Creating Meaningful Activities and

Assessments
ASSESSMENT
Examples:
Objective: Orally describe their reactions to the plot of a book or flm.
Meaningless assessment: Have the students tae a multiple!ch"ice test "n #lm and
b"" v"cabular$%
Why is this meaningless?
&f their g"al is t" be able t" spea ab"ut their reacti"ns t" a b"" "r a #lm and 'e give
them a multiple!ch"ice test "n v"cabular$( h"' d" 'e n"' if the$ can actuall$
c"mmunicate) All 'e n"' fr"m this assessment is that the$ can recall and 'rite s"me
m"vie v"cabular$% This is not acceptable evidence%
Meaningful assessment: Have the students 'atch a m"vie trailer and then express
their "pini"n t" a partner%
Why is this meaningful?
&f the student is able t" express their "pini"n t" their partner( then the$ have reached
their g"al% &f the$ are unable t" d" this( this sh"'s us that the$ need m"re practice t"
reach their g"al% This is acceptable evidence%
******************************************************************************************
******************
ACT&+&T&ES
Examples:
Objective: Orally describe their reactions to the plot of a book or flm.
Meaningless activity #1: ,earning #lm and b"" v"cabular$ in the b"" and repeating
each '"rd #ve times in their n"teb""s%
Why is this meaningless?
This activit$ d"es n"t inv"lve speaing( s" it is n"t helping the students reach their g"al%
Als"( 'e n"' that simpl$ repeating '"rds in a n"teb"" d"es n"t pr"m"te learning%
Meaningless activity #2: -atch a m"vie trailer and then 'rite a summar$ in $"ur
n"teb""%
Why is this meaningless?
This is a great activit$( &. 'e 'ere g"ing t" assess them "n their 'riting% H"'ever( their
g"al is t" be able t" S/EA0 ab"ut m"vies and b""s( n"t 'rite% &n c"nclusi"n( this activit$
12O TEACHE3S4 5678
seems great "n the surface( but 'hen 'e l"" at "ur g"als( it is n"t an appr"priate
activit$%
ASSESSMENT
Objective: understand the description of events, feelings, and wishes in personal letters.
Meaningless assessment:
-h$ is this meaningless)
Meaningful assessment:
-h$ is this meaningful)
ACT&+&T&ES
Objective: understand the description of events, feelings, and wishes in personal letters.
Meaningless activit$:
12O TEACHE3S4 5678
-h$ is this meaningless)
Meaningful activit$:
-h$ is this meaningful)
9AC0-A3:S :ES&2N STE/S
Step 1: &dentif$ :esired 3esults
What do I want my students to know and be able to do?
Step 2: :etermine acceptable evidence
How will I know if my students reached the goal?
Step 3: /lan learning experiences
12O TEACHE3S4 5678
What meaningful activities can I design that help my students reach their goal?
12O TEACHE3S4 5678
HELPFL !ES"#$%S WHE% PL&%%#%'
S"EP 1
!OW
-hat v"cabular$( structures and culture d" students need in "rder t" meet the
learning target)
"O
-hat 'ill students be able t" d" at the end "f this less"n that the$ c"uldn;t d" 'hen
it started)
This sh"uld be a real!life learning target stated in student!friendl$ language
-h$ d"es this matter t" me( t" m$ friends)
1<"u 'ill be able t" #gure "ut and tell s"me"ne h"' t" use the metr" s$stem in Ne'
<"r t" get fr"m place t" place%4
S"EP 2
H"' 'ill $"u chec f"r understanding)
-hat evidence 'ill $"u c"llect t" determine if students have achieved the desired
results)
3eliable assessment re=uires multiple s"urces "f evidence% &nstead "f a =uic
snapsh"t( thin ph"t" album%
-hat is d"ne in the real '"rld) :"es it have a genuine purp"se) :"es it demand
higher!level thining and n"t just mem"ri>ati"n)
Thin lie an assess"r( n"t an activit$ designer
S"EP 3
Thin lie a travel agent% H"' 'ill $"u mae $"ur clients ?students@ reach their g"al)
H"' 'ill $"u e=uip students t" be able t" reach their g"al)
H"' 'ill $"u h"" and h"ld students interest)
Are all the learning activities necessar$)
H"' d"es the activit$ relate t" real life) &f it d"esn;t( d"n;t d" it%