Performance Assessment Tasks: Using Backward Design to

Create a STARTALK Curriculum

Yongfang Zhang

Na Li

Hua Zhang

Michael Hegedus

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What are performance assessment tasks?

Why should we include performance assessment tasks?

How should we design performance assessment tasks?

Researchsupport

Concrete examples

Hands-on activities

Outline

TELL Domain & Criteria

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PERFORMANCE & FEEDBACK

PF1: The teacher measures student language growth through performance assessments.

PLANNING

PL4: The teacher plans lessons that allow students to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to meet the performance objectives.

LEARNING EXPERIENCE

LE6: The teacher provides opportunities for students to become more effective communicators.

OUTCOMES

I can understand the role of performance

assessment tasks in language learning and

transfer.

I can apply the discussed strategies to select and contextualize performance assessment tasks.

I can design cognitively engaging learning activities that enable learners to achieve the performance objectives.

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Let’s Get to Know Each Other!

Find one person that you don’t know and

have never interacted with

before, and greet him/her for the first

time.

Maybe this evening, you go out for dinner.

When the server leads you to your table, you see a STARTALK friend

eating in the same restaurant. Greet

him/her.

This Sunday, while you are exploring the national park

nearby, you run into a STARTALK friend.

Greet him/her.

Find one acquaintance that you haven’t talked to yet at the 2019

STARTALK Fall Conference, and greet him/her.

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Performance

“Performance is what human beings are about every day of their lives.” (Turner, 1982)

“Performance entails work that requires students to apply knowledge and skills in authentic contexts.” (Wiggins, 1993)

“Performances are situated events defined by five specified elements inferred from Carlson (1996): place, time, script, participants, and audience.” (Walker, 2000)

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Place Time

Participants Audiences

Script

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•Communication is at the heart of second language study•All the linguistic and social knowledge required for effective human-to-human interaction is encompassed in these ten words: knowing how, when, and why to say what to whom

Preparing for the 21st

Century

• The ultimate goal of today’s foreign language learning is to communicate effectively in more than one language in order to function in a variety of situations and for multiple purposes

World-Readiness • Proficiency is the ability to use language in real world situations in a spontaneous interaction and non-rehearsed context and in a manner acceptable and appropriate to native speakers of the language.

Proficiency guidelines

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How Do You Design Performance Assessment Tasks?

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Write down three from your memory.

Compare yours with another person.

Reflect why you wrote these three.

The cabinet-level positions in the U.S. Government

• Secretary of Agriculture

• Secretary of Commerce

• Secretary of Defense

• Secretary of Education

• Secretary of Energy

• Secretary of Health and Human Services

• Secretary of Homeland Security

• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

• Secretary of the Interior

• Secretary of Labor

• Secretary of State

• Secretary of Transportation

• Secretary of the Treasury

• Secretary of Veterans Affairs

• Attorney General

• Vice President

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Transcribe the pronunciation of the Japanese words from memory.

• Hotel ホテル

• Inn りょかん

• Youth hostel ユースホステル

• Embassy たいしかん

• Toilet トイレ

• Bank ぎんこう

• Department store デパート

• School がっこう

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Learning is an active process

Learners are agents with

ownership who actively

construct knowledge in

their own minds in the

learning process

Learning is the result of the

learners’ mental

construction

Constructivism stimulates and

engages students by grounding learning

activities in an authentic, real-world context

Facilitate the learning process

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Start with learners

• Learners’ perception

• What will learners pay attention to

• What will motivate learners

• How to facilitate learners to internalize their learning

Provide learner-centered activities

• Activate learners’ prior knowledge

• Connect learning to learners’ everyday experience and knowledge of the world

• Design learning tasks to engage learners to apply language in real-world situations in a spontaneous and non-rehearsed context

Language Learning Process

Memory Model

Attention (1)Top-down(2)Bottom-up

Encoding

Retrieval

(1)Mediation(2)Mnemonics

Touch storeHearing storeVision store

Attention

Activate • linguistic prior knowledge• extra-linguistic prior

knowledge

Various and/or combined modalities• Hearing: sound• Vision: scripts, pictures (culturally

rich authentic pictures)• Body movement

Top

Down

Strategies

Bottom-

Up Strategies

Activate Prior Linguistic Knowledge

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Compound words

• Iced tea → bīngchá; hot tea → rèchá

• Ice water →bīngshuǐ; hot water → rèshuǐ

Word order: subject + verb + object

• I like salad → wǒ xǐhuān shālā

Transliterated words (transliteration)

