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Assessing language teaching competences – ways and means
Richard Rossner
Outline
1. What are language teaching competences? Why do we teach the way we do?
2. Assessing teaching and teachers – why?
3. The European Profiling Grid – an introduction
4. The EPG Project – purposes and progress
5. The EAQUALS Framework for Language Teacher Training & Development
6. How can teachers help themselves?
EXCHANGE OF VIEWS • Do you assess your own teaching? How?
• Who else assesses your teaching? How?
4
Why assess our own language teaching?
• Teacher satisfaction – am I doing a good job?
• Student satisfaction – are they motivated by my teaching?
• Keeping track of students’ learning – how is what I am doing helping them progress with the language?
• Forward planning – how do I need to adapt what I’m doing? What new things can I try?
• Growth – in what areas can I still develop?
• …
Why others might assess my teaching
• Colleagues & trainees: to learn from the way I teach, or for research purposes
• Trainers/mentors: to see how I am developing, or/and to help plan my future training and development
• Managers, heads of department: for quality assurance reasons, or/and to gather evidence for a professional development meeting
What makes us teach the way we do? • Personal qualities: the kind of person I am (in the
classroom)
• Attitudes and values: the beliefs I hold about people, society, education…
• Knowledge and know-how: what I know and understand about education and language learning
• Professional skills: the practical things I can do when teaching
• Experience
• The context and conditions: what’s going on, the reactions of the students…
VALUES, ATTITUDES, BELIEFS
+
KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING, AWARENESS
+
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
=
PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE
VALUES AND ATTITUDES
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
KNOWLEDGE AND
AWARENESS
THE EUROPEAN PROFILING GRID
AND THE EPG PROJECT
9
Background
– Originally developed by EAQUALS for its members – Parallels with the Common European Framework -
designed to encourage: • use of a common meta-language about language
teaching • agreement on some common reference points • reflection on current practice
“We have not set out to tell practitioners what to do or
how to do it. We are raising questions not answering them.” (CEFR introduction)
Other frameworks for teacher education (mainly pre-service training)
– European Profile for Language Teacher Education
(Kelly M. & M. Grenfell 2004) http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/lang/doc/profilebroch_en.pdf
– The European Portfolio for Student Teachers of
Languages, EPOSTL (Newby D. et al 2006) http://www.ecml.at/mtp2/FTE/pdf/STPExtract.pdf
4 main areas, and 3 main levels
DEVELOPMENT PHASE 1
DEVELOPMENT PHASE 2
DEVELOPMENT PHASE 3
Language and
culture
Qualifications and experience
Core teaching competencies
Professional conduct
LANGUAGE
PHASE 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2
Language Proficiency
Has a B2
examination
certificate in the
language; oral
competence at C1
level
Has a C1 examination
certificate (eg English
CAE )
Has a degree in the
language, or:
a C2 examination
certificate (eg CPE)
has native speaker
competence, or:
a language degree or
C2 certificate plus a
natural command of the
language
Language Awareness
can give correct
models of
language usage
at A1-B1
can give
answers to
language
queries that are
not necessarily
complete but
are sufficient
and appropriate
for levels A1-B1
can give correct
models of
language usage
on almost all
occasions at all
levels
can give answers
to questions about
the target
language that are
appropriate for the
level concerned
from A1 to C1
can give correct
examples of
language usage on
all occasions at all
levels
can answer all
language queries
accurately
can notice what is
really confusing
learners and offer
guidance so they
can resolve their
queries themselves
can give clear
explanations of
language points on all
occasions
can teach usage &
register at all levels
can give full and
accurate answers to
language queries on all
occasions
can use a range of
techniques to guide
learners in working out
answers to their own
language queries and
errors
INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE
2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2
understands and is
able to take account
of relevant
stereotypical views
helps learners
compare cultural
behaviour,
traditions, artefacts
etc. using materials
and activities
appropriate to the
group.
