1. Real World Assessment Task Bank to support PBLA
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
TESL Ontario Conference, November 1-2, 2018

2. Purpose of today’s workshop:
An introduction to the project
An overview of the development of the tasks
The procedures used for piloting & reviewing
A demo of the website
A look at some sample tasks
Next Steps

3. RWATB Project Team Core Project Team:
PBLA Leads Larry Iveson & Catherine Hodgins (SMEs)
Technical Lead: Diane McCargar
Project Managers: Jennifer McKay & Carol Adams
Administrative Support: Alina Razinkova
Task Developers: 21 OCDSB instructors
Desktop Publishing: Fritz Van Den Heuvel - Ardocs
Website Development: Jeremy Cole - Tech. Consulting

4. RWATB Project Team- Task Developers

5. RWATB Advisory Committee Members
Tara Holmes - CCLB Consultant & PBLA Lead Trainer & Project Lead for Multi-Level Modules Project, Calgary, Alberta
Anne-Marie Kaskens - TCDSB - Program Consultant & Team Lead for Quartz (Ontario Curriculum Guidelines Project), Toronto, Ontario
Subhadra Ramachandran - HCDSB - Manager Newcomer Language Programs
Diane Ramanathan - Community Coordinator, Tutela; instructor for TESL Program at Algonquin College, Ottawa, Ontario
Sarah Schmuck - PBLA Regional Coach & Project Lead for Multi-Level Modules Project, Calgary, Alberta
Anne Senior - CCLB, Specialist Consultant

6. RWATB Project - Background
OCDSB one of the first programs involved with PBLA during CIC’s pilot in 2010
Leads selected / LINC & ESL instructors trained
PBLA started in January 2011 for CLB 1-4 classes
A gap in knowledge and tools for instructors was felt, even though Leads were supporting instructors in the creation of their assessment tasks

7. RWATB Project - Background (con’t)
This “gap” sowed the seeds for the creation of the Real World Assessment Task Bank Project, proposed by OCDSB ESL Program in fall of 2015 to Ontario’s Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
Awarded project funding in July 2016
Two-year project ended Spring 2018

8. What was the RWATB Project about?
Develop a bank of single level, stand alone Real World Assessment Tasks
Variety of themes and CLB competencies in all 4 skills
Ranging from Foundation Literacy to CLB 7
Loaded onto an easy to use, searchable website
AND for OCDSB...building capacity of instructors & our program in creating real-world language assessment tasks

9. What was the RWATB Project about?
Over 300 tasks available on the task bank to share with other programs in Ontario and throughout Canada
Increased knowledge and capacity of Instructors, PBLA Leads and others participating in the project
Positive networking opportunity among colleagues from various sites
Process to follow with templates (a model) for other tasks to be created

10. RWAT Capacity Building: Feedback
6+ years teaching experience & PBLA training
100%: knowledge and skills in creating tasks increased
100%: knowledge of CLB and ALL documents improved
100%: knowledge of productive and receptive tasks improved
100%: ability to create assessment texts, scenarios and activities improved
After the project ended, the developers were surveyed anonymously. Most of the developers have 6+ years teaching experience, and most had attended all of the PBLA implementation training.

11. Developing Tasks Critical points to think about for developing tasks:
Are they Real World Tasks? - would students actually need to do this outside the classroom?
Are they appropriate for the level based on the CLBs?
Can the task be done in the classroom effectively?
-Key points that developers focused on

12. Task Analysis and Development
Listening
CH -

13. Developing Receptive Tasks
Listening
Used and adapted materials from PBLA Lead training package to help with development
We would like to share some of the worksheets and templates we used

14. Developing Receptive Tasks
Listening
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15. Developing Receptive Tasks
Listening
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16. Developing Receptive Tasks
Listening
CH -

17. Developing Receptive Tasks
Listening
CH -

18. Developing Receptive Tasks
Listening
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19. Developing Receptive Tasks
Listening
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20. Productive Task Example
Skill-using vs. Assessment Tasks - a few examples of skill-using only
Holistic part of many assessment tools
Clear indication of success and importance of teacher feedback
Student self-check/self-reflection was usually included for students to complete after or to review the assessment before finishing it - giving students opportunity and habit of reviewing their own work.

21. Productive Task Example
Show and walk through template for thinking through Receptive tasks
Think about text analysis - is it level appropriate or can it be adapted? Screenshot of text analysis page?
Think about levels of questioning - screenshot?

