Reading Response Journal C

Akhmad Farroby

112010072

“READING RESPONSE JOURNAL C”

I bring up the article entitled “Assessment of Achievement in Foreign Language” for reading response journal C. I think the article is interesting to me, because the content is clear and easy to understand. Now, I will talk about the content of the article. After I see the discussion by Mats Oscarson, the article briefly tells that there is a Comprehensive Swedish Program which examines condition and result that occur in the compulsory school. The program focuses on English as a subject, teacher and student attitudes, and attainment level reached. I think the program is very useful and can help development and achievement of the student. According to discussion of the article, Swedish add the program that provide teachers with information about representative performance levels in core subject for the purpose of achieving reliability and stability in the end-of-term or end-of-course grading of pupils or the students.

It is ‘Testing Program’ that planned by Swedish as a different system. In my mind, I agree with the program, because it is also useful for the student. It can measure their ability when they follow teaching learning activity about study of language. Then, the article gives the information about The 1992 English Study. It contains some cores subjects that consist of English, Mathematics, and Swedish. I argued that only English those become a core subject of the assessment. I think other cores subjects like mathematics and Swedish also included in the assessment.

The purpose is make the student be able to learn other study and it can help them in certain situation. It doesn’t matter that English become the final year of compulsory school. The article shows that Subject specific goals are described in quite general terms. As regards the subject of English as a foreign language, it is specified that the pupil or the student, through their studies, that they can be able to understand spoken English, I think it is good, because it can increase their ability about speaking skill; make themselves understood in spoken English, I think is useful, because it can make their self-confidence when they speak with the foreigners; read and understand passages of various kinds, I think it is good for the student, because it can be able to train ability of pupils think critically about reading skill; and use the written language in simple forms, I think is good, because it can make the pupils write the language correctly and improve their mistake about the grammatical error in writing skill. The article tells that the instruction suggest for the people to want and dare to use the English language, I agree with instruction, because it can make the pupil encourage to use English language in the certain situation; to acquire a knowledge and interest in the everyday life, working life, social conditions, and culture in the English speaking countries, I think it is useful, because the pupil gain a good knowledge that make them to study and use English language in the networking; to realize the importance of English as a means of contact with people in different parts of the world, In my mind, it is good, it can make the pupils know that English is very important, because English language can be the general language in the world.

Synthesis Paper AB

                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                             112010072

“SYNTHESIS of Reading Response Journal A-B”

I have 2 articles which connect about assessment that gave to the student based on language testing and for the student and the teacher development when they study together. Both of articles have given much information and make me know that when the teacher give assessment or grade to the student is really difficult. The reason is consider ability of the students however the teacher has to fair and justify when give the assessment for their student.

Now, I will talk about First article which entitled “I didn’t get the grade I need. Where’s my solicitor”. The article discuss about Language testing in the United States and the United Kingdom. Both of the country has the different ways in give the technical standard of EFL testing, especially in U.S. The article mentions that specifically concern about testing English as a foreign language. The article told that Many U.K. based examining boards offer tests in EFL/ESL to international students, and some of these are “high stakes” tests in that entry to a college or university course may depend upon the results. Companies and organizations also frequently use external tests, provided by examining boards, as screening instruments for appointments or promotions. The question which gave in this article is: if a candidate for a British examination were to get a grade which was lower than required, which resulted in his/her being denied access to higher education, a job position or promotion, on what grounds could he/she take the examining board to court? As such, this article is particularly concerned with testing English as a foreign language as practiced in the U.K., although testing related legal issues in the U.S. is discussed. There is no attempt to provide a comprehensive description of litigation on either side of the Atlantic. Rather cases have been selected for discussion on the basis of how well they represent the type of concerns which are relevant to language testing. I think the article good and interesting to read even give the detail information inside about language testing in the both of country.

