How am I graded in this course?

EVALUATION SYSTEM

The evaluation system of the Grammar course is based on in-class continuous assessment, one
autonomous learning project, and two written exams: one midterm and one final, which will help
your teacher assess your performance during the course.

Below, you will find a detailed description of each component.

I. IN-CLASS CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT:

The in-class continuous assessment consists of five (5) mandatory learning outcomes: 2
speaking outcomes, 1 writing outcome, and 2 quizzes. All of them aim to measure your
understanding of the form, meaning, and use of the structures featured in this course. You will
be assessed according to your performance in producing the grammar structures accurately to
maximize your communicative competence.

A. Speaking outcomes: There are two (2) speaking outcomes to be assessed along the
course. Depending on class time and the structure the teacher wishes to evaluate, one
speaking outcome will be scheduled before the midterm exam (before Day 8) and one after
it (before Day 16). The score scale goes from 0 to 2.

These outcomes measure your ability to use the target language accurately and fluently in
communicative contexts. The teacher can select the activities in the Communication Practice
section, or can choose any other activity that can assess the achievement of the learning
outcome properly considering the following criteria:

SCORE CRITERIA
The student can almost always sustain the accurate use of the target
2 structures considering form, meaning, and use to comply
successfully with a given speaking task.

The student can sometimes sustain the accurate use of the target
1 structures considering form, meaning, and use to thoroughly comply
with a given speaking task.

The student can rarely sustain the accurate use of the target
0 structures considering form, meaning, and use to comply with a given
speaking task effectively.

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 For example:
TASK: Work in pairs and talk about the best experience you have ever had.

Sample 1:
The best experience I‘ve ever had is my Prom trip. We went to Cuzco and we stayed in
a fancy hotel that our parents had already booked in advance. We did many things: we
visited different archaeological places like Machu Picchu and Sacsayhuaman, we went
dancing and we went rafting. The last day were walking in the main square when it
started to rain. We all got wet and we got sick. That was an unforgettable trip.

In this sample, the student uses all or almost all the structures accurately and complies
with the task, so he/she gets 2 points.

. Sample 2:

The best experience I‘ve ever had is my Prom trip. We went to Cuzco and we stay in a
fancy hotel that our parents had book in advance. We did many things: we visited
different archaeological places like Machu Picchu and Sacsayhuaman, we go dancing
and we went rafting. The last day, we was walking in the main square when it started
to rain. We all got wet and we got sick. That was an unforgettable trip.

In this sample, the student complies with the task, but he/she fails to use the target
structure in many of the sentences, so he/she only gets 1 point.
If the student wasn´t accurate in most of his/her responses and he didn’t comply with the
task, he would get 0 (no points).

B. Writing Outcome: There is one (1) writing outcome to be assessed along the course.
Depending on class time and the structure(s) the teacher wishes to evaluate, it can be
assessed before or after the midterm exam (until Day 16).
The score scale goes from 0 to 2. The teacher can select from the writing activities in the
book, and will decide what target structure(s) to evaluate.
This learning outcome assesses the students’ ability to accurately use the grammar
structures in context in a two or three-paragraph length piece of writing without affecting
B.
comprehensibility. The rubrics to assess writing are the following:

SCORE CRITERIA
- The student can almost always sustain the accurate use of target
2 structures considering form, meaning, and use to successfully convey the
intended message and comply with a specific writing task.
- The student can sometimes sustain the accurate use of target structures
considering form, meaning, and use without significantly affecting the
1 comprehensibility of the intended message and comply with a specific
writing task.

- The student can rarely sustain the accurate use of target structures
0 considering form, meaning, and use affecting the comprehensibility of the
intended message and without complying with a specific writing task.

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 For example:

TASK: Write two paragraphs about a past situation that you feel you should have
handled differently. Tell what you should or could have done to rectify the
situation (past).

Sample 1:

Two years ago, my friend and I decided to travel to New York for Christmas.
When we arrived, it was snowing. It was freezing! My friend and I didn´t bring heavy
clothes. We didn’t wanted to go out for a walk or go sightseeing. We stayed at the hotel
most of the time. We shouldn´t have gone there in winter or at least we should have
taken warmer clothes. …

In this sample, the student has no major errors in grammar that hinder communication. In
this case, the student will receive 2 points.

Sample 2:
Two years ago, my friend and I decided to travel to New York for Christmas.
When we arrive, it was snowing. It was freezing! My friend and I didn´t bring heavy
clothes. We didn’t wanted to go out for a walk or go sightseeing. We stayed at the hotel
most of the time. We shouldn´t have go there in winter or at least we should have taken
warmer clothes. …

In this sample, the message doesn’t get affected; however, the student has many errors in
grammar that affect accuracy. In this case, the student will only receive 1 point.

