[Kerala University English Teacher Educator’s Forum - KUETEF]
1. Practicums
•Compiling a List of Practicums in English (Problem-based and other studies) to be given to trainees.
•Identifying the phases, likely hypotheses and sources of data collection of select topics
•Identifying appropriate strategies for analyzing the data that is collected.
•Identifying a set of common scoring indicators for use by the teacher educators for assessing the Problem-based Practicums and normal studies conducted by trainees for Internal Assessment.
2. Demonstration of Models of Teaching by members
3. Doubt Clearing session
Monday, April 26, 2010
23. Workshop on preparation of Model Achievement Test
[Kerala University English Teacher Educator’s Forum - KUETEF]
Stage 1. Briefing regarding the issues related to preparing Model Achievement Test.
The Secretary initiated a discussion regarding the current practice of SCERT to drop the preparation of Blue Print for question papers for the SSLC examination. Copies of Blue Print of the following examinations were made available for perusal by the participants of the workshop:
1. Sample Blue Print from The English Teacher’s Handbook
2. English : Paper 1: AISLC Examination (Tamilnadu Anglo-Indian schools)
3. English : Paper 2: AISLC Examination ( Tamilnadu Anglo-Indian schools)
4. English Standard XI of SCERT (2006)
5. English Standard XII of SCERT (2006)
6. General English Standard XI (Tamilnadu)
7. Special English Standard IX (Tamilnadu)
8. Communicative English Standard XII (Tamilnadu)
Stage 2: Relevant quotations from a standard reference book on the characteristics of a good test and the reference to preparation and need of Blue Print was presented by the Secretary. This was followed by a discussion regarding the advantages of preparing a Blue Print and the possibility of replacing the Blue Print with an enriched Question-wise Analysis statement which provides all the necessary information that a test marker requires.
During the discussion the following issues were highlighted:
•Teachers in secondary schools in Kerala today employ Constructivist teaching strategies in the classroom.
•The traditional Blue Print is a three-dimensional chart which focuses on Objectives of questions set on Bloom’s Taxonomy, viz; Knowledge, Comprehension etc. and is based on a Behaviourist paradigm. This, the participants insisted ought to be modified.
•After critically examining the sample Blue Prints supplied and familiarizing themselves with the guidelines for the preparation of a good test, the participants felt that the Blue Print should be retained but its form should be modified.
•All the participants unanimously agreed that it is necessary to familiarize novice teacher trainees with the concept of Blue Print of a question paper.
•It was also agreed upon to make use of the Blue Print format prepared during the workshop held in August 2005 in which the Secretary had participated and which was later supplied by SCERT.
[Until the format can be made available for downloading, those members who are interested may contact the Secretary by email for its copy]
Stage 3 : Familiarizing with Mental Processes.
A copy of the list of ten Mental Process published along with the sample question paper by SCERT in 2006 was made available for the participants of the workshop
[The Question paper can be downloaded in pdf format at
http://kmohss.com/english_1set.pdf ]
The ten Mental Process are:
No. 1. retrieves/ recollects/retells information
No. 2. readily makes connections to new information based on past experiences and
formulates initial ideas/concepts.
No. 3 detects similarities and differences.
No. 4. classifies/ categorises/ organizes information appropriately.
No. 5 translates/ transfers knowledge or understanding and applies them in new
situations.
No. 6 establishes cause-effect relationships.
No. 7 makes connections/ relates prior knowledge to new information/
applies reasoning and draws inferences.
No. 8 communicates knowledge/ understanding through different media.
No. 9. imagines/fantasises/designs/predicts based on received information.
No.10. Judges/ appraises/evaluates the merits or demerits of an idea/develops own
solutions to a problem.
Stage 4: Familiarizing with Questions
The participants formed four groups and SSLC Question Papers for English of 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 was supplied – one for each group. Even as the participants familiarized themselves with the type of questions normally asked for the Public examination, they also tried to identify the Mental Process the students are likely to employ in attempting to answer the questions.
A few findings:
*Many participants found that most questions asked for the Public Examination necessitated the activation of more than one Mental Process.
*The resemblance of Mental Processes to the higher order thinking skills under the Cognitive Domain was pointed out by some members.
*This was one indication that the SCERT guidelines for focusing on thinking skills was nothing but assigning of a new name- ‘Mental Process’, as a backbone for the Constructivist strategies they were trying to propagate.
Stage 5 : Once the participants familiarized themselves with the questions set for the SSLC examination by relating it to a Mental Process, they prepared the following questions based on the first unit of Book 2 of the Standard VIII Course Book.
Questions based on Mental Process No. 1 (retrieves/ recollects/retells information)
[Prepared by Ms. Chitra, Ms Durga & Ms. Rany]
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow :
It was then the Government agents came into the studio with a loaded gun. They fired twice and the Emperor and the Empress fell dead. The musicians, the dancers and the announcers were asked to get their handicaps back on.
