Are you an ESL instructor? Love rubrics? Do you use checklists in your
daily life? If you answered yes to any of the questions and did not have the
opportunity to attend the LINCS Webinar: Developing Rubrics &
Checklists for Differentiated ESL Instruction, please read on.
Jayme
Adelson-Goldstein demonstrated how to use rubrics and checklists as classroom-based
assessments to support learning in a multi-level ESL classes. Most of the following information is directly
from her webinar and handouts. Jayme defined a rubric as: an evaluation tool that describes and
measures how well individuals or groups perform on an assessment or task or
each part of a task. They are about the quality of work, making intangible
concepts accessible to learners, communicating expectations, and a means for
students to reflect on and improve their work.
Analytic vs. Holistic
Analytic
• describe domains of a
product or performance separately
• have limited descriptors
for each level of a domain
• allow for specific
diagnostic feedback
• may be easier to score
The rubric below is an
analytic rubric for an Energy Poster and Presentation assignment. The rating is
across the top (can also use exemplary, proficient, developing, novice etc.)
while the dimensions (aspects of the performance of the assignment) are down
the left column. The descriptions of the characteristics of each dimension
(aspect of the performance) for each rating/level are located in the
columns/rows below the rating scale.
Holistic
• use one overarching
descriptor for each level of a product or performance
• include dimensions of
the product or performance within the descriptor
• look at the product or
performance as a whole
• may be difficult to
score for learners with “between” level ratings.
The rubric below is a
holistic rubric for the same assignment as above: Energy Poster and Presentation. The rating is
along the left column and the descriptions of the characteristics of each level
of performance on the task or assignment are in the right column and include
descriptions of what the assignment should look like at each of the proficiency
levels focusing on the complexity of the assignment, the level of language used
to demonstrate skills and abilities heeded to achieve the learning
objective. For “Like-Ability” groups,
consider using high intermediate, low intermediate, high beginning, and low
beginning for your ratings. For
“Cross-Ability” groups, consider using an
exemplary/proficient/developing/novice rating scale.
Benefits/Drawbacks
If you
have created, or tried to create, your own rubric, you already know that an
analytic rubric is very time consuming.
If you use the rubric created for, say, the GED Reading-Language Arts
extended response, then you reap all the benefits without any of the
headache. Holistic rubrics are easier to
create and provide a snapshot in time, but you would want to add additional
feedback (like editing comments) so the learner has enough information to
improve.
Both rubrics and checklists improve assessment by
ensuring that each student’s paper is evaluated using the same criteria. They also provide expectations for student
learning; students know exactly what is expected of them. Rubrics and
checklists serve as reminders for teachers to focus on evaluative criteria like
a thesis statement or citing textual evidence rather than scoring a paper based
solely on frustrations we feel with a student’s spelling and grammar.
Additionally, there are instructional
implications. Let’s take a look at the
GED Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) extended response rubric for Trait 1:
This rubric helps me target important RLA content.
In preparation for my GED writing class, I would plan activities that emphasize
citing ‘relevant and specific evidence from source text’, textual analysis, and
development of a text-based argument. The rubric serves as a quick summary of
important knowledge that needs to be taught to my learners. After I score students’
first draft, I can use the completed rubrics to determine if I have addressed
all of the skills. If there are gaps, I
can use the information to inform my practice and fill in the gaps.
How many of you distribute the rubric and the task
at the same time? The rubric can help students focus their efforts on specific
skills. If you haven’t used rubrics
before, I recommend walking your students through how to use the rubric for
their initial response and revisions.
The webinar presenter, Jayme, also finds
checklists useful in differentiating instruction in the multi-level ESL
classroom. Below is a checklist for the same Saving Energy assignment:
Notice the dates in the last three columns that can help
students develop their soft skills including organization and planning.
Checklists can also support ESL instruction during speaking
activities. Learners can use checklists
to plan their conversation and use it to make sure their conversation is
complete. I particularly like this because it forces students to put down their
textbook and pick up the checklist to build and evaluate their own
conversations. I’m going to include a
number of Jayme’s slides because I think you’ll get some great ideas for your own classroom.
Checklists can be used for:
Notice the last two rubrics are for students of different
abilities in a multi-level classroom.
(A) can be used for a beginner while (B) is more appropriate for a more
advanced learner. The checklists make differentiation a snap in multi-level
classrooms.
According to Jayme, 21st century workplaces and
postsecondary settings demand that our learners be able to:
Cope with complexity
Plan and organize
Cite evidence to support a position
Collaborate with diverse groups
Rubrics and checklists are authentic, performance-based,
guides for group work, and they address the 21st century skills
mentioned above. That means they are
really, really great to use in your classroom.
Are you ready to get started? These three links will help you
begin your rubric/checklist journey towards differentiation.
Rubistar –
a free tool to help teachers create rubrics.
iRubric –
a free development, assessment, and sharing tool.
