3.1 NLL Portfolio

PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

NLL PORTFOLIO ESSENTIALS

It  is  a  collection  of  student  work  throughout  the  period in  all  language  skills  (writing,  speaking,  reading,  listening, grammar & vocabulary). This portfolio is aligned with the units of the course books that are used along the period.

There are three components of NLL Portfolio: Writing, Speaking and Unit Tests. Students get a red folder with 60 files in it, and keep their work in this folder until the end of the period. The components are explained in detail below;

WRITING TASKS                                                

Writing includes tasks which students complete at the end of each unit. There are Main Tasks and Subsidiary Tasks in this component.

For each Main Task, students write 1st, 2nd and final drafts. When they write the 1^st draft, they change those drafts with their peers and give feedback to each other using Peer Feedback Form (See Main Task Peer Feedback Forms).After that, they take their draft back and correct them according to their peer’s feedback. Then they give the 1^st draft to their instructor together with the Peer Feedback Form. The instructor gives feedback on the content using the sections in Teacher Feedback Form (See Main Task Teacher Feedback Forms). When the students get back the 1^st draft from the instructor, they write the 2^nd draft taking teacher feedback into account, and return both their 1^st and 2^nd drafts to the instructor. This time, the instructor spots the language errors (grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, no contraction) on the paper and give the drafts back so that students can write the final draft. When the students submit the final draft, the instructor writes a short feedback on it; or a detailed one if necessary. Finally, the instructor grades the final drafts using the Main Task Grading Criteria (See Main Task Grading Criteria). The instructor gives the final drafts back to the students ensuring that the whole Main Task Process has been completed.

For Subsidiary Tasks, students write one draft and receive only teacher feedback. Once they finish writing a subsidiary task, they submit their draft to the instructor. The instructor reads them and first decides if they are acceptable or not. If the student cheats or copies from another friend, or doesn’t write enough, the draft is not accepted and there is no other chance to correct it. If the instructor accepts the draft, then they give feedback using the Subsidiary Task Feedback Form (See Subsidiary Task Teacher Feedback Form). Then the instructor grades the draft using the Subsidiary Task Grading Criteria (See Subsidiary Task Grading Criteria). After grading, the instructor gives the drafts back to the students and one Subsidiary Task Process is completed.

After receiving feedback for the tasks, students are expected to keep all the drafts and feedback forms in their portfolio until the end of the period. If they miss or lose any, they won’t be able to receive a grade for the missing writing task.

See Writing Task Maps (Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate)

There are deadlines on which students should submit the final draft of their writing task latest. (See Writing Task Dates). Students should follow the deadlines and submit them on time. Otherwise their tasks cannot be evaluated.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All writing tasks have to be completed and submitted in class hours or till the end of that day. Writing tasks completed at home won’t be accepted.

SPEAKING TASKS

Speaking includes tasks for each unit about which the instructor informs students every week. A speaking task can be a monologue about a topic or a question, a dialogue between two students, a poster presentation, etc. Students complete these tasks at home by voice or video recording them and email them to their instructor and receive feedback.

The instructor listens to each task and fills in the Speaking Task Feedback Form (See Speaking Task Teacher Feedback Form). After doing that, they also grade the task using the Speaking Task Grading Criteria (See Speaking Task Grading Criteria). After that, they give the feedback forms back to students. Students are expected to submit all their speaking tasks in a CD at the end of the semester. If they miss or lose any, they won’t be able to receive a grade for the missing task.

See Speaking Task Maps (Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate)

Moreover, there are the deadlines for each speaking task. Both the instructors and the students should follow each task deadline and students should submit their tasks on time. Otherwise the tasks that are submitted late will not be graded by the instructors.  See Speaking Task Dates.

UNIT TESTS

Unit Tests are pen-and-paper tests aligned with NLL Elementary and Pre-intermediate Course Books for each unit. They include listening, reading, writing, speaking, and grammar and vocabulary tests. Students have a Unit Test in the class at the end of each unit. It is given in an exam-like environment.

