Test on Prepositions
This is a pretty simplistic if not somewhat long multiple choice test on prepositions of time. From the standpoint of the 5 principles we discussed, my opinion is that:
1. From the standpoint of practicality, this test is very practical. The multiple choice makes it very quick and easy to grade and also pretty quick and easy for students to take.
2. From the standpoint of reliability, this type of test is one of the most reliable for the professor to grade. You will still need to make sure (as much as possible) that the students are well fed and well rested but in terms of grading, you should have no reliability issues because there is no room for your opinion or bias to enter into the choice of grading.
3. From the standpoint of Validity, the test seems like it would be a perfectly valid test, validly measuring what it aims to measure. However, inevitably you will have some students trying to guess at some of the answers and having the potential to get the right answer from just guessing while not super high is high enough to warrant a comment.
4. From the standpoint of authenticity, it offers a little in the way of real world authenticity because you are using the the prepositions in real, valid sentences. However, this language is not very relevant or meaning to anyone and does not offer very much authentic creativity and authentic use of language. Its a little stinted as well.
5. From the standpoint of Washback, there doesn't seem to much you could do in terms of giving good feedback other than reteaching the grammar lesson.
In terms of the grammar lesson that I gave on Tuesday, one of students made a suggestion about giving more examples using myself or other students and I think that this would be one great way to make the lesson more real-life and real world. Maybe I could tell a story and act out the story that I am telling while I tell it using prepositions to related myself to various objects in the story. I could also have the students act out something using prepositions. Maybe you are in a clothing store and your friend tells you that he or she saw the coolest/cutest whatever and it was over there to the left of such and such or something and so the students would have to go find the item based on the clues they were given. I think our treasure hunt was really communicative in this way but it could be polished.
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I agree with you Jason on the grammar lesson we gave. Stories would have been a great idea!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great, greatly detailed effort of greatness. Undergrads rock!
ReplyDeleteGood points according to the five principles, Jason. I also liked the treasure hunt the other day. Such fun, and we got to really move around. Always good for keeping students on task. I also think the real-world example of giving directions as to how to find something is perfect. Telling map directions would be good, too (i.e., how to get to the mall from UTA).
ReplyDeleteI liked the treasure hunt, though I'm not sure what a teacher should do when the Ss skip a bunch of steps to arrive at the treasure (which my group did--actually "I" did). Instead of having the clues build on each other, items could simply be placed and numbered without any relationship to each other. Each student could be paired up and have a numbered sheet. If the Ss found #5 first, then they could write a sentence using the preposition. Example: crayons are placed on the floor in the corner near the trashcan. The student could write, "The crayons are ON the floor IN the corner." Of course, this is a writing exercise and it's less communicative. Your exercise was great in the communicative arena.
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