It was then that George and Hazel noticed the blackout on the television set:
‘Have you been crying?’ he asked Hazel.
‘Yes’, she said;
‘What about?’ he asked.
‘I forget’, she said.
‘Forget sad things,’ said George.
‘I always do’, said Hazel.
George wanted to say something. But then there was the sound of a gun in his head.
He winced.
1. What did the Government agents do?
2. ‘He winced’. Who is the ‘he’ referred to ?
* Read the lines from ‘The Bat’ and answer the following questions:
By day the bat is cousin to the mouse.
He likes the attic of an aging house.
His fingers make a hat about his head.
His pulse beat is so slow we think him dead.
He loops in crazy figures half the night
Among the trees that face the corner light.
1. What does the bat do at night?
2. What does the bat like?
Questions based on Mental Process No. 2. (readily makes connections to new information based on past experiences and formulates initial ideas/concepts)
[Prepared by Ms. Chitra, Ms Durga & Ms. Rany]
( Based on the first six paragraphs of ‘Harrison Bergeron’)
1. What would the likely conversation between George and Hazel be when they know about the arrest of their son Harrison? Write it down.
2. Prepare a write-up with captions on your vision of the year 3000.
[Hints :…]
3. Write a short paragraph on Harrison Bergeron’s character making use of the following hints.
Questions based on Mental Process No. 3 ( detects similarities and differences)
[Prepared by Ms. Chitra, Ms Durga & Ms. Rany]
Answer the following questions based on the poem ‘The Bat’
1. Pick out two pairs of rhyming words
2. Contrast the description of the bat in lines 3 and 4 with lines 5 and 6
Questions based on Mental Process No. 4
(classifies/ categorises/ organizes information appropriately)
[Prepared by Ms. Shailaja D & Ms. Anila Chacko]
The following are some events from ‘Harrison Bergeron’ which are given in a jumbled order. Write a paragraph by rearranging them.
1. George and Hazel were watching television.
2. A police photograph of Harrison Bergeron was flashed on the screen.
3. Harrison was a genius and regarded as extremely dangerous.
4. He was held on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government.
5. His thoughts fled in panic, like bandits from a burglar alarm.
Questions based on Mental Process No. 5 (translates/ transfers knowledge or understanding and applies them in new situations )
[Prepared by Ms. Shailaja D & Ms. Anila Chacko]
Complete the following conversation between astronaut friends:
AS 1 : What a beautiful scene it is ! …………………………….?
AS 2 : Yes, of course. Really it is ………………………
AS 1 : What are the things you wanted to search here?
AS 2 : I just wanted to ……………………………………….
AS 1 : Come here, there’s plenty of ……………………………..
AS 2 : I can’t believe my eyes.
AS 1 : Shall we move on ?
AS 2 : ……………………. Yes.
Questions based on Mental Process No. 6 (establishes cause-effect relationships)
[Prepared by Ms. Shailaja D & Ms. Anila Chacko]
Prepare a short speech of not more than 80 words to be made in your school assembly on the development of science and technology. (Draw on ideas from ‘First Manned Flight To Venus’)
Questions based on Mental Process No. 7 (makes connections/ relates prior knowledge to new information/applies reasoning and draws inferences)
[Prepared by Ms. Raji V.R & Ms. Susan George]
1. What phrase does the poet use to describe sugarcane?
2. Who do you think lives in Venus? How do you perceive them?
3. How does Harrison’s death affect his parents?
4. What does the bat do at night?
Questions based on Mental Process No. 8 (communicates knowledge/ understanding through different media) [Prepared by Ms. Raji V.R & Ms. Susan George]
1. Write a brief description about the bat based on the poem ‘The Bat’
2. Describe the picture that Roethke paints in the lines
“He loops in crazy figures half the night
Among the trees that face the corner light”
3. Write a short poem about an animal or bird that fascinates you.
4. Write a letter that you might have written to your parents explaining your reasons to rebel against the laws of society drawing ideas from ‘Harrison Bergeron’.
5. Describe the appearance of Harrison as you see him in the television studio.
Questions based on Mental Process No. 9 (imagines/fantasises/designs/predicts based on received information) [Prepared by Ms. Raji V.R & Ms. Susan George]
1. Answer the question based on the hints given
Imagine that you are living in the year 2081. Describe how society will have changed by 2081.
[Hints: changes in science and tech-energy sources available- culture- fashion trends-food habits- construction of houses- social mingling]
2. Answer the question based on the hints given
What strikes you the most about the story ‘Harrison Bergeron’ ?
