The assessment of oral language is now quite commonly done in pairs or groups, and there is a growing body of research which investigates the related issues (e.g. May, 2007). Writing generally tends to be thought of as an individual activity, although a small number of studies have documented the advantages of collaboration in writing in the…

Speaking tasks involving peer-to-peer candidate interaction are increasingly being incorporated into language proficiency assessments, in both large-scale international testing contexts, and in smaller-scale, for example course-related, ones. This growth in the popularity and use of paired and group orals has stimulated research, particularly into…

Presents examples of how regular classroom-based assessment can be incorporated into foreign language classroom activities, without compromising teaching and learning time, through methods involving student self-assessment, improved assessment tools, small-group practice and testing, and multiple use of standard forms and materials. (CB)

Reports on an experiment involving university level foreign students and using construction kits to test their ability to write technical instructions. Students worked in small groups at different kits, with the objective of producing verbalizations of assembly diagrams accurately enough to enable others to repeat the construction process without…

Ten groups (2-5 members each) of tenth-grade Israeli English-as-a-Second-Language students took first a group quiz and then individual quizzes on the same material. Comparison of the results showed that, especially for weaker students, group work and group grades offered some advantages over individual work and assessment. (CNP)