Differentiated ESL Instruction? Check

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, 21^st 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 21^st 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.

Common Core Rubric Creation Tool – customize your Common Core rubric by picking-and-choosing any elements you want.