Parents can become involved in the evaluation process by letting learners take their work home. Learners can also invite their parents to view their work by paying a visit to their classrooms. Last week we discussed some general principles of portfolio assessment. This week we will use examples of two different learners' responses to an activity and reflect on how these examples lend themselves to a portfolio-based assessment. This particular activity lends itself to imaginative language, and helps learners understand how different kinds of animal coverings serve as protection and disguise, as well as how animals adapt to their natural environments.
Children can also express their ideas through drawings and the use of patterns and colour.
It is important to tell your learners beforehand that you would like this activity to form part of their portfolio assessment. Think about the kinds of skills and knowledge the activity can help learners to exhibit. This will help them to focus on those aspects as they work through the activity and give them pointers as to what you will be looking out for when you assess their work. The learning of language is unique for each child. As we observe their use of written and spoken language, we can begin to identify specific patterns that indicate their stage of growth.