[Hints: Extraordinary genius-powerful satire- ridicules the effect TV can have on viewers- continues to evoke thoughtful responses about equality and individual freedom]
3. Imagine that you have visited a foreign land and you actually witnessed the events described in ‘Harrison Bergeron’. Prepare a newspaper report .
4. Imagine that you are the School Leader. Your school management plans to conduct a seminar on Road Safety. Prepare a notice inviting the public to take part in the seminar.
5. ‘When mice with wings can wear a human face’. Do you find this line from ‘The Bat’ is strange? Why?
Questions based on Mental Process No. 10 (Judges/ appraises/evaluates the merits or demerits of an idea/develops own solutions to a problem)
[Prepared by Ms. Raji V.R & Ms. Susan George]
1. What are your feelings about bats after reading the poem ‘The Bat’?
2. Did you find any fault with Harrison while reading the story ‘Harrison Bergeron’?
3. The poem ‘Sugarfields’ expresses the feeling that one’s identity and personality are shaped by one’s parents and the cultured background of one’s family. Do you agree with it? Why?
It is hoped that this would help both teacher educators and trainees visiting this Blog to get an idea about the kind of questions trainees should prepare for the Achievement Test during the second spell of Practice Teaching. Please post or email your comments to cpteach@rediffmail.com
Stage 1. Briefing regarding the issues related to preparing Model Achievement Test.
The Secretary initiated a discussion regarding the current practice of SCERT to drop the preparation of Blue Print for question papers for the SSLC examination. Copies of Blue Print of the following examinations were made available for perusal by the participants of the workshop:
1. Sample Blue Print from The English Teacher’s Handbook
2. English : Paper 1: AISLC Examination (Tamilnadu Anglo-Indian schools)
3. English : Paper 2: AISLC Examination ( Tamilnadu Anglo-Indian schools)
4. English Standard XI of SCERT (2006)
5. English Standard XII of SCERT (2006)
6. General English Standard XI (Tamilnadu)
7. Special English Standard IX (Tamilnadu)
8. Communicative English Standard XII (Tamilnadu)
Stage 2: Relevant quotations from a standard reference book on the characteristics of a good test and the reference to preparation and need of Blue Print was presented by the Secretary. This was followed by a discussion regarding the advantages of preparing a Blue Print and the possibility of replacing the Blue Print with an enriched Question-wise Analysis statement which provides all the necessary information that a test marker requires.
During the discussion the following issues were highlighted:
•Teachers in secondary schools in Kerala today employ Constructivist teaching strategies in the classroom.
•The traditional Blue Print is a three-dimensional chart which focuses on Objectives of questions set on Bloom’s Taxonomy, viz; Knowledge, Comprehension etc. and is based on a Behaviourist paradigm. This, the participants insisted ought to be modified.
•After critically examining the sample Blue Prints supplied and familiarizing themselves with the guidelines for the preparation of a good test, the participants felt that the Blue Print should be retained but its form should be modified.
•All the participants unanimously agreed that it is necessary to familiarize novice teacher trainees with the concept of Blue Print of a question paper.
•It was also agreed upon to make use of the Blue Print format prepared during the workshop held in August 2005 in which the Secretary had participated and which was later supplied by SCERT.
[Until the format can be made available for downloading, those members who are interested may contact the Secretary by email for its copy]
Stage 3 : Familiarizing with Mental Processes.
A copy of the list of ten Mental Process published along with the sample question paper by SCERT in 2006 was made available for the participants of the workshop
[The Question paper can be downloaded in pdf format at
http://kmohss.com/english_1set.pdf ]
The ten Mental Process are:
No. 1. retrieves/ recollects/retells information
No. 2. readily makes connections to new information based on past experiences and
formulates initial ideas/concepts.
No. 3 detects similarities and differences.
No. 4. classifies/ categorises/ organizes information appropriately.
No. 5 translates/ transfers knowledge or understanding and applies them in new
situations.
No. 6 establishes cause-effect relationships.
No. 7 makes connections/ relates prior knowledge to new information/
applies reasoning and draws inferences.
No. 8 communicates knowledge/ understanding through different media.
No. 9. imagines/fantasises/designs/predicts based on received information.
No.10. Judges/ appraises/evaluates the merits or demerits of an idea/develops own
solutions to a problem.
Stage 4: Familiarizing with Questions
The participants formed four groups and SSLC Question Papers for English of 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 was supplied – one for each group. Even as the participants familiarized themselves with the type of questions normally asked for the Public examination, they also tried to identify the Mental Process the students are likely to employ in attempting to answer the questions.
A few findings:
*Many participants found that most questions asked for the Public Examination necessitated the activation of more than one Mental Process.
*The resemblance of Mental Processes to the higher order thinking skills under the Cognitive Domain was pointed out by some members.
