TSL 3113 Language Assessment in the Primary ESL Classroom Tutorial 2

Muhammad Miezwar bin Mat Salleh, Felix F. Francis, Mohd Nurhelmi Izzat bin Zakaria.

In Malaysia, assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning which enables

teachers to assess whether pupils have acquired the Learning Standards taught. It is
hoped that the teaching of the English Language skills based on the Standards Based
Curriculum for Primary Schools Framework (KSSR/SBELC) and that has been aligned
with the CEFR will pave the way for the achievement of the National Education aims
beside maximizing pupils’ learning outcomes.

Task 1

Explain what the SBELC document constitutes and how it can be helpful for
English Language teachers in the Malaysian Primary Schools?

Standards-based assessment is a process to obtain information about the degree to

which pupils know and are able to do or have mastered what they have learned
according to specific levels of achievement, as intended by the English language
curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2011). The Standards-Based Curriculum for Primary
Schools (SBELC) Framework is built on the basis of six fundamentals strands of:
communication; spiritual, attitude and values; humanities; personal competence;
physical development and aesthetics; and science and technology. These six strands
support one another and are integrated with critical and creative thinking, and innovative
skills. The integration aims to produce a balanced individual who appreciates and
embodies each one of the stated strands. This can be helpful for English Language
teachers in the Malaysian Primary Schools because it provides a framework for the
teacher to prepare their lesson in a way that not only their lesson followed the Content
Standard and Learning Standard given, the teachers also needs to cater their lesson to
shape the pupils to become a balanced individuals. Through the assessment integrated
into SBELC, teachers should be able to identify pupils’ strengths and weaknesses. A
focus on designing assessments is imperative to evaluate enduring understanding,
considering pupils’ prior knowledge, focusing on teachers’ instruction, and creating an
interconnected programme that allows teachers to report pupils’ learning progress
accurately against the content standards (Woodley & Ferguson, 2003). KSSR English is
better than KBSR English because KSSR English integrates many skills for pupils to
learn, such as dictionary skills, reading skills as in scanning, scheming, and
penmanship. This is good because they will learn English faster and easier. They did
learn such skills in previous curriculum, but indirectly. KSSR English develops the
language skills systematically during early years of schooling, and thus, progress can
be monitored and problems could be encountered efficiently. (Sulaiman, Sulaiman &
Abdul Rahim, 2017)

Task 2

In teaching and learning, HOTS is incorporated through activities that promote critical
thinking and creativity, and utilize thinking strategies and reasoning skills.

In SBELC, the emphasis is on HOTS and it refers to four cognitive levels.

a) What are the four Cognitive Levels and explain them based on specific
language skills and content from the SBELC?

In SBELC, emphasis on HOTS refer to the four cognitive levels namely, application,
analysis, evaluation and creation.

No. Cognitive Levels Explanation Examples

1 Application Using knowledge, skills and Language Skill: Reading
values in different situations Content Standard:
to complete a piece of work. 2.2 By the end of the 6-year
primary schooling, pupils will
be able to demonstrate
understanding of a variety of
linear and non-linear texts in
the form of print and non-print
materials using a range of
strategies to construct
 meaning.
Learning Standard:
2.2.1
Able to apply word attack skills
by:
(a) using contextual clues to
get
meaning of words:
(i) before the word (anaphoric)
(ii) after the word (cataphoric)
(b) identifying idioms
2 Analysis Ability to break down Language Skill: Writing (Year
information into smaller 5)
parts in order to understand Content Standard:
and make connections 3.2 By the end of the 6-year
between these parts. primary schooling, pupils will
be able to write using
appropriate language, form
and style for a range of
purposes.
Learning Standard:
3.2.1 Able to transfer
information with guidance to
complete:
(a) linear texts
(b) non-linear texts
3 Evaluation Ability to consider, make Language Skill: Listening and
decisions using knowledge, Speaking
experience, skills, and Content Standard:
values and justify decisions 1.2 By the end of the 6-year
made. primary schooling, pupils will
 be able to listen and respond
appropriately in formal and
informal situations for a variety
of purposes.
Learning Standard:
1.2.3 Able to listen to, follow,
and give directions to places
around their town and state.
4 Creation Produce an idea or product Language Skill: Language Arts
using creative and Content Standard: (Year 5)
innovative methods. 4.3 By the end of the 6-year
primary schooling, pupils will
be able to plan, organise and
produce creative works for
enjoyment.
Learning Standard:
4.3.2 Able to plan, prepare
and participate in a
performance with guidance
based on literary works
b) Define and explain the following with specific examples related to language
teaching:

SBELC gives emphases on critical and creative thinking skills as well as

reasoning skills that are incorporated in the learning standards to enable pupils to
solve simple problems, make decisions and express themselves creatively in
simple language (Curriculum Development Division, 2011).

i) Critical Thinking Skills

= Critical thinking involves logical thinking and reasoning including skills such as
comparison, classification, and sequencing.

Example: Sequencing the plot of Gulliver’s Travel

ii) Creative Thinking Skills

= Creative thinking involves creating something new or original / A way of looking at

problems or situations from a fresh perspective that suggests unorthodox solutions.

Example: Create a poem with guidance.

iii) Thinking Strategies

= Thinking Strategies are mental processes we use to do things like: solve problems,
make decisions, ask questions, construct plans, evaluate ideas, organise information
and create objects.

Example: Use of I-Think (bubble map) in giving out examples of adjectives to

describe an ice cream.

iv) Reasoning Skills

= Reasoning skills are those skills that allow an individual to approach a problem,
understand how to solve it, and then apply certain cognitions to arrive at a viable
solution.
Example: Using dictionary skills in order to understand the meaning of words in
context.
Task 3: Explain using I-Think Maps:

a) School Based Assessment (SBA)

SBA
refers to assesment of
students in a classroom
(Evans, 2012)

Collecting information
Formally or informally
on pupils' progress

Formative Summative

assessment for learning assessment of learning

immediate feedback on tested at the end of an

progress instructional period

school's improvement
can make changes in
efforts to determine
approaches or
pupils are making
strategies
progress

during teaching
 b) Performance Standards

The six levels of pupils’ progress in the acquisition of the four language skills

4 5 6
1 2 3
Pupil hardly Pupil is on Pupil Pupils works Pupil is on Pupils
achieves the track to achieves towards trach to exceeds
curriculum achieve the expectations exceeding exceed expectations
target even curriculum for the expectations expectations of the
with a lot of target. curriculum for the of the curriculum
support. target. curriculum curriculum target.
target. target.
References

Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. (2017). KSSR Bahasa Inggeris, DSKP Tahun 1.

Evans, S. (2012). Implementation of the KSSR Standards-Based Assessment. MOE,

Malaysia.

Curriculum Development Division. (2011). Standard Document of Primary School

Curriculum: Basic Core Module of English Language for National Schools.

Putrajaya: Author.

Woodley, L., & Ferguson, A. (2003). Standards-based assessment: A model. A

project granted by the Curriculum Services Canada Foundation, Canada

Sulaiman, T., Ayub, A.F.M. & Sulaiman, S. (2015). Curriculum change in English

language curriculum advocates higher order thinking skills and standards-based

assessments in Malaysian primary schools. Mediterranean Journal of Social

Science,6(2). 494-500.