• Daily items (salad → shālā), book titles (Harry Porter → Hālìbōtè), country names (Poland →Bōlán), People’s names (Taylor Swift → Tàilè Sīwēifūtè)

Comprehensible Input

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We acquire language only when we understand messages

Comprehensible input is what learners process for meaning

Comprehensible input is slightly above the learners’ current level (i+1)

Cognitively Engaging Input toReinforce Sensory and Attention

Start with learners’ prior linguistic knowledge reduce the complexity of to-be-learnedreduce learning anxiety

Present in contexts relevant to leanrers’ life experience activate world knowledge reduce the complexity of to-be-learned reduce learning anxiety

Relate to learners increase the level of arousal increase motivationstrengthen attention

Present in different modalitiesstrong, intense stimulusincrease the rate of nerve firingstrengthen attention

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Enhance Encoding and Retrieval

A variety of activities (repeated yet spiraled, iterative process using 3 communicative modes)internalize learning & reach automaticity

Unrehearsed grant ownership of learning

Meaningful, purposeful, motivational engage learners & reduce anxiety

Contextualized The mind is organized around experiences (we remember our experiences and index our remembered experiences so that we can find them later) include as many as possible situations to simulate what will happen in real life later on

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Performance assessment tasks

Backward design

Contextualize in “Life as an exchange student”

Learner-centers

Food

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我喜欢沙拉。我喜欢汉堡包。

我喜欢包子。我喜欢牛肉面。

comparison

Talk about self others then reflection (familiarity, relevance, capacity)i-part transliterated

vocabularystructure “I like” structure and vocabulary

1-part structure “I like” vocabulary for authentic Chinese foods

sentence strings

Dining in School Cafeteria

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While waiting in line, students chat about the menu today and what they want to order

Order food from the dining staff

Chat about what they ordered and comment on the food

Dining Out

Eating Across Culture

Make brochure for future

exchange students to China or

U.S.

A variety of activities (repeated yet

spiraled)

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Lunch Presentation Flip grid

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What are performance assessment tasks?

Why should we include performance assessment tasks?

How should we design performance assessment tasks?

Researchsupport

Concrete examples

Hands-on activities

Outline

Reflection: how to facilitate learning

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Perception Attention

Motivation Internalization

https://images.app.goo.gl/QTuBCkferCtdzgGZA

Our Community, Our Heroes!

Targeted Performance Level

Novice High

Performance Assessment Tasks

Exchange students in China

Share information about themselves, families, hobbies,

and school life.

Explain why they choose who they voted for Class President, according to

personality and traits of the leaders.

Talk about the historical heroes in the US & China.

Share who and why people are community leaders.

My Chinese Buddy & Me

My Family & Chinese Host

Family

Hobbies in China & USA

My Activity Schedule

SchoolsIn China & USA

Vote for me!Heroes

in China & USAOur Community,

Our heroes!

Real-world tasks

Learner’s ages, interests,

abilities, and needs

Collaboration & Interaction

Communication in the target

language

SchoolsIn China & USA

Comprehensible Input

我们现在一起去北京四中吧！

你的课程表Kèchéng biǎo

寄宿家庭 Jìsù jiātíng

你今天有几节课？你喜欢什么课？为什么？你喜欢北京四中吗？为什么？

你在中国怎么样？北京四中几点上学Shàngxué？北京四中几点放学Fàngxué？北京四中的什么课很难Nán？什么课很容易Róngyì？你喜欢北京四中的午饭Wǔfàn吗？

Facetime with your Chinese teacher in U.S.A.