*This was one indication that the SCERT guidelines for focusing on thinking skills was nothing but assigning of a new name- ‘Mental Process’, as a backbone for the Constructivist strategies they were trying to propagate.
Stage 5 : Once the participants familiarized themselves with the questions set for the SSLC examination by relating it to a Mental Process, they prepared the following questions based on the first unit of Book 2 of the Standard VIII Course Book.
Questions based on Mental Process No. 1 (retrieves/ recollects/retells information)
[Prepared by Ms. Chitra, Ms Durga & Ms. Rany]
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow :
It was then the Government agents came into the studio with a loaded gun. They fired twice and the Emperor and the Empress fell dead. The musicians, the dancers and the announcers were asked to get their handicaps back on.
It was then that George and Hazel noticed the blackout on the television set:
‘Have you been crying?’ he asked Hazel.
‘Yes’, she said;
‘What about?’ he asked.
‘I forget’, she said.
‘Forget sad things,’ said George.
‘I always do’, said Hazel.
George wanted to say something. But then there was the sound of a gun in his head.
He winced.
1. What did the Government agents do?
2. ‘He winced’. Who is the ‘he’ referred to ?
* Read the lines from ‘The Bat’ and answer the following questions:
By day the bat is cousin to the mouse.
He likes the attic of an aging house.
His fingers make a hat about his head.
His pulse beat is so slow we think him dead.
He loops in crazy figures half the night
Among the trees that face the corner light.
1. What does the bat do at night?
2. What does the bat like?
Questions based on Mental Process No. 2. (readily makes connections to new information based on past experiences and formulates initial ideas/concepts)
[Prepared by Ms. Chitra, Ms Durga & Ms. Rany]
( Based on the first six paragraphs of ‘Harrison Bergeron’)
1. What would the likely conversation between George and Hazel be when they know about the arrest of their son Harrison? Write it down.
2. Prepare a write-up with captions on your vision of the year 3000.
[Hints :…]
3. Write a short paragraph on Harrison Bergeron’s character making use of the following hints.
Questions based on Mental Process No. 3 ( detects similarities and differences)
[Prepared by Ms. Chitra, Ms Durga & Ms. Rany]
Answer the following questions based on the poem ‘The Bat’
1. Pick out two pairs of rhyming words
2. Contrast the description of the bat in lines 3 and 4 with lines 5 and 6
Questions based on Mental Process No. 4
(classifies/ categorises/ organizes information appropriately)
[Prepared by Ms. Shailaja D & Ms. Anila Chacko]
The following are some events from ‘Harrison Bergeron’ which are given in a jumbled order. Write a paragraph by rearranging them.
1. George and Hazel were watching television.
2. A police photograph of Harrison Bergeron was flashed on the screen.
3. Harrison was a genius and regarded as extremely dangerous.
4. He was held on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government.
5. His thoughts fled in panic, like bandits from a burglar alarm.
Questions based on Mental Process No. 5 (translates/ transfers knowledge or understanding and applies them in new situations )
[Prepared by Ms. Shailaja D & Ms. Anila Chacko]
Complete the following conversation between astronaut friends:
AS 1 : What a beautiful scene it is ! …………………………….?
AS 2 : Yes, of course. Really it is ………………………
AS 1 : What are the things you wanted to search here?
AS 2 : I just wanted to ……………………………………….
AS 1 : Come here, there’s plenty of ……………………………..
AS 2 : I can’t believe my eyes.
AS 1 : Shall we move on ?
AS 2 : ……………………. Yes.
Questions based on Mental Process No. 6 (establishes cause-effect relationships)
[Prepared by Ms. Shailaja D & Ms. Anila Chacko]
Prepare a short speech of not more than 80 words to be made in your school assembly on the development of science and technology. (Draw on ideas from ‘First Manned Flight To Venus’)
Questions based on Mental Process No. 7 (makes connections/ relates prior knowledge to new information/applies reasoning and draws inferences)
[Prepared by Ms. Raji V.R & Ms. Susan George]
1. What phrase does the poet use to describe sugarcane?
2. Who do you think lives in Venus? How do you perceive them?
3. How does Harrison’s death affect his parents?
4. What does the bat do at night?
Questions based on Mental Process No. 8 (communicates knowledge/ understanding through different media) [Prepared by Ms. Raji V.R & Ms. Susan George]
1. Write a brief description about the bat based on the poem ‘The Bat’
2. Describe the picture that Roethke paints in the lines
“He loops in crazy figures half the night
Among the trees that face the corner light”
3. Write a short poem about an animal or bird that fascinates you.
4. Write a letter that you might have written to your parents explaining your reasons to rebel against the laws of society drawing ideas from ‘Harrison Bergeron’.