If the student failed to use the target language items accurately in almost all of the
sentences and
his/her errors affect comprehensibility, the student would get no points (0).

In this sample, most of the sentences are inaccurate. The student failed to produce more
than 50 % of the grammar structures, so in this case, the student would get no points (0).
As this a grammar course, teachers will focus more on accuracy than on coherence.

C. Quizzes: Using quizzes will not only benefit you, but also the teacher. It will provide the
teacher with plenty of opportunities for feedback and for monitoring your progress in the
course in a concrete manner. The teacher will be able to identify your strengths and
weaknesses and take action to help you succeed. The teacher will use two (2) quizzes to
evaluate the effective use of the grammar structures taught in class.

The first quiz is to be scheduled before the midterm exam and after completing the first two
units of the course (around Day 5). The second quiz is to be scheduled after the midterm
exam and after completing the next two units of the book (around Day14).

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 Quiz 1 Description:
It will have 5 sentences and a multiple choice format. The total score range goes from 0
to 2 points. These sentences will contain the grammar structures studied in the course.

Quiz 1 Sample:

I _________________ on the phone when the teacher arrived.

a. would talk
b. was going to talk
c. will talk
d. have talked

The grade will be awarded according to the following chart:

5 or 4 correct answers = 2 points

3 or 2 correct answers = 1 point
1 or 0 correct answers = 0 points

Quiz 2 Description:
It will have 2 questions that will require two complete and connected sentences as
answers. These sentences will contain the corresponding grammar structures studied
in the course. The total score range goes from 0 to 2 points.

Quiz 2 Sample:
Question: Can you tell a Japanese tourist about the common customs in your culture?
(Use the modal verbs for advice)

Answer: In Peru, people should greet women by giving one kiss on the cheek and
people don´t need to take off their shoes when entering to a Peruvian
home. In addition, if people are invited for dinner, they are supposed to
take a gift and you have got to eat everything that´s offered.

The grade will be awarded according to the following chart:

2 questions effectively answered = 2 points

1 question effectively answered = 1 point
0 questions effectively answered = 0 points

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 II. ALP:

The ALP or Autonomous Learning Project aims to assess your ability to use the target
structures appropriately in a given authentic task and it allows you to be creative and to plan
on their own.
Your teacher will assign a topic and the type of activity you will present on a scheduled date.
You can choose from a variety of communicative activity formats such as role-plays,
speeches, presentations, stories, etc. You can perform in pairs/groups according to your
teacher’s instructions. You can enrich and illustrate the information that you will be sharing
by means of visual aids and other resources.

The score scale goes from 0 to 3 based on the following:

SCORE CRITERIA
- Accurate use of most of the grammar structures needed for the
task.
- Effective and creative presentation, carefully prepared and
3 logically structured
- Thorough delivery
- Outstanding use of visual aids
- Accurate use of only some of the grammar structures to comply
with task.
2 - Adequate presentation, clear and logically structured
- Adequate delivery. Message mostly understandable
- Adequate use of visual aids
- Accurate use of only few of the grammar structures necessary
for the task. Affects comprehensibility.
1 - Poor performance, unclear and disorganized
- Poor delivery, difficult to follow
- Inadequate use of visual aids and resources
- Accurate use of none of the grammar structures necessary for
the task. Affects comprehensibility.
0 - Poor delivery, difficult to follow
- No visual aids or other resources
- No presentation or submission of work

III. EXAMS: The exams test your ability to recognize, identify and understand the grammar
structures learned in the course considering the essential dimensions of grammar: form,
meaning and use. The exams for the Grammar course are the following:

A. Midterm written exam: It measures your grammar competence in the structures

studied during the first half of the course. It consists of 3 sections:

 Section 1: Listening
 Section 2: Grammar Usage/ Use
 Section 3: Full Responses (connected sentences)

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 The scoring scale goes from 0 to 3 points.

100 – 80 = 3
79 – 70 = 2
69 – 60 = 1
59 or under = 0

B. Final written exam: It measures your grammar competence on the structures studied
during the second half of the course. It consists of 3 sections:

 Section 1: Listening
 Section 2: Grammar Usage/ Use
 Section 3: Full Responses (connected sentences)

The scoring scale goes from 0 to 4 points.

100 – 90 = 4
89 – 80 = 3
79 – 70 = 2
69 – 60 = 1
59 or under = 0
59 or under = 0

Academic Research Office March 2016