M. ED. PAOLA FORERO SALAMANCA

It is a self-reflective process that Intends to promote

student attainment [1]. Cowie and Bell [2] define it as the

bidirectional process between teacher and student to

enhance, recognize and respond to the learning. Black and

Wiliam [3] consider an assessment ‘formative’ when the

feedback from learning activities is actually used to adapt

the teaching to meet the learner's needs. Nicol and

Macfarlane-Dick[4] have re-interpreted research on

formative assessment and feedback and shown how these

processes can help students take control of their own

learning (self-regulated learning).

In the training field, formative assessment is

described as assessing the formation of the

student. Facilitators do this by observing students

as they:

• Respond to questions

• Ask questions

• Interact with other students during activities, etc.

• This enables the facilitator to evaluate own

delivery, fog index and relevance of content.

1. What is a language portfolio?

2. Do you assess the language portfolio?

Why?

3. What parameters do you have to assess

the language portfolio?

3. How often do you assess the language

portfolio?

AIMS OF THE EUROPEAN LANGUAGE PORTFOLIO

The Council of Europe aims to build a greater Europe based

on shared values, including tolerance and respect for cultural

and linguistic diversity. It promotes the use of the European

Language Portfolio as a practical means of helping people of

all ages and backgrounds to learn more languages and

engage with other cultures. The ELP is also a means of

presenting language skills and certification in any language, at

any level and however acquired, in a clearly understandable

way, using a standardized common European system of six

language proficiency levels: the Common European

Framework of Reference for Languages.

EAQUALS-ALTE electronic ELP

The EAQUALS-ALTE electronic

European Language Portfolio (eELP)

developed jointly by ALTE, and

EAQUALS, is based on the paper

version mentioned before. It is

recommended for adult users (16+).

It has been validated by the Council

of Europe and carries the validation

number: accredited model No.

06.2000 electronic version.

The EAQUALS-ALTE ePortfolio (e ELP) has been created

to act as a tool to help:

• Students develop their capacity to reflect on objectives,

ways of learning and success in language learning,

• plan and assume more responsibility for their own

learning.

The e-Portfolio uses electronic technologies as a container

(rather than the folder in the paper-based version) allowing

students to store items in many media

• scanned documents,

• audio,

• video,

• graphics.

http://www.eelp.org/eportfolio/index.html

The e-portfolio is a digital archive of

students’ work which allows them to

develop a portfolio to meet their

learning goals.

It is important for them to continue

working with the same portfolio until

the end of their levels.

CLUS

VIRTUAL PORTFOLIO

Allows students to work according to their needs and

likes

Avoids the use of paper, saving

natural resources.

Gives students the possibility to

practice what they have learned in class favoring

meaningful learning

Enhances different literacies

(links, videos, podcast, online exercises, etc)

Increases students’

confidence when using English as

a foreign language

Makes public everyone’s work.

Motivates students to use

different technological

tools while learning English

1. Layout: the way students’ portfolio should be in terms of:

• Presentation (creativity, type of file, audio, podcasts, images, technology

resources, etc.)

• Organization (its sections are clearly divided and its content is well

sequenced)

2. Course contents: Students may include homework, classwork and guided

learning activities coherently and cohesively.

3. Students’ independent work : work and/or different activities students do on

their own to study, review and learn course contents (this may include

students’ activities from the links they work on during the course),

4. Students’ oral performance. Presentation in front of the class: language

proficiency to consider conversational, mechanical and lexical competences.

The e-portfolio must be checked and revised by the teacher during the

whole level, and it is formally assessed twice:

• Feedback should be provided based on the student’s draft.

• When the students present in front of the class, grounded upon

established assessment parameters.

• Crooks, T. (2001), The Validity of Formative Assessments, Paper

presented to the British Educational Research Association Annual

Conference, University of Leeds, 13-15 September

• Cowie, B., & Bell, B. (1999), A model of formative assessment in

science education, Assessment in Education, 6: 101-116

• Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998), Inside the black box: Raising

standards through classroom assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(2):

139-149

• Nicol, D.J. & Macfarlane-Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and

self-regulated learning: A model and seven principles of good

feedback practice. Studies in Higher Education, Vol 31(2), pp.199-

218

Contact me at

pforero@unisalle.edu.co