5. Describe the appearance of Harrison as you see him in the television studio.
Questions based on Mental Process No. 9 (imagines/fantasises/designs/predicts based on received information) [Prepared by Ms. Raji V.R & Ms. Susan George]
1. Answer the question based on the hints given
Imagine that you are living in the year 2081. Describe how society will have changed by 2081.
[Hints: changes in science and tech-energy sources available- culture- fashion trends-food habits- construction of houses- social mingling]
2. Answer the question based on the hints given
What strikes you the most about the story ‘Harrison Bergeron’ ?
[Hints: Extraordinary genius-powerful satire- ridicules the effect TV can have on viewers- continues to evoke thoughtful responses about equality and individual freedom]
3. Imagine that you have visited a foreign land and you actually witnessed the events described in ‘Harrison Bergeron’. Prepare a newspaper report .
4. Imagine that you are the School Leader. Your school management plans to conduct a seminar on Road Safety. Prepare a notice inviting the public to take part in the seminar.
5. ‘When mice with wings can wear a human face’. Do you find this line from ‘The Bat’ is strange? Why?
Questions based on Mental Process No. 10 (Judges/ appraises/evaluates the merits or demerits of an idea/develops own solutions to a problem)
[Prepared by Ms. Raji V.R & Ms. Susan George]
1. What are your feelings about bats after reading the poem ‘The Bat’?
2. Did you find any fault with Harrison while reading the story ‘Harrison Bergeron’?
3. The poem ‘Sugarfields’ expresses the feeling that one’s identity and personality are shaped by one’s parents and the cultured background of one’s family. Do you agree with it? Why?
It is hoped that this would help both teacher educators and trainees visiting this Blog to get an idea about the kind of questions trainees should prepare for the Achievement Test during the second spell of Practice Teaching. Please post or email your comments to cpteach@rediffmail.com
22. Workshop on Preparation of Model Diagnostic Test
[Kerala University English Teacher Educator’s Forum - KUETEF]
Stage 1 : Briefing of consensus regarding Diagnostic Test arrived at during the previous meeting was done by the Secretary.
Stage 2 : Finalizing the list of areas to be tested:
It was earlier decided to focus on the following areas in preparing Diagnostic Test :
Vocabulary, Spelling, Grammar, Paragraph Writing and Comprehension .The difficulty in scoring an open- ended question in a Diagnostic Test when a Diagnostic Chart is made use of was pointed out by a few members. This related to the evaluation of open ended answers for Paragraph Writing for a Diagnostic test. Hence it was decided to have five questions to test Writing ability, instead of Paragraph Writing. The questions on writing should focus on 1. ability to communicate, 2. Choice of vocabulary and 3. Punctuation.
The members in groups started preparing sample questions- five each for Vocabulary, Spelling, Grammar, Writing, Comprehension .
Stage 3: Finalizing the number of questions and the content for testing
It was decided that each question of the Diagnostic test was to carry one mark and the total number of multiple choice questions was to be limited to 25. The content on which the questions are to be set during the First Spell should be those topics taught to the pupils in schools by teachers prior to the commencement of Practice Teaching. If the pupils have not been taught anything owing to a vacancy in the English teacher’s post in the school, the questions could be set based on the last Unit of the Course Book which the pupils were taught.
The content on which the questions are to be set during the Second Spell should be the topics taught by the trainee in the first ten days of Spell 2 of Practice Teaching.
Given below are a few questions on the five areas prepared by the members based on the first unit of Book 2 of the Standard VIII Course Book.
Vocabulary [Prepared by Ms. Rany & Ms. Chitra]
Choose the correct answer:
1. …………… means ‘to touch lightly’ (detect, brush, stamp)
2. The opposite of symmetry is ……………………..
( asymmetry, unsymmetry, insymmetry)
3. ‘Marvellous’ means ……………
( immediately, wonderful, very big)
4. The thief ……….. over the fence.
(leapt, came, found)
5. Find the odd one from the bracket ……………………
( shriek, howl, murmur)
Spelling [Prepared by Ms. Durga & Ms. Shylaja]
Choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks
1. Harrison Bergeron is a ………………(genius, genesis)
2. The rain ………………….. and the sky became clear. (seized, ceased)
3. When the fight began, there was barking cries of co _ s _ er _ a _ io _
(ntntn, nttnn, nnntt)
4. The dance programme on television was suddenly _ nt _ r _ u _ t _ d
for a news bulletin ( ierpe, irpee, riepe)
5. Rearrange the letters b o a n a d n to given meaning to give up
( abandon, bandnon, andbnon)
Grammar [Prepared by Ms. Anila & Ms. Meenakshy]
For 1 to 3 Choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks
1. Time and tide ………………. for no man. (wait, waits)
2. Write the ‘-er’ form of the word ‘good’ .........
3. They went to school ……….. foot ( by , on, of )
4. Rewrite the sentence beginning ‘A letter……..
She writes a letter.
