In
order to talk about Evaluation in the Second Language, it is necessary to
define some important aspects of teaching and learning. It is important
to mention the notions of Instructional purposes, plans, practices and input
factors. First of all Instruction consists of three components: a)
the Why, in which the purpose identify the objectives of instruction; b) the
How, in which the plans describe the means of attaining those objective and c)
the What, in which the practices are what actually take place in the
classroom. It is also necessary to mention other factors or “input
factors”.
Instructional Objectives describe the goals and
aims that the teacher sets when teaching; they provide direction for planning
appropriate instruction and criteria for assessing the outcomes of the teaching
process. Some types of objectives guide classroom instruction such as: a)
Strategic objectives, in which Learning Strategies are conscious processes and
techniques that facilitate the comprehension, acquisition and retention of new
skills and concepts; b) Language Objectives, which refer to the language skills
that learners are expected to acquire and develop in the classroom; c)
Socioaffective which refers to the changes in learners’ attitudes and social
behaviors resulting from the classroom instruction, d) Philosophical, which
refer to the changes in attitudes, and values of a more general natural than
those associated with the Socioaffective objectives.; and e) Methods or
process objectives which refer to opportunities or experiences that learners
are expected to have in the course of instruction.
On the other hand Instructional Plans specify what should be taught, and
when and how it should be taught. These instructional plans are necessary
to achieve course objectives. Some of the aspects that are considered in
the instructional plans are: Content; b) Organization, c) Material and
Equipment and d) Activities and roles.
There are also Instructional Practices, which
include strategies, activities, materials and tasks used by the teacher and
students in the classroom. In here it is necessary to take into account some
facts such as: a) that classroom practices are separate from plans due to the
fact that what is planned not always occur in the classroom. In other
words, classroom practice may not proceed as planned because the students’ reactions
cannot be the expected ones; b) when evaluating, it is important to take into
account what happens in class rather than what is supposed to happen in order
to have real and precise results; and c) It is necessary to compare
instructional practices with instructional plans in order to know if things are
going as planned in class and to know and decide what changes are needed.
On the other hand, it is also necessary to mention “Input factors” which are
those that don’t belong to the classroom instruction itself but can have an
important influence in Second Language Teaching and Learning. Those
factors cannot be change, so, it is necessary that instructional objectives,
plans and practices should be compatible or alter what is necessary to reach a
greater level of compatibility.