22. Productive Task Example
Show and walk through template for thinking through Receptive tasks
Think about text analysis - is it level appropriate or can it be adapted? Screenshot of text analysis page?
Think about levels of questioning - screenshot?

23. Productive Task Example
Show and walk through template for thinking through Receptive tasks
Think about text analysis - is it level appropriate or can it be adapted? Screenshot of text analysis page?
Think about levels of questioning - screenshot?

24. Productive Task Example
Show and walk through template for thinking through Receptive tasks
Think about text analysis - is it level appropriate or can it be adapted? Screenshot of text analysis page?
Think about levels of questioning - screenshot?

25. Developing Tasks What We Learned
“I am more confident now in mentoring new/other instructors.”
Developing Tasks
What We Learned
“I now understand how important the CLB and ALL documents are and how to use them, so that my assessments are at the right CLB level for my students.”
“It has helped me be more organized and structured when doing assessment tasks.”
CH -A few quotes about things we learned during the project (feedback from the Survey in June)
Struggles with authentic copyright free materials, isolating skills and levels especially lower level listen, foundations, multi-levels, multi-skills, receptive, benchmark appropriate tasks, continuity, real-enough, simulating real life in , descriptors in assessment tool, weighting of the tool/scales, incorporating up-to-date technological tasks

26. And on the administrative side of it all...
Task naming nomenclature was developed
We knew early on that we would need some way of consistently identifying individual tasks as they progressed through the various stages of the project so we developed this system.
By theme
By skill and level
By competency; and finally
The name of the assessment task
Once established, this was used consistently and you will see these in the footnotes of the tasks that you download.

27. Reviewing and Piloting
Multiple draft/review cycles during development
Google sign-up sheet listing tasks released in Jan 2018 for field testers to choose preferred tasks
Task and feedback files were ed out based on requests in most cases
2-3 drafts / reviews of each prior to releasing for field testing
Another review once feedback forms were received
Another review once desktopped published versions were received

28. Reviewing and Piloting
As feedback sheets were received, each was reviewed for suggested changes to the assessment task
Once finalized, the 309 assessment tasks were then sent for desktop publishing
After reviewing (one last time) the final step was the uploading of the assessment tasks to our website in both Word and PDF formats, along with any required audio/video for listening activities
As you can imagine, the exchange of information over the course of this project was huge. In total, we used:
an OCDSB internal drive for our initial Word draft versions,
Google docs to share the assessment task information with field piloters,
Microsoft OneDrive to exchange the tasks for desktop publishing purposes,
over s sent and received, and
now everything uploaded to the website for instructors to download and use.

29. To our Piloters...
A huge thank you to the 190 Piloters from 70+ organizations stretching from BC to Yukon to Nova Scotia who volunteered their time to use our assessment tasks and provided us feedback for consideration when finalizing the completed versions
We are pleased to announce the winners of the six gift cards: Janet Gilchrist Corinne Mariani
Randi Medeiros Rayisa Ovcharova
Agnes Papanastasiou Marina Silov-Marcan
The level of interest in the project jumped when TESL Ontario sent out a message indicating that we were looking for volunteers.
We put all the field testers names in a bowl and draws were made by three of the project team members taking turns pulling names.
Janet Gilchrist Corinne Mariani Randi Medeiros Rayisa Ovcharova Agnes Papanastasiou Marina Silov-Marcan

30. Online, searchable database of tasks Realworldtasks.ca
Website Demo
Online, searchable database of tasks
Realworldtasks.ca

31. Logging In Choose a sector (ESL-Ontario, LINC-Ontario, etc.)
Type the password: instructor
Publicly funded language training programs have been sent password information. Please contact your Administrator. *** add at top of page

33. Home Page
Note:
These single skill stand-alone assessment tasks are not lessons or module plans. Task-based assessments should always be part of a planned unit of inter-related language tasks on a specific topic.

34. How can people search the Bank?
Searching
How can people search the Bank?
Click on a theme(s), skill(s), and level(s).
You can choose multiple
Click again to remove a selection
Answers appear in real-time (no enter, or go.)