5. I didn’t notice it any more,………….? Add a suitable Question Tag
Writing [Prepared by Mrs. Annie K. Oommen & Mr. Scaria]
For 1 and 2 Choose the correct answer:
1. Harrison Bergeron was arrested because he………
( genius, was a genius , look genius)
2. When the astronauts were ready, the rocket………………..
( blasted off, exploded off, launched off)
3. Punctuate
Second Astronaut : Stop that kind of talk will you We ll make it and we ll be
heroes
4. Why did the first astronaut take the taped music with him?
5. “Why don’t you rest your handicap bag on the pillows?” What does ‘handicap bag’ refer to?
Comprehension [Prepared by Ms Sangeetha, Ms. Susan George & Ms. Raji V.R]
State whether the following sentences are True/ False:
1. Harrison Bergeron was arrested for his extraordinary genius.
2. In the poem ‘The Bat’ it is stated that the bat’s fingers make a hat about his head.
3. ‘Sugarcane’ is described as the syrup of the earth in the poem ‘Sugarfields’.
4. Like human beings the bat sleeps at night.
5. The story of Harrison Bergeron is set in the year 2018.
Stage 1 : Briefing of consensus regarding Diagnostic Test arrived at during the previous meeting was done by the Secretary.
Stage 2 : Finalizing the list of areas to be tested:
It was earlier decided to focus on the following areas in preparing Diagnostic Test :
Vocabulary, Spelling, Grammar, Paragraph Writing and Comprehension .The difficulty in scoring an open- ended question in a Diagnostic Test when a Diagnostic Chart is made use of was pointed out by a few members. This related to the evaluation of open ended answers for Paragraph Writing for a Diagnostic test. Hence it was decided to have five questions to test Writing ability, instead of Paragraph Writing. The questions on writing should focus on 1. ability to communicate, 2. Choice of vocabulary and 3. Punctuation.
The members in groups started preparing sample questions- five each for Vocabulary, Spelling, Grammar, Writing, Comprehension .
Stage 3: Finalizing the number of questions and the content for testing
It was decided that each question of the Diagnostic test was to carry one mark and the total number of multiple choice questions was to be limited to 25. The content on which the questions are to be set during the First Spell should be those topics taught to the pupils in schools by teachers prior to the commencement of Practice Teaching. If the pupils have not been taught anything owing to a vacancy in the English teacher’s post in the school, the questions could be set based on the last Unit of the Course Book which the pupils were taught.
The content on which the questions are to be set during the Second Spell should be the topics taught by the trainee in the first ten days of Spell 2 of Practice Teaching.
Given below are a few questions on the five areas prepared by the members based on the first unit of Book 2 of the Standard VIII Course Book.
Vocabulary [Prepared by Ms. Rany & Ms. Chitra]
Choose the correct answer:
1. …………… means ‘to touch lightly’ (detect, brush, stamp)
2. The opposite of symmetry is ……………………..
( asymmetry, unsymmetry, insymmetry)
3. ‘Marvellous’ means ……………
( immediately, wonderful, very big)
4. The thief ……….. over the fence.
(leapt, came, found)
5. Find the odd one from the bracket ……………………
( shriek, howl, murmur)
Spelling [Prepared by Ms. Durga & Ms. Shylaja]
Choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks
1. Harrison Bergeron is a ………………(genius, genesis)
2. The rain ………………….. and the sky became clear. (seized, ceased)
3. When the fight began, there was barking cries of co _ s _ er _ a _ io _
(ntntn, nttnn, nnntt)
4. The dance programme on television was suddenly _ nt _ r _ u _ t _ d
for a news bulletin ( ierpe, irpee, riepe)
5. Rearrange the letters b o a n a d n to given meaning to give up
( abandon, bandnon, andbnon)
Grammar [Prepared by Ms. Anila & Ms. Meenakshy]
For 1 to 3 Choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks
1. Time and tide ………………. for no man. (wait, waits)
2. Write the ‘-er’ form of the word ‘good’ .........
3. They went to school ……….. foot ( by , on, of )
4. Rewrite the sentence beginning ‘A letter……..
She writes a letter.
5. I didn’t notice it any more,………….? Add a suitable Question Tag
Writing [Prepared by Mrs. Annie K. Oommen & Mr. Scaria]
For 1 and 2 Choose the correct answer:
1. Harrison Bergeron was arrested because he………
( genius, was a genius , look genius)
2. When the astronauts were ready, the rocket………………..
( blasted off, exploded off, launched off)
3. Punctuate
Second Astronaut : Stop that kind of talk will you We ll make it and we ll be
heroes
4. Why did the first astronaut take the taped music with him?
5. “Why don’t you rest your handicap bag on the pillows?” What does ‘handicap bag’ refer to?