The second article is entitled “Using Habermas to Evaluate Two Approaches to Negotiated Assessment”. The article discuss about  the extent to which two courses, both aimed at staff in higher education, succeed in meeting the ideals of adult education as outlined by writers deriving their outlook from Habermas and his theory of communicative action. In particular, the article examines the rationale for two different processes of negotiated assessment, how they operate in practice and what staff and students think about the processes. An attempt will be made to assess the extent to which, through the practices of negotiated assessment, the Habermassian ideal is approached. The article also criticize about Habermas’s theory tells that learning and teaching have been strongly influenced by phenomenographic and psychological theories. There is expert that argued about theory of Habermas. He is Popper or Foucault which used to examine the assumptions underpinning the two courses under discussion, but he has chosen Habermas because of the strong influence his theories have had on the course team and their practices. Furthermore, it has been argued that “Habermas’s work is of central importance for critical educational theory and practice”. I think the second article is good and give much advantage for me to know about learning and teaching based on phenomenograpchic and psychological theories and teaching use communication action ways.

Both of articles have different focuses and purposes. The first article is focusing on Language testing in the United States and the United Kingdom. Then, the second article is focusing on the extent to which two courses, both aimed at staff in higher education, succeed in meeting the ideals of adult education as outlined by writers deriving their outlook from Habermas and his theory of communicative action. Although have different purposes and focuses, these two articles still have relationship in how to give assessment or grade to the student correctly. First, Language testing is very important; because I think that it can make the people practice their language in order to they can use their language correctly when they talk to each other. Otherwise, the United States and the United Kingdom do examining language testing for EFL/ESL to international student. It is very useful to practice their ability in language testing. Second, the rationale for two different processes of negotiated assessment also important, because in my mind, it can train development of the student through learning and teaching approach. Both of approaches are very good and useful for the participant or student. The students feel comfort when they are approaching with their teacher. I think the students won’t feel embarrassed and nervous if they’re being close to with their teacher. The learning situation also being comfortable and make the student more focus to the lesson. It can increase the student’s competence in learning process.

Talk to first article entitled “I didn’t get the grade I need. Where’s my solicitor”, Although the current move towards the production of “standards” and the publication of a limited number of research projects sponsored by British examination boards, I argued with Alderson and Buck that the answer necessarily lies with bringing EFL testing within government control. Rather, a number of successful legal challenges to test results which cannot be justified would do much to force examination boards to rapidly improve their products and their performance. I think that only when (most) examination boards in the U.K. face the threat of litigation, as is the case in the U.S., it will begin to conduct the appropriate research, follow necessary procedures, and publish all statistics which external observers need to assess the reliability, validity and fairness of their tests. Unfortunately, the first article is too crucial and only some parts discuss about language testing in the U.S and the U.K

Although the second article talk too much about Habermas’s Theory contain evaluate two approaches to negotiated assessment, it also important to read, because it can help the student get much information about how to approach with their teacher in order to can be succeed in teaching learning activity. In Indonesia teacher is not tend to the method like approaches to negotiated assessment. They just teach based on formal situation of the school regulations. Overall, both articles are good and interesting, but I think the second article is more interesting than first article. Both articles are useful to the EFL students and EFL teacher.

