Assessment Strategies

Output should  be assessed on its quality and comprehensbility.  The difference between traditional teachingand teaching for proficiency is that the goal is not correctness or regurgitated vocabulary lists.  The goal of proficiency-based instruction is, well, proficiency.  Can the learner understand written and spoken messages?  Can the learner show understanding through illustrations or tasks like sequencing or image matching?  Can the learner respond effectively in writing or speaking?  The expected amount of output should be aligned with the learner's level of proficiency.  

Proficiency-based instruction is about authentic communication in the learning environment.  Language is not picked apart and studied.  It is not memorizing this verb and this vocabulary list, so that the student can speak in stoccato, disconnected words.  No, since language is used in authentic contexts to talk about real-world situations: the weather, events, movies, music, likes/dislikes, etc., then the assessment should be authentic and mirror that instruction. 

For example, I know that a learner has acquired language, if he or she can submit a weather report and make some suggestions on what to wear that day.  At a more advanced level, a learner could plan a dream vacation and create a presentation describing that trip; what to pack, what to do, how much money to bring etc.  In this case, the assessment is not about memorization or accuracy, it is about real-world use of the language.  What is the point of language, other than to communicate with others?  Music is a great analogy for language learning.  Who cares if you know the notes that make up a chord, if you can't even play an instrument?  The same concept applies to languages.  What good is knowing singular words or grammar rules, if you can't communicate with others?  It is not enough to change instruction.  Assessment must also change to a proficiency focus.