Unit 5

Unit 5

Introduction

Having completed the project task in the unit 4, it is time to think about your language skills and the progress you make. The process of learning a foreign language never ends. Even when you have achieved a high proficiency level, you can always do something to further improve a specific language skill or the general proficiency level.

In order to plan new steps in improving your English language competence, it is good to know how to self assess your achievement.

Working through this unit you will learn how to:

- self asses your English learning progress,

- document your learning achievements,

- analyse your speaking skills,

- evaluate language performance of your partner.

European Language Portfolio

One of good instruments that can help you analyse, record and document your language learning progress is the European Language Portfolio. The Croatian version is available for your age group (15 – 19 years old students), for younger and older learners.

The European language portfolio includes the Language Passport and the Language Biography. The passport offers a self-assessment grid with can-do-statements, which help you identify your language level and mark your progress. The Biography includes check-lists for each of the four language skills and for specific levels.

Learning outcomes of this unit

You will be able to:

- self assess your speaking skills

- evaluate the speaking skills of others.

 I Have a look at the posts of students and teachers concerning the question: How to  improve my English skills, at the following web site of eNotes/Study smarter.

http://www.enotes.com/english-class-2009/discuss/hi-how-can-improve-my-english-77673

1. Think about the following questions:

 § Which suggestions of the teachers/students do you find useful? 

 § Could you apply any of the given advice in your language learning?

 § What has specifically been said about the speaking skills?  

2. Take part in the forum discussion and share some of your ideas for    improving 

a) English language learning generally and

b) speaking skills specifically.  

 II Work with the extract from the English language portfolio –   Language Passport.  

1. Get acquainted with the can-do-statements in the Self-assessment grid (pdf in the Language Passport).

2. Pay special attention to the section spoken interaction and spoken production.

3. Make notes about your language level, which you have identified in the self-assessment grid.

4. Inform your tutor about the result of your self-assessment (via e-mail).

  III Work with the extract from the English language portfolio –  Language Biography.  

  1. Analyse the statements in the check-list speaking production  in the

 Language Biography). 

Here you can find the print version of the above check-lists.

2. Mark the statements:

 Column 1 (your present competence):

o I can do it. (+)

o I can do it easily. (++)

 Column 2 (competence you would like to achieve):

 Mark your future goals (Ö).  

3. Inform your tutor of your competence results and plans for further improvement of your speaking skills.  

IV Work on the evaluation criteria 

1. Study the evaluation criteria in the following table (pdf – evaluation criteria).

2. Imagine you have to evaluate the speaking skills of your class mates.

3. In order to practice go back to the unit 1 and watch the video of the conversation between Jihuan and Estell. Try to evaluate their performance.

Here you can find the word-version of the evalution criteria.

V Summing up your evaluation experience

1. Think about the following questions:  

§ How did you like the work with the European Language Portfolio? Do you find it useful?

§ Was self-assessment a new experience for you?

§ How helpful were can-do-statements in assessing your speaking competence?

§ How well could you relate the offered speaking criteria to the conversation between Jihuna and Estell?

§ How did you evaluate their language performance?

§ In your opinion what should the two speakers improve?

§ How helpful is self-assessment and peer evaluation for developing speaking skills?

 2. Publish your ideas and answers in the form of a blog or a forum post. 

 Introduction Learning outcomes  Study materials  

Unit 1  Unit 2  Unit 3 . Unit 4  Unit 5   Project tasks  Test