Evaluating the context of language learning

Classroom-Based Evaluation in Second Language Education

By Genesee and Upsher

Summaryof chapter 1

Evaluating the context of language learning

by

Khadijeh Othman Hamidi

  

 This very chapter deals with the input factors that influence the second language

 learning and teaching like student needs and abilities, time , attitude..etc. I would add

 other factors such as the political system, the culture of the second language and

 whether it is in harmony or in conflict with the cultural elements of the community, 

 and the community’s needs and values.

  This chapter discusses the instructional objectives and their divisions: language,

 strategic, socioaffective, philosophical, and methodsor process. But what is stressed

 here is the language objectives which have been divided , in turn, into general course

 objectives and specific or more detailed unit or lesson objectives. The course

 objectives should be in compatible with students’needs , background and goals.

 These objectives should also be explicit to help students understand how they will be

 able to use language.

  It is important for teachers to articulate their own objectives . this will help

 teachers to plan appropriate instruction , teach effectively, and evaluate the

 effectiveness of their instructions.

 Good course objectives strive for the following five characteristics:

1.     They should be general.

2.     They should refer to single domain of language performance.

3.     They should not overlap.

4.     They should refer to products oflearning .

5.     I would add that they should be incompatible with Bloom’s taxonomy and that

they should be comprehensive: psychomotor, cognitive, and affective.

 It discusses also the importance of instructional plans which specify what

 should be taught . By comparing the instructional plans described in the

 syllabus with course objectives, teachers can assess whether the instructional

 plans prescribed in the syllabus are compatible with the course objectives.

 The chapter also discusses the facets of instructional plans that are useful in

 second language evaluation:  content, organization, material and equipment,

  activities and roles. It emphasizes the fact that what is planned may not be in

 harmony with what is really practiced in the field.

 According to chapter 2, I think that teacher should play different roles: a

 decision maker, a planner, a reviser , an effective reflector, an organizer, a

 facilitator, ..etc. He/ Sheshould evaluate his/ her objectives , content , the

organization, the material and equipment, his/ her roles , and even his/ her

  beliefs and principles regarding second  language learning  in the light of

current evaluation.