Assessments
Reading Assessment Development and Analysis Project
As part of my MA TESOL program, I completed a course on assessments, which included a hands-on project where we developed a standardized reading proficiency assessment for students at the BYU English Language Center. After students took the exam, we analyzed the resulting data using Jamovi software. Our analysis focused on several key aspects, including the distribution of scores and percent score trends, which provided insight into the reliability and validity of the exam.
Additionally, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the exam questions and distractors by evaluating factors such as item facility, point-biserial correlation, and upper-lower discrimination. These analyses helped us assess the effectiveness of each question. Click on the button below to see the complete analysis report.
Reading Strategies and Phonics Quiz: Intermediate-Mid
This Strategies and Phonics Quiz for an intermediate-mid reading course assesses students' understanding of word roots, reading comprehension, and text analysis skills.
It includes a matching section where students pair word roots like "bio," "tele," and "auto" with their meanings. Multiple-choice questions test the ability to identify topics, main ideas, and supporting details within a passage about flea markets and garage sales. Additionally, short essay questions require students to explain how background knowledge enhances reading comprehension and list key elements to look for when previewing a text.
Speaking and Grammar Quiz: Novice-Mid
The Chapter 3 Speaking Assessment requires students to record four 30-second video responses to given prompts, with each response worth four points. Students are graded on completion, grammatical accuracy, and pronunciation.
In this chapter, students learned to:
1. Use the present simple to talk about routines
2. Add -es to verbs that end in -sh,-ch, -x, and -ss
3. Use common irregular verbs 'to have', 'to go' and 'to do' in the simple present.
4. Use like to, want to, and need to.
4. Use 'would like to' to increase politeness.
5. Use adverbs of frequency.
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Thus, the test questions are designed to elicit the target grammar. For example, Question 4 requires students to talk about the schedule of two people using adverbs of frequency and irregular verbs.
Writing Rubric: Intermediate-High
I developed the following rubric for my intermediate-high academic writing course. In this portion of the semester, students were highly focused on the organization of a 5-paragraph essay. Thus, the rubric reflects the need for students to write their descriptive essays using the prescribed organization.
Book Report Project: Intermediate-Mid
In book club groups, students read The Giver by Lois Lowry. At the culmination of the book, they demonstrated their comprehension through a creative project.
Students could choose to write a formal book review, a letter to a character, a character diary with three entries, an alternate ending to the story, or create a YouTube video review. Each option required thoughtful engagement with the book, a minimum of 300 words (or a 3-5 minute video), and encourages students to analyze key themes, express personal opinions, and demonstrate their understanding of the story and its characters. The guidelines emphasize organization, creativity, and clear communication.
