d. End of Unit Self-AssessmentReflecting on the learning process and assessing progress is a valuable skill forlearners of all ages. Involving pupils in the assessment process allows them to beaccountable for and express how they see their own learning, strengths, andweaknesses. This enables the teacher to understand the pupil’s learning processfrom his/her perspective. As Susan Wortham, an expert on early childhood andelementary education states, “By the time the child is in the primary grades, selfassessment improves. They can evaluate their progress and have a voice in how theycan best succeed in mastering learning objectives. Assessment is not justadministered to students but accomplished with active participation by thestudent.” (Wortham and Hardin 2001).The self-assessment activity should be completed at the end of each unit. Theteacher should read the items together with the class to make sure they understandwhat is written. Pupils must be encouraged to answer honestly and be reassuredthat the information will help make teaching and learning more effective. It is not atest and will not be graded.e. Teacher AssessmentOnce pupils have completed the self-assessment page, it should be collected andreviewed to detect any major issues. The teacher then fills in his/her assessment ofeach pupil on each of the items and adds comments.Additionally, the teacher is provided with Unit Assessment Rubrics that clearlydisplay all the Can-Do Descriptors targeted in each unit, as well as rubrics for eachperformance task in the program. The teacher should use these to mark theprogress of each pupil at the end of the unit.Using the Assessment Activity, the Self-Assessment Activity, the Unit AssessmentRubrics, and the Performance Task Rubrics, the teacher has a clear picture of apupil’s development in the language. Assessments from previous units should becompared, paying attention to any discrepancies, or noting improvements. All theseassessment tools serve as a basis for the Pupil-Teacher Conference.Performance Task Assessment Rubrics are provided in the section of Assessment inthe Appendix.f.The Pupil-Teacher ConferenceDuring the first week or two after a unit has been completed, the teacher meetsindividually with pupils (this can be done while the class is working in their CourseBooks). During the conference, the teacher discusses the pupil’s progress andtogether they decide on what can be done to improve learning. During the meeting,the teacher should, together with the pupil, review work in the Course Book and askthe pupil specific questions about what s/he is learning in class. Pupils’ selfassessment responses may be related to a general sense of low self-esteem orconfidence in English. The teacher can use the opportunity to provide support andenhance the pupil’s confidence by pointing out areas in which s/he is doing verywell.20
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