1. Why are peer- and self-assessment useful?
   To improve their performance in Group Interactions and Individual Presentations, students need a clear picture of the levels they are trying to reach. Through training in peer- and self-assessment, students can understand better the criteria used to assess their learning and align their understanding of the standards required with those of teachers and others. Students can also learn to:
   
   
• think critically about their learning;
• give constructive feedback as they learn to assess other people's work;
• determine what criteria should be used in judging their work and;
• apply these objectively to their own work in order to facilitate their learning.
  
  
  
2. What do students need to carry out peer- and self-assessment successfully?
   Students need training, feedback from their peers and teacher, and the time and opportunity to put what they have learnt into practice.
   
   

   Training for peer-assessment

   Start off by conducting training sessions - one each for the Individual Presentation (IP) and Group Interaction (GI):

   1. Arrange to give the lesson in a classroom with an LCD projector and computer access. Choose an exemplar from those in the SBA introductory DVD to play for the students. Divide students into small groups to facilitate discussion.

   2. Give students copies of the GI / IP Peer-assessment Forms.

   3. Read out one heading to the students, e.g. Pronunciation and delivery. Ask for ideas about phrases and / or behaviour students could look for when assessing this domain.

   4. Read out and explain the criteria under this domain. Ask students to tell you the Chinese translation for concepts that you think they may have difficulty understanding. Help them align their understanding with the Chinese words given in the Teacher's Glossary.

   5. Tell students to assess the students on the video on the criteria in this domain only. Play the video extract. Encourage them to answer in English / Chinese the open-ended questions at the bottom of the sheets.
      
      
      

   Feedback

   After the performance:

   F.	Ask students which boxes they have ticked, e.g. Almost never, Most of the time.
   G.	Let students discuss their opinions of and examples from the video exemplar. Encourage them to jointly agree on one box that best describes the performance.
   H.	Ask students to give feedback, imagining that the participants in the sample are present. Encourage constructive feedback that shows the speakers how they might start improving on the weaknesses in their speaking, without compromising its strengths. Repeat steps C to G with the other domains, using the same exemplar video extract. Alternatively, you could show students several exemplars of performance to students and ask them to compare the strengths and weaknesses of each, focusing on one domain at a time.
   I.	Finally, give feedback on the performance of the participants.

   In a separate lesson, repeat the training presentation for the other mode of presentation (GI / IP) which has not been done with the class.
   
   
   

   Training for self-assessment

   Discuss and give students practice on working with the assessment criteria on the Self-assessment Form that are NOT the same as those on the Peer-assessment Form.

   Note: Criterion 6 on the IP assessment form refers to questions that the presenter may invite the audience to ask him / her at the end of his / her presentation. This may happen at a high level of presentation.

   
   
   
3. Peer- and self- assessment in the classroom
   
   

   Make sure
   

   • You know what the criteria mean

   • You have thought about the topic you have set the students. What should a good presentation / discussion of this topic include? (e.g. Should students seek to persuade the audience? What is a ‘good organisation’ of the points for this topic?)

   • You have enough copies of the Peer-assessment Forms for the observers, and enough Self-assessment Forms for the presenters and / or group members you have a video camera, video-tape, tripod, microphone stand (if available) and that you set up the desks somewhere near power points

   • The observers can clearly see the participants.
     
     
     

In the classroom

1. Give out Peer-assessment Forms and ask the students to carry out the Individual Presentation / Group Interaction.

2. After the presentation / interaction give students an opportunity for feedback and discussion. Ensure criticism is constructive and focuses on what the presenters can do to improve. Encourage observers to give the presenters the Peer Evaluation Forms.

3. Arrange for the presenters to watch their recorded presentation, and to fill in their Self Evaluation Forms. They should take into account what their peers have said / written.

4. Provide presenters with an opportunity for feedback with you on their performance.
   

Note: For the first peer- / self-assessment after the training has been carried out, you may want to assign a different domain to each group when observing the GI / IP. Make sure that all students have a chance to assess each of the different domains. Remember that the target is for students to be able to assess others' and their own performance in all of the domains at once.

• Click here to download Peer-assessment Form (Group Interaction).
• Click here to download Peer-assessment Form (Individual Presentation).
• Click here to download Self-assessment Form (Group Interaction).
• Click here to download Self-assessment Form (Individual Presentation).
• Click here to download the Teacher's Glossary.

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