Get Your Life Back: assessing interpersonal speaking tasks

April 05, 2019

If you have had us out to consult, or you attended our presentation at ACTFL 2017, you know that one of our main missions is to help teachers get their lives back. Through lots of trial and error on our parts, we have come to understand that there are many little things that we can do to contribute to LOTS more free time at home.

If you've assessed an interpersonal task as an evaluation, you know that this is one of the areas where some fine tuning will really help. Here are some common ways that we can assess interpersonal speaking and some pros and cons to doing so.

VIDEO - recordings of the students' faces can contribute to their better understanding of facial expressions and body language as a culturally-appropriate nuance to communication. PRO - These can be completed on the same device, so each pair of students miss minimal time of class, and learning still continues. CON - As you'll see below, you will need to evaluate these conversations outside of class, so you will want to keep that in mind as you plan.

AUDIO - Just like video, audio recordings via voice memos or language labs, for example, offer the ability to complete all of the recordings in one fell swoop. You lose minimal class time, and can evaluate student progress two at a time. PRO - little class time is wasted, especially when using a format like voice memos that are uploaded to Google classroom, or sent to you via email. CON - that time you save in class is the time you spend grading outside of class

IN-PERSON - Students sit with you, separated from the rest of the class, and conduct a conversation with you or with another student while you observe. PRO - you get to grade on the spot, and can even, should you choose, complete a "feedback loop" right then. CON - you'll need to plan for your other students to keep them busy. We find that the younger they are the more essential this is!

Our workshop promises to help you streamline all of these options to help you get your life back, through the most convenient platforms, and in the most effective classroom settings. We can't wait to hear what works best for you!