the excuses of youth and lack of training

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(10) Announcements (WBF schedule - IAC, Street Scene), debriefing and summation
Upcoming class meetings

12 & 19 April: structure of OPI; role-play situations; writing up the evaluation
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, 5 & 7 April) is "Language 'gold standards'": ACTFL Guidelines, the standards and test instruments of the European Union and ••?? 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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