Using Portfolios: Options for Using Portfolios: Options for Young LearnersYoung Learners

By Brad TipkaBy Brad Tipka

What is a portfolio?What is a portfolio?

•A collection of work often used A collection of work often used by artists.by artists.

• In the classroom, a collection of In the classroom, a collection of student work that student work that interactsinteracts with with the curriculum.the curriculum.

Why Use a Portfolio?Why Use a Portfolio?• All classes are multi-level All classes are multi-level • Increases students independenceIncreases students independence• Students can individualize their classroom Students can individualize their classroom

experienceexperience• Exposes students to new strategies for Exposes students to new strategies for

learning Englishlearning English• Motivates students to find tasks and topics Motivates students to find tasks and topics

they are interested inthey are interested in• Prepares students for ‘real world’ activitiesPrepares students for ‘real world’ activities

Quote from an ESP teacher Quote from an ESP teacher • Students also find portfolios useful for a Students also find portfolios useful for a

number of reasons: they organize class number of reasons: they organize class work and make goals transparent; they work and make goals transparent; they offer opportunities for comparison; they offer opportunities for comparison; they provide a measure for progress and provide a measure for progress and change; and they assist students in change; and they assist students in correcting and revising their work. They correcting and revising their work. They also give students several chances to also give students several chances to demonstrate what they can accomplish. demonstrate what they can accomplish. (Johns, 1995)(Johns, 1995)

Classroom Management of Classroom Management of the Portfoliothe Portfolio

• Students check and evaluate each other’s Students check and evaluate each other’s tasks. Teacher collects them and looks at tasks. Teacher collects them and looks at them periodicallythem periodically

• Teacher checks the individual portfolios Teacher checks the individual portfolios during class time.during class time.

• Teacher checks the individual portfolios two Teacher checks the individual portfolios two or three times during the semester or or three times during the semester or course.course.

• The portfolio can also be used as a fluency The portfolio can also be used as a fluency activity or as a warm-up activity.activity or as a warm-up activity.

Classroom Management Classroom Management • Require all students to buy a three-ring Require all students to buy a three-ring

binder at the beginning of the course.binder at the beginning of the course.• Discuss the portfolio, its purposes, Discuss the portfolio, its purposes,

rules, and procedures at the beginning rules, and procedures at the beginning of the term and on several other of the term and on several other occasions. Remind students frequently occasions. Remind students frequently of their portfolio commitments.of their portfolio commitments.

Guidelines for using Guidelines for using PortfoliosPortfolios

• The portfolios The portfolios mustmust interact with the interact with the curriculum. Determine your portfolio tasks curriculum. Determine your portfolio tasks according to your institutional or course according to your institutional or course objectives.objectives.

• Portfolios must be assessed continuously. Portfolios must be assessed continuously. Do not wait until the end of the course to Do not wait until the end of the course to evaluate the student’s work. Work? evaluate the student’s work. Work? Preferably by the students as well as the Preferably by the students as well as the teacher.teacher.

Guidelines for using Guidelines for using Portfolios Portfolios • Portfolio work should also be used for in-class Portfolio work should also be used for in-class

activities.activities.• The students should be aware of the benefits and The students should be aware of the benefits and

rationale for using portfolios.rationale for using portfolios.• The portfolios should be created by a team and The portfolios should be created by a team and

specific to your institution.specific to your institution.• The portfolios should be used throughout the same The portfolios should be used throughout the same

instructional level and the institution. For example, instructional level and the institution. For example, all freshmen Conversation course will use a portfolio all freshmen Conversation course will use a portfolio for assessment.for assessment.

• The tasks should allow for negotiation and creativity The tasks should allow for negotiation and creativity within the students.within the students.

Creating TasksCreating Tasks• Must be determined by individual Must be determined by individual

instructors or a faculty team and the instructors or a faculty team and the learning needs of your studentslearning needs of your students

• Tasks should focus on assignments that Tasks should focus on assignments that should be completed outside of class.should be completed outside of class.

• Can focus on exposing students new Can focus on exposing students new ways of studying and learning. (building ways of studying and learning. (building awareness of learning strategies)awareness of learning strategies)

Samples of Writing TasksSamples of Writing Tasks

• Entry 1: A Source-driven text.Entry 1: A Source-driven text. This paper must draw from written This paper must draw from written sources, from content classes, from sources, from content classes, from the library, or from elsewhere. It the library, or from elsewhere. It should make use of citation, should make use of citation, referencing and other research paper referencing and other research paper practices.practices.

Sample TasksSample Tasks• Entry 2: A Data-driven textEntry 2: A Data-driven text. This . This

paper should also indicate students' paper should also indicate students' abilities to integrate "foreign" abilities to integrate "foreign" information into their own information into their own discourses. The data included in this discourses. The data included in this paper should come from sources paper should come from sources such as observation, interview, films such as observation, interview, films or other non written sources.or other non written sources.

Sample TasksSample Tasks• Entry 3: An abstract/summary.Entry 3: An abstract/summary.

This text should be an abbreviated This text should be an abbreviated version of another discourse. Among version of another discourse. Among many possibilities can be an abstract many possibilities can be an abstract of the student's own paper, written of the student's own paper, written for Entries 1 or 2, or a summary/ for Entries 1 or 2, or a summary/ critique of a film or book.critique of a film or book.

Sample TasksSample Tasks• Entry 4: A Genre-based Text.Entry 4: A Genre-based Text. This This

text must reflect in some way a text must reflect in some way a genre of an academic discipline. It genre of an academic discipline. It could attempt to replicate a genre; it could attempt to replicate a genre; it could summarize orabstract a could summarize orabstract a research article or grant; it could research article or grant; it could analyze or critique a text within a analyze or critique a text within a genre category.genre category.

Sample TasksSample Tasks• Semester Reflection.Semester Reflection. Each student Each student

must write a reflection of one or two must write a reflection of one or two pages considering the entries in the pages considering the entries in the portfolio in some way. For example, they portfolio in some way. For example, they can use entry examples to discuss their can use entry examples to discuss their literacy practices, or they can discuss literacy practices, or they can discuss how they approached the writing each how they approached the writing each entry. They can also discuss differences entry. They can also discuss differences among genres as exemplified in the among genres as exemplified in the entry types.entry types.

Sample TasksSample Tasks• Entry 5: A Timed essay.Entry 5: A Timed essay. This is an This is an

essay written in an EAP or content essay written in an EAP or content class under timed circumstances. It class under timed circumstances. It can be graded, though the grade on can be graded, though the grade on the essay will not influence the the essay will not influence the portfolio grade.portfolio grade.

Empower your students and watch them impress you!Empower your students and watch them impress you!