Personal Communication as

Assessment
Chapter 8

Andy H.
Beth W.
Kirk G.
Matt B.
Mitch E.
What is Personal Communication
Assessment?
It is verbally communicating with students
in a purposeful manner
Its an effective and efficient way to both
gather information about students to plan
upcoming classes and
To introduce a topic or to probe
students depth of understanding
When should we use it?
First consider the type of learning target
to be assessed
It is good for assessing
Knowledge
Reasoning
Those skill targets requiring oral
communication
Speaking foreign languages, group discussions, and
oral presentations
When else should we use it?
Some other considerations influence the choice of this type of
assessment:

Teacher and student must share common

language
With shy or withdrawn students
The classroom is a safe learning
environment
It can make and adequate inference about
student performance
Types of Personal Communication
Questioning
Conference and Interviews
Class Discussions
Oral Exams
Journals
Logs
Questioning
The instructor poses questions to the class
as a whole, has students ask each other
questions.
It is used to encourage deep thinking and
deep learning
What are keys to using successful
questioning?
What are question strategies that promote
reasoning?
What are other strategies that may promote
reasoning/deep thinking in the class?
Conference and Interviews
Serve as structured or unstructured audits
of student achievement. The objective is to
talk about what students have learned and
have yet to learn.
We talk to students about their levels of
achievement, levels of comfort with the
material, specific needs, interests and desires,
or any other achievement-related topics
What are some keys to successful the
Conference/Interview format
Strength is that the assessment can have
impact on relationship with the student
Class Discussions
Strength is that discussions reveal a
great deal about student levels of
understanding and achievement. They
have the effect of enhancing learning and
ability to use what they already have
learned.
How does this differ from questioning?
Discussions require a rubric for assessing
student involvement.
Oral Examination
It is planning and posing questions for students, who
reflect about the questions and then provide oral
responses.
Are similar to extended written response
assessments, but provide for the ability to ask follow-
up questions. This makes them more open-ended.
What are some keys for successful oral examination?
Example: Conduct a conversation in a foreign
language.
Running Records: Part performance assessment, part
personal communication is direct observation or oral
reading skills
Journals and Logs
Allows students to share views,
experiences and insights in written form.
Is at the heart of assessment for
learning
Four forms:
oResponse Journals
oPersonal Writing Journals
oDialogue Journals
oLearning Logs