Comprehension [Prepared by Ms Sangeetha, Ms. Susan George & Ms. Raji V.R]
State whether the following sentences are True/ False:
1. Harrison Bergeron was arrested for his extraordinary genius.
2. In the poem ‘The Bat’ it is stated that the bat’s fingers make a hat about his head.
3. ‘Sugarcane’ is described as the syrup of the earth in the poem ‘Sugarfields’.
4. Like human beings the bat sleeps at night.
5. The story of Harrison Bergeron is set in the year 2018.
21. Consensus: 24 April, 2010
[Kerala University English Teacher Educator’s Forum - KUETEF]
The members arrived at the following consensus regarding curriculum transaction during the eighth meeting:
* Questions for Diagnostic Test should preferably be Multiple Choice type
* For the Diagnostic Test, instead of Paragraph Writing, there should be five questions to test Writing ability.
* There should be a minimum of five questions each to test the following five areas in the Diagnostic Test:
1. Vocabulary
2. Spelling
3. Grammar
4. Writing (Questions to ability to check 1. ability to communicate 2. Choice of
vocabulary 3. Punctuation)
5.Comprehension
* Blue Print for Achievement test should be retained though the SCERT now discourages its use.
* It is necessary to familiarize novice teacher trainees with the concept of Blue Print of a question paper. But its old format as a three-dimensional chart should be modified to include Mental Processes instead of Objectives related to Blooms taxonomy.
* The Blue Print format prepared during the workshop held in August 2005 and was later supplied by SCERT should be the format that teacher educators should make use of.
The members arrived at the following consensus regarding curriculum transaction during the eighth meeting:
* Questions for Diagnostic Test should preferably be Multiple Choice type
* For the Diagnostic Test, instead of Paragraph Writing, there should be five questions to test Writing ability.
* There should be a minimum of five questions each to test the following five areas in the Diagnostic Test:
1. Vocabulary
2. Spelling
3. Grammar
4. Writing (Questions to ability to check 1. ability to communicate 2. Choice of
vocabulary 3. Punctuation)
5.Comprehension
* Blue Print for Achievement test should be retained though the SCERT now discourages its use.
* It is necessary to familiarize novice teacher trainees with the concept of Blue Print of a question paper. But its old format as a three-dimensional chart should be modified to include Mental Processes instead of Objectives related to Blooms taxonomy.
* The Blue Print format prepared during the workshop held in August 2005 and was later supplied by SCERT should be the format that teacher educators should make use of.
20. Report of Eighth Meeting
[Kerala University English Teacher Educator’s Forum - KUETEF]
The eighth meeting of KUETEF was held at Government College of Teacher Education on Saturday, 24th April 2010. As the second and third week of April happened to be vacation for most teacher training colleges, intimation regarding the revised date was not sent by postal mail. Instead both the Treasurer Ms. Anila Chacko and the Secretary Mr. C. Praveen, intimated change of dates by telephone. Unfortunately some of the members could not be contacted owing to change in the telephone numbers they had given.
By 10 am fourteen members had assembled in the General Lecture Hall of Govt. CTE, Trivandrum. The meeting commenced with a silent prayer. The President of KUETEF, Dr. M.S. Geetha welcomed the members to the meeting and the proposed workshop on preparation of Model Diagnostic Test and Model Achievement Test. This was followed by presentation of the Report of the Seventh Meeting held at Karmela Rani Training College, Kollam by the Secretary of KUETEF, Mr. C. Praveen.
After that the President announced the agenda for the day, the Secretary presented the proposed plan and timeframe of activities for the day.
The activities commenced with the workshop on preparation of questions for the Diagnostic Test. The whole activity took hardly 90 minutes and while tea was served the Secretary presented the background to the changes initiated by the SCERT with regard to preparation of the SSLC Question Papers.
The members familiarized themselves with many types of Blue Prints and the ten Mental Processes identified for preparation of Question Papers. The SSLC Question Papers of March 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 was analyzed by the members to identify the representation of the ten Mental Processes. By then it was lunch time and the participants took a break. The host institution made arrangements for supplying lunch.
After lunch break, the participants working in groups, prepared a number of questions based on the ten Mental Processes which the Secretary assured would be made available in the Blog of KUETEF.
Paucity of time necessitated the postponement of the Doubt Clearing Session to the next meeting.
During the brief Business Session, it was decided to hold the next meeting on Saturday 7th August 2010. A few members felt that there is a need to familiarize with the nature, procedure and evaluation of Practicum given for trainees. Hence it was decided to include it in the agenda for the next meeting. To ensure that more members do participate in future meetings, the Secretary was directed to email the telephone numbers to all the members and to get them to contact their friends personally. The meeting concluded at 3.30 pm and before dispersing, the members formally thanked the Secretary for the smooth conduct of the day’s academic sessions.