creates an
atmosphere of
tolerance and
understanding in
classes where there
is social and/or
cultural diversity
helps learners to
analyse stereotypical
views and prejudices
selects materials that
are well matched to
the cultural horizon of
learners and yet
extend this further
integrates into lessons
key areas of
difference in
intercultural behaviour
(e.g. proximity,
politeness punctuality,
directness,
definiteness)
promotes inclusivity,
tolerance and the
importance of avoiding
critical intercultural
incidents
uses web searches,
projects and
presentations to expand
own and learners
understanding of
intercultural issues
ensures that learners
understand the
relevance of
conventions regarding,
e.g, proximity,
politeness, punctuality,
directness, definiteness
systematically develops
learners` ability to
analyse and discuss
cultural similarities and
differences
anticipates and
manages effectively
areas of intercultural
misunderstanding
shares his/her extensive
knowledge of intercultural
issues when this is
appropriate in dealings with
learners and colleagues
develops learners’/colleagues’
ability to deal with cultural
issues, suggesting techniques
to defuse disagreements and
critical incidents if they arise
creates an atmosphere of
inclusiveness and mutual
understanding in both
staffroom and classroom
CORE COMPETENCIES 3 Interaction management and monitoring
2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2
can set up pairs
& groups
efficiently
ensures all
learners are
involved in
productive pair
and group work
can monitor
learning activity
and give clear
feedback
can bring the
class back
together and
manage
feedback
can set up a varied
and balanced
sequence of class,
group and pair
work in order to
meet the lesson
objectives
can facilitate task-
based learning
can monitor
individual and
group work and
provide or elicit
useful feedback
can set up group
interaction with
more than one
learning objective
can monitor
individual and
group
performances
accurately and
thoroughly
can give individual
feedback in
various ways
can manage
learner-centred,
multi-level group
work in which
groups at different
levels in the same
classroom work on
different tasks at the
same time
uses monitoring
and analysis of the
interaction in order
to decide on action
points for upcoming
lessons
PROFESSIONALISM
2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2
welcomes
opportunities to be
observed and
receive feedback
on teaching
welcomes
opportunities to
observe & share
class teaching
(team-teach) with
colleagues at one
or two levels
acts on feedback
from colleagues
who observe own
teaching
reacts positively to
changes and
challenges in the
institution
develops his/her
professional awareness
and competence via
reading
takes an active part in
various kinds of
professional
development
sometimes leads
discussions in training
sessions & exchanges
ideas with colleagues
about materials and
techniques
observes colleagues at
3 or 4 levels
contributes to the
institution’s
development and good
management
acts as mentor to less
experienced
colleagues
leads a training
session if given
materials to use and
with support from a
colleague
organises
opportunities for
colleagues to observe
one another
actively participates in
the development of
the institution and its
educational and
administrative
systems
creates training
modules for less
experienced
teachers
runs teacher
development
programmes
observes
colleagues and
provides useful
feedback
takes responsibility
for the
development of the
institution in
certain areas.
The EPG Project
Aim: to provide and instrument that can be used to assess language teaching competences, and will enable teachers to assess their own competences
Process:
• testing out the pilot Grid (DE, EN, ES, FR, IT)
• Producing final versions and a user guide
DEVELOPMENT PHASE
1.1 1.2 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2
Methodology knowledge & skills
Interaction management
Planning
Assessment
Use of digital media
Self assessment example - core teaching competences
DEVELOPMENT PHASE
1.1 1.2 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2
Language competence
Language awareness
Intercultural competence
Professional -ism
Administration
Self assessment example – language, culture & professionalism
WHAT’S MISSING?
• Developing thinking skills?
• Facilitating learning?
• Changing the classroom dynamic?
• Cross-curricular activities?
• ….
A related EAQUALS project A FRAMEWORK FOR LANGUAGE TEACHER TRAINING
AND DEVELOPMENT:
• More detailed descriptions of values, knowledge and skills that make up ‘competence’
• Three ‘development phases’
• Five areas: planning, teaching/supporting learning, assessment, language & culture, professionalism
• Reference tool for organising in-service training and continuing professional development
• Suitable for adaptation as a ‘portfolio’
• A template for adapting and adding descriptors for other areas, e.g. the vocational context, migrants
PRE-SERVICE TRAINING
IN-SERVICE COURSE
Reading group
Peer observation,
reflection…
Experience as a mentor
Language teachers and their development
How can we help ourselves to further develop our own teaching competences?
• By regularly taking time to reflect on what has happened in our lessons
• By assessing our own competence using the ‘evidence’, e.g.
– Our level of confidence in what we do in the classroom
– Reactions of learners
– Progress of learners
– Feedback from observers and learners
– Self-observation
• By planning different ways of doing things
Reflection
By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. (Confucius)
REFLECTIVE TASK
• Look at the questionnaire – 5 questions only
• Don’t think too hard, try to be honest!
• Discuss your answers with a colleague
• Think about the other questions later
26
The Reflective Model
‘Received’ knowledge
Previous experiential knowledge
Existing conceptual schemata &
mental models
practice
reflection
PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE
Wallace M. 1991
Wallace 1991
Questions to ask ourselves after a lesson
• What were my goals?
• How did I intend to achieve those goals?
• What actually happened?
• How do I feel about this?
• What could I do/have done differently?
• [What could I try/change next time?]
[from Naashia Mohamed on www.onestopenglish.com]
Aids to reflection - examples • Conferences, workshops, reading
• Observing others
• Feedback from observation by: – a colleague or peer
– a trainer or director of studies
• Recording yourself (self-observation)
• Keeping a teaching journal or diary
• Self-assessment using a checklist
• Experimenting with new techniques, materials
BEWERTUNG
BEWAHRUNG BEWEGUNG
Questions • Can teaching competences be separated and described?
What about the holistic aspects of teaching?
• How ‘objective’ can the assessment of teaching be? What role do the observer’s own beliefs play?
• Who decides what ‘good teaching’ is?
• What should the relationship be between self-assessment, reflection and assessment by others?
• How can these be made to contribute to teachers’ and learners’ ‘pedagogical well-being’?
Summarising… • Defining ‘good teaching’ is not a simple matter -
students’ views need to be taken into account
• Assessment of teaching needs to be done with care, and to be valid, transparent and fair
• Self-assessment by teachers should be well supported
• The European Profiling Grid and EAQUALS Framework could be useful aids in this
• School-based teacher development needs to encourage teachers to continually reflect on practice
“Acquire new knowledge whilst thinking over the old,
and you may become a teacher of others.”
Further information on the Grid:
http://www.epg-project.eu/the-epg-project/
Richard Rossner