美国学校的课程表

Kèchéng biǎo 时间 节次 科目

中国学校 美国学校时间 节次 科目 教室时间 节次 科目 教室

8:00-8:40 1 数学Shùxué 十年级三班

8:50-9:30 2 化学Huàxué 十年级三班

9:35-9:50 课间操/广播体操

操场

10:00-10:40 3 电脑Diànnǎo 电脑教室

10:50-11:30 4 英文 十年级三班

11:40-12:40 午饭/休息 餐厅

12:45-13:25 5 音乐Yīnyuè 音乐教室

13:35-14:15 6 物理Wùlǐ 十年级三班

14:20-14:30 课间操/眼保健操

十年级三班

14:40-15:20 7 历史Lìshǐ 十年级三班

15:30-16:10 8 体育Tǐyù 体育馆

VS

去美国上高中在哪个州，哪个城市？有什么课？几点上学，几点放学？你喜欢什么课？为什么？你不喜欢什么课？为什么？

LEVEL THREE

Personal and Host Family

Information

Lodging School Life and Classes

Holidays

Beijing Cultural

Excursions

Food, Drink, and

Dining Out

Buying Gifts Social Media

Cultural Excursion in Beijing

Topic 5

Input: Contextualized Performance

Beijing No. 4 School Cultural Excursion - Introduction

Check for understanding

show their understanding of the schedule

Classroom activity：

STUDENTS report cultural excursion to Host FAMILIES

Beijing Cultural Excursion Survey

Step1：Complete Beijing Cultural Excursion Survey with

peers. Questions include most favorite

places/activities and least favorite places/activities.

Step 2 :

Combine your thoughts and suggestions, design

your own ideal Beijing cultural excursion, then give

a presentation.

PERFORMANCE-BASED TASK

STARTALK @ Wofford

Level 1 Chinese

Introduction

● STARTALK @ Wofford’s Level 1 Chinese class was designed for absolute

beginners or those who had very limited background in Chinese language.

● The proficiency goal for this level was for students to be able to share basic

information about themselves with others (Novice-Mid to Novice-High)

○ Examples: name, hometown, age, phone number, family members,

hobbies, food preferences and school information.

● Instruction focused on listening and speaking in all modes of

communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational.

● Lessons centered around performance tasks that were attainable and

authentic, i.e. they had real-life application.

LEVEL 1 UNITS

Introductions

•Name and Origin

Family

•Family Members, Basic Numbers, Professions

Dates

•Age, Birthday, Zodiac

Hobbies

•Describing where and with whom you practice hobbies

Food

•American and Chinese Cuisine

Sports

•Describing abilities and favorite sports

School

•Grade level, class names

Schedules

•Times, Weekend Activities, Holidays

Hobbies Unit我的爱好

Hobbies Unit: Day 4 of a 2 week camp

● Performance Task: ○ To sign up for student activity clubs at a school fair

● Required language:

○ Hobby Preferences (I like….)

○ Personal Information (Name, birthdate, phone, availability for club meetings)

Activities Introduced to attain goal

● Activity 1: Meaningful story provided for input, using celebrities such as

Taylor Swift, Wang Yuan, Justin Bieber and Yao Ming.

● Activity 2: Four Corners Activity -- students run to various corners of the

classroom when prompted by teacher (interpretive)○ https://teach.nflc.umd.edu/startalk/classroom-activity/four-corners-checking-

understanding-71

● Activity 3: Charades Activity -- each student has a hobby taped to their

back. One student imitates the hobby another’s back, and the student has

to say what it is. (interpretive) ○ https://teach.nflc.umd.edu/startalk/classroom-activity/charades-modified-93

Activities Introduced to attain goal (con’t)

● Activity 4: Students ask whether they like the hobby that was taped on

their back while checking off a form (interpersonal)○ https://teach.nflc.umd.edu/startalk/classroom-activity/find-someone-who-15

● Activity 5: Performance Task: Students signed up for clubs at stations

near activity photos in classroom, providing biographical information

(interpersonal)

● Post activity: Students completed self introductions after lunch that

were recorded (presentational)

Limited hobbies introduced with broad appeal

喜欢

画画儿

打球唱歌

玩游戏

Language and images were displayed purposefully

in classroom in order to:

• Create a vibrant learning environment• Serve as visual reference for students

and teachers.• Facilitate a variety of classroom

activities.

画画儿

打球唱歌

玩游戏

喜欢

你喜欢...吗? Nǐ xǐhuān...ma?

名字Hobby Name Form:

• Students wrote down names of

individuals who had certain

hobbies.