35. Narrowing your search with keywords
Searching
Narrowing your search with keywords
Add keyword(s) (one or two at most)
Click on Go

36. Search Results Scroll down to see all results
Name, Theme, Topic, Skills, Level, Competencies, Word, PDF, audio and video files.
Click on files to download

37. Downloading Tasks

38. Sample Tasks FC-S3-a-Greeting a Friend at a Community Event
CB-R4-c-Reading a Credit Card Bill
ED-S2-ac-Greeting the Teacher When Arriving Late or Leaving Early
HS-R1L-c-Reading a Doctor’s Office Appointment Card
HN-RW2L-bc-Entering Information into an online Public Transit Planner
ED-RWFL-bc-Copying Name and Date on a Class Paper
HS-L6-b-Understanding Workplace Safety Information
HN-L5-d-Getting Ready for a G1 Road Test

39. FC-S3-a-Greeting a Friend at a Community Event
Prompt
Today we are going to do a role-play. You are at a community picnic. You see me at the picnic. I am your friend. You need to greet me and ask me about the picnic. Talk about something you like about the picnic. Say goodbye to your friend.
Sample Role-Play
Student (Friend 1):
Good Morning Susan, how are you?
Teacher (Friend 2):
Hi Bob. I’m fine. How are you?
I’m fine. Do you like the picnic?
Yes. It is really fun. What about you? Do you like the picnic?
Yes, it is nice. I like the food.
Yes, the food is very good. Well, it was nice to see you. I hope you enjoy the rest of the picnic.
Thanks. You too. Goodbye!
Bye!
An example of basic greetings and small talk. This same task can be found at CLB 3 and at CLB 4. The Real World Assessment Task Bank has some parallel tasks at two different levels.

40. FC-S4-a-Greeting a Friend at a Community Event
Sample Role-Play
Prompt
Today we are going to do a role-play. You are at a community picnic. You see your friend. Greet your friend and ask him/her about the picnic. Talk about 2 things you like about the picnic and tell your friend why you like those things. Say goodbye to your friend.
Friend 1:
Good Morning Susan, how are you?
Friend 2:
Hi Bob. I’m fine. How are you?
I’m fine. Are you enjoying the picnic so far?
Yes, I am. What about you?
Yes, it’s fun and the weather is beautiful. I like the games because they are different for me. I like the food because it is very delicious.
Yes, the food is very good. I haven’t played any games yet, but maybe I will later.
Well, it was nice to see you. I hope you enjoy the rest of the picnic.
Thanks. You too. Goodbye!
Bye!
CLB 4 - Ask about 2 things you like vs. CLB 3 - Ask about 1 thing

41. FC-S3-a-Greeting a Friend at a Community Event

42. FC-S4-a-Greeting a Friend at a Community Event
Asked 2 questions as opposed to 1
Performance indicators - different

43. CB-R4-c-Reading a Credit Card Bill
Copyright issue using commercial material
Some tasks involved quite a lot of work to produce ‘simulated real-world tasks’.

44. CB-R4-c- Reading a Credit Card Bill
Add keyword(s) (one or two at most)
Click on Go

45. ED-S2-ac-Greeting the Teacher When Arriving Late or Leaving Early
An example of an everyday real classroom task that is recorded when it actually occurs by the teacher. It can be recorded ether on a whole class observation record or on individual feedback forms.

46. HS-R1L-c- Reading a Doctor’s Office Appointment Card
A variety of student feedback forms to match the English level of the student including certificates
Think one records three different times in which a student was able to read different appointment cards

47. HN-WR2L-bc- Entering Information Into an Online Public Transit Trip Planner
A few tasks included multiple skills and competencies although the majority are limited to one.

48. ED-RWFL-bc-Copying Name and Date on a Class Paper
It can be challenging to find Found. Lit. tasks for PBLA. Although these are skill-building activities, the authentic task that is being evaluated is the student’s ability to copy their name and the date on a classroom paper.

49. ED-RWFL-bc-Copying Name and Date on a Class Paper
This tasks involves reading and writing and can be recorded on a feedback form such as this.

50. HS-L6-c- Understanding Workplace Safety Information
Higher level task with audio files

51. HN-L5-d-Getting Ready for G1 Road Test in Ontario
A higher level task with authentic real-life video reference
Answer sheet including reference to levels of questioning such as literal and interpretive

52. FAQ Page About Page Filename conventions Frequently asked questions
Templates used to create tasks
Credits
Survey and Contact Information:
About Page

53. Next Steps Real World Module plans to support PBLA
Development Nov Dec. 2019
Teams 2-3 module plan developers
Modules will include the plan, skill-building activities, skill using activities and real world tasks
Will be loaded onto realworldtasks.ca in early 2020

54. Thanks for attending our presentation!