Recording Devices as a Self- Assessment tool

High Intermediate

Telling anecdotes

1 recording device per student

Assessment

easel.ly

I've been asking my adult students to record themselves to help them improve their speaking skill. Many students need to get a clear picture of what aspects they need to work on in order to be a more competent speaker of the language. In addition, adult learners often fear being assessed when trying to communicate because they simply are not aware of what aspects they need to focus on, or which strategies they should use. So, I decided to make it obvious that we were using technology to boost their speaking skill, and I made clear that my feedback would be private, so that they could feel more at ease. We were having a lesson using Summit 2 about stories with a moral in which students are invited to tell a personal anecdote. Our branch received 20 devices to boost learning, so I got one recorder per student and after a quick rehearsal, asked them to go outside and record themselves telling their story (I was lucky to have 10 devices at hand, but this activity could be done with students` own devices).  I asked students to send me the recordings, heard each one and was not very sure how to give feedback, because the amount of work seemed a bit daunting. So,  I decided to make a simple poster to help students visualize where they stand in terms of communicative competence and I got a very positive feedback.