“ICT TOOLS BASED ON STRATEGIES FOR TEACHERS APPLIED TO THE EVALUATION STRATEGIES IN LEARNING PROCESS OF ESL STUDENTS”

Technology has a vital role to play in effective and efficient evaluation of learning. Modern technology offers educators a variety of new tools that can be used in the classroom. Technology can help teachers assess their students' learning as well as their performance in the classroom. Use of ICT in assessment involves the use of digital devices to assist in the construction, delivery, storage or reporting of student assessment tasks, responses, grades or feedback.

Teachers can use computers to construct their assessment tasks, to deliver these tasks to relevant students and to record and provide feedback and grades to these students. Computers can also be used to analyze students' responses, both to provide feedback to the student on the quality and relevance of their response, as well as to provide feedback to the teacher on whether the task can differentiate between students with different abilities. ICT based assessment can be used to test many different capabilities and skills that are developed by students. There are only a few tasks that might not be suitable for completing and recording electronically, but the number of such tasks is rapidly diminishing as technology becomes more sophisticated and widespread. In many disciplines laboratory equipment can be manipulated remotely and students can undertake real time physical performances that are able to be recorded and used for assessment purposes. We are quickly approaching the stage where our imaginations will be the limiting factor in designing e-assessment tasks.

“STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED BY TEACHERS ON BASIC ENGLISH I AT UTEC IN LEARNING PROCESS”

 Beginning ESL students at UTEC generally have deep respect for teachers and the learning process, a beginning ESL class often has fun classroom activities such as songs, plays, and outings rather than dictations and research writing.

Traditional language instruction begins with teaching the alphabet, or numbers, or conjugating verb TO-BE. It is, of course, difficult to take a needs assessment at this level, but we already know what beginning students really need is some basic greetings and farewells and other language for getting along in their communities, such as asking for directions or the costs of items. They don’t really need to conjugate the verb “to be,” although this may be taught in the context of introductions, for example: “I am Rosa; he is Luis…” The focus, however, should be on basic conversation; grammar should be taught in context of the conversational skills rather than as a focus on its own. Students should work in pairs or small groups much of the class period so that they can practice their English skills, preferably with speakers of languages other than their own.

Students at UTEC don’t need to know how to recite numbers and colors in their second language. People rarely do that in their first languages, for that matter. What students do need to know is how to give their birthdates and identification numbers or ask for a specific color of item in a store. Continue to focus on communicative needs of students and contextualize language in teaching students short dialogues for places they will be visiting like the store, a restaurant, a library, and so on.