Assessing Young Learners: Classroom-based Approaches

As East Asia sees a surge in the provision of English language teaching, the need for greater knowledge and expertise in assessment is becoming an important issue. Ministries of Education are showing increasing interest in this area. There are several reasons for this.

• Top results do not necessarily mean top employees - employers are increasingly indicating that performance on the job and the vast array of skills that go with this are just as crucial as excellent exam results. For education systems this means reviewing curricula, methodology and assessment processes.
• The realisation that alternative forms of assessment can be effective tools for improved student performance and fairer to more students and  therefore a more eclectic approach to assessment is needed.
• Linked to this is teacher competence in test development and administration.

In order to support this, there needs to be a greater awareness at practitioner level of the rationale, different approaches and implications of language assessment. In response to this need, British Council East Asia is organising its fourth Regional Hornby School on Assessing Young Learners: Classroom Based Approaches. The school will be residential in Bangkok from 14-18 November 2011.

When is it?

14-18 November 2011

Where is it?

Bangkok

What are the objectives

Knowledge sharing

Participants will:

• Share knowledge and experience about different types of Assessment  systems and practices in the region and elsewhere at primary & secondary levels

Knowledge & Skills Development

Participants will:

• Be exposed to current UK assessment practices
• Have a greater understanding of different types of assessment
• Have gained tools for selecting the most appropriate type of assessment
• Be more confident in designing their own assessment tasks
• Have more awareness of ways of assessing different language skills

Partnership

Participants will:

• Work together to develop relevant, context-dependent plans of action for the improvement of assessment practices in the East Asia region.
• Identify possible cooperation areas to develop mutually beneficial collaborative projects.

Which topics will be covered?

The Hornby School will focus on developing this greater knowledge and expertise in language assessment among classroom teachers and trainers; examining the approaches and practices that teachers can use in their classrooms. Topics will include:

• Understanding assessment for and of learning
• Understanding the relationship between formative and summative assessment
• Understanding of different types of assessment
• Tools for selecting the most appropriate type of assessment
• Ways of assessing different language skills

Who should attend?

• Colleagues from the region (from a variety of organisations and institutions) responsible for Teacher Development
• Colleagues from examination departments of Ministries of Education
• Test developers
• Master Trainers/Teacher Educators

How can I register?

By completing a registration form and sending it to mina.patel@britishcouncil.org.my