Reading Response Journal B

Akhmad Farroby

112010072

Using Habermas to Evaluate Two

Approaches to Negotiated Assessment

READING RESPONSE JOURNAL B

          I have chosen the article about negotiated assessment as second reading response journal. I think the article is interesting to me because the content inside that useful for the student and the teacher development when they study together, discuss the lesson, something like that. After I read and see discussion so far about Habermas’s Theory tells that learning and teaching have been strongly influenced by phenomenographic and psychological theories. Specifically, the discussion of the article focus on students’ experience of learning through a categorization of qualitatively different ‘approaches to learning’ and have emphasized the need to encourage ‘deep learning’ by treating students as participators in the learning process. I think that purposed to the student encourage when they gain learning from their tutor or teacher in learning process.
           The article said that the extent to which two courses, both aimed at staff in higher education, succeed in meeting the ideals of adult education as outlined by writers deriving their outlook from Habermas and his theory of communicative action. In particular, the paper will examine the rationale for two different processes of negotiated assessment, how they operate in practice and what staff and students think about the processes. It means that teaching learning activity between the teacher and the student can do communicative action in order to learning process to be better. The other purpose is in order to between the student and the teacher can be closer in learning process and make the student feel comfort with the situation. 
           The article explain that negotiated assessment provide requirement that need to make the student be succeed in their achievement. The teacher or tutor should give their best experience based on subject, department, and good commitment in professional context. There are several philosophers that agree theory of Habermas, because his theory has strong effect that make communication between the student and the teacher be cohesive and it can make action oriented to reaching understanding and action oriented to success.
            I agree with the statement because it is profitable to the student to reach their achievement. I argued that the statement of Habermas about A communicatively achieved agreement has a rational basis; it cannot be imposed by either party, whether instrumentally through intervention in the situation directly or strategically through influencing the decisions of opponents. In my mind, it can negative effect to the student that has low competence. For example, when several students are do teaching learning activity, if there is a student cannot understand about the lesson, perhaps the student afraid to ask to their teacher about the lesson that they aren’t clear. It makes miscommunication to their teacher and the student acquire disadvantage.  In this article, the course said that our working model of the future professional is of a reflective practitioner working increasingly with reflective clients and engaged in dialogue with a critical community of professional peers. Our working hypothesis is that this model is best achieved through critical reflection on and critical analysis of one’s own professional experience and current practice, in order to formulate proposals for improved practice, the outcomes of which serve for further reflection and analysis in a continuing cycle of learning. So, the working system suggests that the tutor gain reflective practitioner in order to them can improve their performance when they teach the student. Besides that, about the working hypothesis ask to the teacher or tutor gain critical reflection that them aware their mistake when they are learning and access the student, they also consider and determine the appropriate grade based on each student ability. Finally, I think the article negotiated assessment has some benefit when the teacher gives the appropriate assessment and see justify in assess every student.

Reading Response Journal A

Akhmad Farroby

112010072

“READING RESPONSE JOURNAL A”

            Mostly the article contain about standard in language testing. I choose the topic because inside those articles discuss language testing in The United States and The United Kingdom. Both of the country has the different ways in give the technical standard of EFL testing, especially in U.S. The article mentions that specifically concern about testing English as a foreign language. According to one of an expert (Alderson), declare that “Standard” only particularly in United States not United Kingdom. I agree with the statement of an expert, because I think that in U.K maybe the program is informal and the program just use as guide test developers. While the article report that the situation is in U.S distinguish between Black and White students. In my mind, I argue about the case, because actually the different skin color can cause controversy and it can be negative effect. The program should consider the necessity of each student for Black and White student also make them feel comfort when they are give the standard system in language testing. I think U.S should not to distinguish both of black and white when they practice to learn language testing.

The system should identify the situation in order to the situation better and make the student has share learning goal.  In the Abermarle Paper versus Moody (1975) a test was declared invalid for a particular purpose because it was not designed to the standards laid down by American Educational Research Association (AERA) in the APA Guidelines.  I think if the test invalid The American Educational Research Association (AERA) do the right decision because invalid test give student disadvantage and make the student confused to do the test.

 The largest EFL/ESL testing organization in the United Kingdom, commits itself to certain standards. These are provided fewer than 4 headings: developing examinations, interpreting, examination results, striving for fairness, and informing examination takers. I agree with the strategies because it can make the student aware their mistake and them also developing their ability about language testing. The situation leaves British examination boards open to litigation. Although the history of litigation in the U.K. over the use and interpretation of test scores is not as great as that in the U.S., the precedents which do exist are important. The U.K. legal framework for the use of tests in the U.K. has come about indirectly via anti-discrimination legislation introduced by the European Community via the European Community Council Directive 761207 on Equal Treatment. Indeed, the quality about score that made in the U.K is better than U.S, because the U.K considers the grade and gives to fairly as a proof that the achievement of the student has been fulfill the requirement. I think it is the good article because it provides much information that support developing our knowledge about language testing or assessment from The United States and The United Kingdom.

The information is clear but the language is high level. Sometimes, when I read the article, there are so many statements from the expert. I conclude that the United Kingdom has authority based on give the high score fairly and not distinguish between (Black and White the student) so the country has high justice in consider the skin color. A number of successful legal challenges to test results which cannot be justified would do much to force examination boards to rapidly improve their products and their performance. I mean, the purpose is good, because it can make the student increase their academic performance so they realize the mistake that they make and can correct it after they get the improvement.

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