The eighth meeting of KUETEF was held at Government College of Teacher Education on Saturday, 24th April 2010. As the second and third week of April happened to be vacation for most teacher training colleges, intimation regarding the revised date was not sent by postal mail. Instead both the Treasurer Ms. Anila Chacko and the Secretary Mr. C. Praveen, intimated change of dates by telephone. Unfortunately some of the members could not be contacted owing to change in the telephone numbers they had given.
By 10 am fourteen members had assembled in the General Lecture Hall of Govt. CTE, Trivandrum. The meeting commenced with a silent prayer. The President of KUETEF, Dr. M.S. Geetha welcomed the members to the meeting and the proposed workshop on preparation of Model Diagnostic Test and Model Achievement Test. This was followed by presentation of the Report of the Seventh Meeting held at Karmela Rani Training College, Kollam by the Secretary of KUETEF, Mr. C. Praveen.
After that the President announced the agenda for the day, the Secretary presented the proposed plan and timeframe of activities for the day.
The activities commenced with the workshop on preparation of questions for the Diagnostic Test. The whole activity took hardly 90 minutes and while tea was served the Secretary presented the background to the changes initiated by the SCERT with regard to preparation of the SSLC Question Papers.
The members familiarized themselves with many types of Blue Prints and the ten Mental Processes identified for preparation of Question Papers. The SSLC Question Papers of March 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 was analyzed by the members to identify the representation of the ten Mental Processes. By then it was lunch time and the participants took a break. The host institution made arrangements for supplying lunch.
After lunch break, the participants working in groups, prepared a number of questions based on the ten Mental Processes which the Secretary assured would be made available in the Blog of KUETEF.
Paucity of time necessitated the postponement of the Doubt Clearing Session to the next meeting.
During the brief Business Session, it was decided to hold the next meeting on Saturday 7th August 2010. A few members felt that there is a need to familiarize with the nature, procedure and evaluation of Practicum given for trainees. Hence it was decided to include it in the agenda for the next meeting. To ensure that more members do participate in future meetings, the Secretary was directed to email the telephone numbers to all the members and to get them to contact their friends personally. The meeting concluded at 3.30 pm and before dispersing, the members formally thanked the Secretary for the smooth conduct of the day’s academic sessions.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
19. Dark Areas For Doubt Clearing
[Kerala University English Teacher Educator’s Forum - KUETEF]
Received by email : From Anila Chacko
Dark Areas for doubt clearing session of the eighth meeting scheduled for 24 April 2010
First Semester : Methodology
Unit I - Controversy over a shift from Literature to Language Study
First Semester : Pedagogy
Unit II - Pedagogical Principles - Principles related to Educational Logic.
Second Semester : Methodology
Unit VI - Principles of language testing
Second Semester : Pedgogy
Unit VI (3)Select a topic and determine the methods.......
anilasack@yahoo.co.in
Received by email : From Anila Chacko
Dark Areas for doubt clearing session of the eighth meeting scheduled for 24 April 2010
First Semester : Methodology
Unit I - Controversy over a shift from Literature to Language Study
First Semester : Pedagogy
Unit II - Pedagogical Principles - Principles related to Educational Logic.
Second Semester : Methodology
Unit VI - Principles of language testing
Second Semester : Pedgogy
Unit VI (3)Select a topic and determine the methods.......
anilasack@yahoo.co.in
Saturday, April 10, 2010
18. Eighth Meeting Postponed
[Kerala University English Teacher Educator’s Forum - KUETEF]
It was earlier decided to conduct the eighth meeting on 17 April 2010 to ensure maximum participation of members after the first semester examination. But recently the University postponed the examination to 23 April.
As Centralized valuation is most likely to commence in May and that June will be too late to hold a workshop on preparation of Model Achievement Test and Diagnostic Test, we are forced to postpone the eighth meeting to Saturday, 24 April 2010.
There will be no change in the venue nor the agenda.(Please see earlier blog post)
Those attending the workshop are requested to bring the second part of the Standard VIII Course Book.
C.Praveen
Secretary, KUETEF
It was earlier decided to conduct the eighth meeting on 17 April 2010 to ensure maximum participation of members after the first semester examination. But recently the University postponed the examination to 23 April.
As Centralized valuation is most likely to commence in May and that June will be too late to hold a workshop on preparation of Model Achievement Test and Diagnostic Test, we are forced to postpone the eighth meeting to Saturday, 24 April 2010.
There will be no change in the venue nor the agenda.(Please see earlier blog post)
Those attending the workshop are requested to bring the second part of the Standard VIII Course Book.
C.Praveen
Secretary, KUETEF
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