{"id":2339,"date":"2011-11-16T20:30:17","date_gmt":"2011-11-16T20:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eltchat.com\/?p=2339"},"modified":"2011-11-16T20:30:17","modified_gmt":"2011-11-16T20:30:17","slug":"dogme-formal-assessment-the-odd-couple-eltchat-summary-09112011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/2011\/11\/16\/dogme-formal-assessment-the-odd-couple-eltchat-summary-09112011\/","title":{"rendered":"Dogme & Formal Assessment \u2013 the Odd Couple #ELTchat Summary 09\/11\/2011"},"content":{"rendered":"

This summary was contributed by Davied Petrie, alias @teflgeek and was first posted on his blog<\/a>. It is reproduced here with his permission Thanks, David!!!\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The original topic was \u00a0“Reconciling dogme and an unplugged approach with situations where formal assessment plays a key role in student motivation”, rather long for a blog post title, so I am going to use David’s title…<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#ELTchat Summary: Dogme & Formal<\/span><\/h1>\n

Assessment \u2013 the odd\u00a0couple<\/span><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

At first glance, the free-wheeling Dogme approach to teaching and formal assessment do not sit well together.\u00a0 Rather they would appear to occupy opposite ends of the spectrum, representing as they do either \u201cwinging it elevated to an art form<\/a>\u201d or rigid rows of desks and standardized testing models.\u00a0 The #eltchat on Wednesday 9th<\/sup>\u00a0November 2011 tried to find out whether opposites might in this case attract, or at the very least whether this odd couple could form some kind of lasting (if uneasy) relationship.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to look at the original transcript for this chat, you can find it on the#ELTchat wiki<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dogme,<\/strong> like the term formal assessment, means different things to different people.\u00a0 Dogme is NOT winging it (@PatrickAndrews), rather it is teaching without materials but with preparation (the teacherjames).\u00a0 You prepare your classes but go with the flow (@esolcourses).\u00a0 Experience and skill can help with this (@Shaunwilden), though pre-service teachers can be trained (@theteacherjames).\u00a0 You should always remember the students\u2019 needs and wants and not impose dogme(bethcagnol), and it works well with higher levels (@riberni).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Formal Assessment<\/strong>\u00a0 could be achievement tests or proficiency tests (@ljp2010), exams (@riberni) or portfolio based (@esolcourses).\u00a0 In general, people seemed to view \u201cformal\u201d assessment as tests or exams imposed on the class from outside, either by school management (e.g. end of year tests), national exam boards or student needs (e.g. IELTS \/ FCE \/ TOEFL etc).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Whether the two can co-exist is difficult to answer.\u00a0 As ever with these things the answer would seem to be \u201cit depends\u201d.\u00a0 The means of assessment (the testing tools) and the criteria being assessed both affect things (@esolcourses), though if the test is a good one, it shouldn\u2019t matter how the learners get there (@teflgeek).\u00a0 Tests, unfortunately, are not always very good (@PatrickAndrews) and may require specific item knowledge that therefore must be covered in class (@ShaunWilden), or development of a narrow range of skills (@esolcourses).\u00a0 Is the problem therefore the testing method, not the teaching method (@teflgeek)?\u00a0 The fact that most schools don\u2019t actually test properly certainly doesn\u2019t make it any easier (@Shaunwilden).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Portfolio based approach to testing would be a better fit with a dogme approach to teaching (@PatrickAndrews) and has worked for some (esolcourses), but teachers don\u2019t often get the choice of test type (@riberni).\u00a0 Most testing is very \u201cone size fits all\u201d and there is a need for less rigidity and a more learner-centred approach to testing (@esolcourses), though commercial realities make this difficult to implement (@riberni).\u00a0 Overall, we seem to be stuck with whatever we\u2019re given to work with \/ aim towards.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Given then, that formal testing is often prescriptive and imposed, how can we reconcile the destination with the journey?\u00a0 Test \/ exam preparation often requires using past papers and extensive practice of task types (@AlexandraKouk).\u00a0 Task familiarization is important (@riberni) but there is a difference between test familiarization and test practice and most of the research suggests test practice only goes so far (@teflgeek), which is why you might want to ditch the exam material as loads of past papers are unnecessary (@ShaunWilden).\u00a0 Though for learners who want to get through a test (e.g. IELTS et al), learner-centred teaching must by definition involve the test (rliberni).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dogme and the Exam\/Test Classes:<\/strong>\u00a0 Ideas for teaching, revision and background links & references:<\/p>\n