Assessing Student when English is not their primary language
I have had challenges adapting to students when English is not their primary language – both assessing them upfront and evaluating them as the course progresses. Several students have seemed to grasp the material well in class discussions - but do poorly on the tests. We have added practical exercises so that the written test are not weighted as heavily - but I feel we could be doing more to ensure they are getting the most value out of the course.
Hi Martin, Thanks for your post to the forum. That is a good solution to the ESL problem with many assessments.Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Anytime I have a student where English is their second language, I make a point to tell them that during a test I can define any words they may be having trouble with. I have seen this really help some student's.
This is a very valid point and I too have come across this issue. I often time check in directly with the student to see how they're doing. I make it a point with every student but especially those who take more time to understand the material.