The test will be conducted on the days that were decided beforehand. However, you should check the dates continuously to see if there is any change on the day of the test. Moreover, the instructors need to announce the test date to students and follow the test dates (See Unit Test Dates) at least 2 days before the test. After the test, they collect the papers and grade them by using the answer key; then give them back to students. Students are expected to keep them in their portfolio until the end of the semester. If they miss or lose any, they won’t be able to receive a grade for the missing test.

Mid-course / End-of-course Tests are also pen and paper tests like Unit Tests. Mid-course test is conducted after Unit 6 is covered, and End-of-course test is conducted after Unit 12. Those tests include all four skills and grammar and vocabulary sections. Therefore, the tests are conducted in 3 sessions. Session 1 is made up of listening, reading and language sections and is conducted in 1 class hour. Session 2 includes the writing section and is also conducted in 1 hour. Writing section may include either a subsidiary or a main task. Session 3 consists of the Speaking section which includes several questions related to the units students have covered in the classes. The speaking section is conducted according to a preset list which is announced on or before the test date.

For Unit Tests, Mid-course / End-of-course Tests including the Writing and Speaking Sections, attendance is mandatory and registered to the system.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Class hours during which unit, mid-course and end of course tests are conducted have to be specified by class teachers on the class attendance sheet.

REFLECTIONS

Mid-Reflection / Final Reflection include some open-ended questions to enable students to reflect on what they have been doing in the NLL Portfolio process (See Mid&Final Reflection Questions). The questions for both are the same; so students can observe their improvement on their own and reflect on different things in the process. Besides self-reflection, they provide instructors and curriculum designers with some ideas about what is going on well and what needs to be improved. Mid-reflection paper is written after Unit 6 is covered, and final reflection paper is written at the end of Unit 12. The instructors collect students’ reflection papers and grade them using Mid/Final Reflection Grading Criteria (See Mid-Final Reflection Grading Criteria).

Completing all the tasks, students should fill in the Table of Contents Page (See Table of Contents page) and on the 5^th of January, they should submit their portfolio to their teachers who will check all the tasks again and evaluate the organization of the portfolios. (See NLL Portfolio Overall Grading Criteria)

NLL Portfolio covers 20% of the 1^st period total grade. Each component has different points:

If the students have questions about the procedure of keeping the portfolio, they may check the FAQ page (See Frequently Asked Questions about NLL Portfolio). The instructors should copy the page and hang on the bulletin boards on the class.

• What is an NLL Portfolio?

It is a collection of your work throughout the semester in all language skills (writing, speaking, reading, listening, grammar & vocabulary).

• What are the components of the NLL Portfolio?

There are three components: Writing, Speaking and Unit Tests. You will keep a red folder with 60 files in it, and keep your work in this folder until the end of the semester.

• What is the Writing Component?

It will include writing tasks which you will complete at the end of each unit. You will have Main Tasks and Subsidiary Tasks in this component.

For each Main Task, you will write 1st, 2nd and final drafts; and you will receive peer and teacher feedback for the drafts. For Subsidiary Tasks, you will write one draft and receive teacher feedback.

• What is the Speaking Component?

It will include speaking tasks about which your teacher will inform you every week. You will complete these tasks at home and email them to your teacher and receive feedback.

• What are Unit Tests?

It will include listening, reading, writing, speaking, grammar and vocabulary tests. You will have a Unit Test in the class at the end of each unit, a mid-course test after unit 6 and an end of course test at the end of unit 12. It will be given in an exam-like environment. Your teacher will collect and grade them. Then, she will give them back to you.

• How will my performance be evaluated?

NLL Portfolio will cover 20% of your 1^st period total grade. Each component has different points:

REMEMBER!

Keep everything in your files until the end of the semester. If you lose any part of a task, you won’t be able to receive a grade for that task.

ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO

• SPEAKING TASKS – NLL ELEMENTARY
• SPEAKING TASK DATES
• WRITING TASKS – NLL ELEMENTARY
• WRITING TASK DATES

PRE-INTERMEDIATE PORTFOLIO

• SPEAKING TASKS – NLL PRE-INTERMEDIATE
• WRITING TASKS – NLL PRE-INTERMEDIATE

INTERMEDIATE PORTFOLIO

• SPEAKING TASKS – NLL INTERMEDIATE
• WRITING TASKS – NLL INTERMEDIATE

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