• A visual representation of which

hobbies are most popular

• An opportunity for students to

compare results.

Comprehensible Input Tip:

Create mnemonic hand motions for

vocabulary words and use the same images

on slide shows, forms & wall decorations

A Club Sign-Up Form:

Previous biographical information (name, birthdate, phone) was reviewed alongside new language when students signed up for various hobbies at stations around the room.

Lesson Reflections

● Students were very engaged with hobbies because the topic was

directly related to their lives.

● Students were eager to learn other hobbies, including activities related

to the STARTALK camp, e.g. playing hulusi and erhu, tai chi swords, etc.

● New activities could be created that are directly related to student

hobby interests, furthering student engagement with materials.

○ Examples: students interested in singing could learn simple Chinese

songs about hobbies. Those interested in games could play board or video

games related to hobbies, etc.

Foods Unit你吃什么菜？

Food Unit: Day 5 of a 2 week camp

● Performance Task: To be able to order food and discuss food preferences in a cafeteria setting.

● Required language:

○ Verbs for Eating and Drinking (I’m having…to eat/ I’m having …to drink)

○ Food and beverage vocabulary (majority are borrowed words)

○ Preferences (I like / don’t like)

Activities Introduced to attain goal● Activity 1: Meaningful story provided for input, using celebrities and popular

food words with borrowed pronunciation

● Activity 2: Students use picture cards to demonstrate vocabulary

understanding of foods spoken by teacher. If time allows, teacher can also

introduce Chinese names for restaurant chains (interpretive)○ https://teach.nflc.umd.edu/startalk/classroom-activity/hold-ups-92

● Activity 3: Rotating Partners Activity -- students practice speaking new food

words and asking others yes/no questions about their food preferences with a

number of partners (interpersonal)○ https://teach.nflc.umd.edu/startalk/classroom-activity/rotating-partners-line-72

Activities Introduced to attain goal (con’t)● Activity 4: Performance Task: Role Play Activity -- students line up outside

classroom. They begin by discussing which foods they plant to order with one

another. When they enter the classroom, they visit cafeteria “stations” in which

they can ask for particular foods, represented by picture cards. Once seated, they

“eat” and comment on the food with one another (interpersonal)

○ https://teach.nflc.umd.edu/startalk/classroom-activity/chat-stations-14

● Post activity: Students performed a song for the public as part of a final program

showcase (presentational)

Food cards:These were created as tangible learning tools to be used for a variety of purposes

Capstone Activity: Students Perform the “Cafeteria Song”

中国菜也好美国菜也好大家都喜欢炒饭和汉堡中国菜也好美国菜也好中美人都吃得很饱

Chinese food is good,

American food is good,

Everyone likes

Fried Rice and burgers.

Chinese food is good,

American food is good,

Chinese and Americans

Eat to their heart’s content.

Lesson Reflections

● Students were extremely engaged in the food topics, particularly

in terms of food brands.

● Students picked up vocabulary quickly because most of it was

borrowed or related to previous knowledge (拉面 vs. lo mein).

● A lot of time was spent on prep for the role play activity as well

as clean up, so this is something better suited for a longer class

period.

Lesson Reflections (con’t)

● Other activities could be created to extend the food context:

○ Students could be used to facilitate in clean up. For example, the

teacher could create donation bins for unused food to be donated

to the needy. Students “volunteers” would place food cards in the

appropriate bin when the name of food is called.

○ Games could be created using chopsticks and food pictures,

allowing students to gain practical eating skills in addition to

language skills.

Now it’s your turn!CREATE YOUR OWNPEFORMANCE TASK

Create your own performance task

● Think of a real world language task that you want your students to perform.

○ Examples: Shopping/bargaining, Asking for Directions, Ordering Food in a

Restaurant, Using public transportation, Planning an activity, etc.

● Be specific as possible about the task. What language skills will students need

to accomplish this task? (Words, sentence patterns, etc.)

● Using backward design, create engaging activities that teach student these

skills and maximize a small set of materials that are quick and easy to create.

● Organize activities in order of difficulty, from the interpretive mode first to the

interpersonal and/or presentational modes at the end.

Designing a functional learning plan: learner-centered activitiesTopics Functions Performance

assessment tasks

Language form (vocabulary, expressions, structure, culture)