Peer Review

Performance Standards for Language Students:PALS

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Mar 18, 2014 by World Languages

Bookmark

Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: PALS are the Fairfax County Public Schools (VA) Performance Standards for Language Students. The rubrics, although developed for Fairfax County Public Schools, are helpful tools for any language program to gauge gains in performance, particularly in the speaking and writing skills. The site houses a collection of analytic and holistic rubrics that assess students' speaking and writing according to four different levels (Levels 1 - 3 and Upper Level). Level 1 and 2 writing rubrics for Spanish for Fluent Speakers are also included.
Type of Material:: Performance Rubrics
Recommended Uses:: The rubrics and explanations for grading can be used by educators to assess students' speaking and writing skills. Students can use the rubrics to improve their language proficiency and complete peer reviews of writing and speaking assignments.
Technical Requirements:: Adobe Reader
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The site aims to guide students in improving their speaking and writing skills. It permits the language learner to gain awareness of the assessment process, an area that often remains "behind the scenes" for them, but is integral to their growth. It also offers explanations of the rubrics that will aid teachers in providing effective and equitable grades and feedback. Some examples of the explanations include the difference between comprehensibility and pronunciation and common issues that arise in students' responses and teachers' evaluations of them. As it has been developed, teachers and students have field tested the rubrics and modified them to reflect the language development of students within an academic setting. The assessment tasks, both formative and summative, and accompanying rubrics are laid out in a program called PALS: Performance Assessment for Language Students. The program also includes conversion charts for turning the score on a performance task into a corresponding grade.
Target Student Population:: Middle School, High School. Could even be applied post-secondary.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Students need to have a measurable proficiency level for effective use of PALS.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: The rubrics are relevant, accurate and have a clear purpose. The rubric explanations are sufficiently detailed and clear. The use of color and arrows in the explanations engages and maintains the reader's interest. FCPS has done a comprehensive job with these rubrics, measuring task completion, comprehensibility, fluency and pronunciation, vocabulary and language control. Students have the benefit of knowing their strengths and areas for growth in a very detailed examination. They can pinpoint where they need to improve and work on those precise skills.
Concerns:: n/a

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: PALS can motivate students to work on the precise areas that need improvement. Frequently, students may have strong and weak areas. The rubrics give credit for what students know and provide guidance on what needs improvement. Students can then tackle the difficult areas. The thoroughness of the categories evaluated and the detail of the rubrics can be discussed with students in advance so that they know exactly how they are measured. This can reduce learner anxiety and motivate the learner to target problem areas. Teachers can use the PALS rubrics to show students their achievements and areas for improvement. Many students will appreciate having access to more detailed explanations for the terminology used in the rubric. PALS can be an effective tool for discipline assessment.
Concerns:: Teachers need to take the time to discuss the application of any assessment tool that is used on a departmental level to assure that the rubrics are clearly understood and applied in the same way by faculty and students.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: The site is easy to navigate and well organized. Each rubric and explanation opens as a PDF file in a new window. The conversion chart included on each rubric is easy to use and helpful.
Concerns:: None

Other Issues and Comments:: The creators of this site may wish to consider including examples of student answers as the ACTFL site does for their proficiency guidelines.
Creative Commons: