Formative Assessment

Shirin Sabirova

MA TESOL Program, Webster University in Tashkent

TESL5139 UG S2 2025: Instructional Methods for Language Classroom

Instructor: Assel Amrenova

April 10, 2025

 Statement of Originality and Assistance

Completely original.

I confirm that all the content in this formative assignment is entirely my own work and

reflects my personal understanding and ideas on the given topic. The only support I used

was Grammarly; grammar and spelling checker for minor corrections and clarification. I

used Quizizz.com to create my reading materials.

Disclosure of Prior Existing Material.

No pre-existing materials were used in its preparation. The description of the learners was

solely adapted from the initial formative assessment.

Description of Learners.

I currently teach at a language school where I work with various learner groups, ranging

from Beginners to IELTS preparation classes. For this course, I have chosen to focus on

my pre-intermediate group, which consists of 15 students aged 17–18. The learners have

diverse linguistic backgrounds, with some speaking Uzbek and others Russian as their first

language. Following Richards’ (2003) suggestion to incorporate cultural understanding

into teaching, I make a conscious effort to create an inclusive and pressure-free classroom

environment. I often consider their opinions on lesson topics and aim to prevent any

potential culture shock. These learners have been studying English for about a year and are

approaching a B1–B2 level on the CEFR scale. They demonstrate strong vocabulary

knowledge and are able to handle reading tasks and grammar-based exercises quite

confidently. In fact, they consistently score above 85–90% on grammar-focused

assessments and can write letters of around 100 and even 150 words with relative ease.
However, they struggle with writing structured paragraphs, even though they perform well

in writing letters. They often receive extensive feedback on their writing, which tends to

demotivate them and discourage them from revising their work. Additionally, they face

challenges in reading comprehension. While they can engage with the material, they often

take a long time to find answers and lack confidence in their responses. This suggests they

need more support in developing effective reading strategies, as reading currently feels

like a stressful task for most of them.

Reading Task

Objective.

To develop students’ reading comprehension skills through prediction, skimming,

scanning, and memory recall strategies, while expanding vocabulary related to study

habits. Students will also practice collaborative discussion, critical thinking, and

categorization of information based on textual evidence.

Instructions.

1. Work with the prepared words from the list below.

2. Discuss the title of the reading material and guess the possible context.
3. Read the forum-style messages.
4. Underline key points in the text.
5. Complete the True/False task, spending about 2 minutes per question.
6. Think about the overall meaning of the reading.
7. Try to answer the second task from memory (don’t look back at the text).
8. Finally, categorize the statements into the correct columns.

Important Words from the Text

Lack, distracts, peers, siblings, revise, improve, storage, process, rota, efficient

Pre-Reading Tasks
1. Vocabulary Work

a) Translate and define the words above.

b) Write a short sentence using each word correctly.
c) Share and compare your sentences with a partner.

2. Prediction

a) Look at the title: “Study Habits – Forum Discussion”

b) What do you think the reading will be about?
c) What kind of problems might people share on a forum like this?
d) Discuss in small groups and write 2–3 sentences predicting the content.

Study Habits – Forum Discussion

Anya – Losing Focus

I try to study at home, but I share a room with my younger siblings. They always play
loudly and distract me. I don’t want to argue with them, but I’m starting to feel really
behind with revision. There’s not enough space for my books, and the table is always full
of their toys. I feel stuck and overwhelmed.

E-tutor: Reply to Anya

Hi Anya, you’re not alone! Why not create a rota with your siblings for study and
playtime? You could also use containers or shelves for better storage. Having everything
in its place can really improve your focus. If talking is hard, maybe leave them a message
explaining how you feel.

Leo – Too Many Subjects

I’m studying for final exams in five subjects, and I lack time for everything. It’s frustrating
because I want to do well, but I get stressed and can’t focus. I try to study all at once, and
nothing stays in my mind!

E-tutor: Reply to Leo

Hi Leo! The key is to make a simple study timetable. Instead of long sessions, plan short,
daily revision periods. The brain needs time to process things. Don’t try to do too much at
once – be efficient. It’s about quality, not quantity.

Maya – Studying Alone Is Hard

I study a lot but feel like I’m not improving. I learn things, but later I forget them. None of
my friends want to study together, and I don’t know what to do.

E-tutor: Reply to Maya

Hi Maya. Studying with peers can help more than you think. If you can’t form a study
group, try online peer learning groups. Teaching others is a great way to remember what
you’ve studied. You’ll feel more confident and make better progress.

While-Reading Tasks

1. Skim and Underline

a. Skim through the text.

b. Underline key ideas in each message and the advice given by the E-tutor.

2. True/False Exercise

Statement True/False Evidence

1. Anya feels frustrated because her siblings don’t help her study.

2. The E-tutor told Anya to study only at school.

3. Leo says he has too much to revise and no time.

4. The E-tutor advises Leo to study everything in one long session.

5. Maya feels her studying is not making any difference.

6. The E-tutor suggests Maya should avoid group work.

7. Storage and organization can help improve focus.

8. Peer learning is described as an efficient method.

Post-Reading Tasks

1. Memory Reconstruction (No Text!)

a. Without looking at the reading:

b. What advice was given to Anya?
c. What does Leo struggle with, and what was he told to do?
d. What did Maya say about her studying, and how was she advised?
2. Peer Check and Discussion

a. Check your answers in small groups.

b. Discuss your answers and provide evidence from memory or text.
c. If your answers are different, explain your thinking and try to agree.

3. Categorize the Statements

a. Now classify the True/False statements into:

b. Correct (True) Incorrect (False) Not Given

Justification

The chosen reading material is carefully selected with the specific needs and attitudes of

my learners in mind. My students often express reluctance when faced with long or dense

reading passages, which they perceive as overwhelming or boring. To address this, I

deliberately chose a forum-style text, which presents multiple short messages from

different individuals. This format not only breaks the text into manageable sections, but

also mirrors real-life reading situations, making it more relatable and engaging. Each

message represents a mini-text with a clear purpose, allowing learners to focus on main

ideas without feeling overloaded. One of the key challenges my students face is the

inability to focus on main points in a text. They tend to read passively or get distracted by

unfamiliar words and less relevant details. To strengthen this skill, the reading task

emphasizes skimming, encouraging learners to actively identify and underline key ideas.

The True/False exercise plays a critical role here. As Lee (2013) notes, true/false tasks

promote deeper comprehension, requiring learners to process information beyond its

surface meaning. Importantly, the statements in this task are not about the entire text, but
are based on specific points, prompting learners to practice selective reading—a strategy

that helps them focus on essential information without getting lost in the details. By

engaging with this task, learners start to understand that reading does not necessarily mean

processing every word. Instead, they begin to develop the skill of extracting relevant

information efficiently, even within time constraints or when they encounter unfamiliar

vocabulary. The shorter format of the text reinforces this message by demonstrating that

even short texts can contain irrelevant details, and that length does not equal difficulty if

appropriate strategies are applied. The second task, which requires learners to recall

information without re-reading, reinforces this skimming technique by encouraging mental

reconstruction. This strengthens memory, comprehension, and confidence in working with

texts. The peer discussion stage at the end of the task is also pedagogically valuable. It

gives learners a chance to justify their answers, reflect on their reasoning, and consider

alternative perspectives. This interaction not only sharpens their comprehension skills but

also builds communicative competence and critical thinking. This reading task is designed

not just to test understanding, but to train my learners in effective reading strategies. It

supports their transition from passive readers to strategic and confident ones, helping them

see that they are capable of engaging with various types of texts regardless of length or

complexity.
 Writing Task.

Objective.

To enhance students’ editing and revision skills by engaging in constructive peer

feedback, focusing on grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, and paragraph structure. This

task aims to foster critical thinking, self-awareness, and collaboration, laying the

groundwork for more effective and coherent writing.

Peer Feedback

To develop learners’ ability to revise written work by identifying errors, applying peer

feedback, and improving paragraph structure. This task serves as a foundation for future

essay writing by encouraging self-reflection and collaborative editing.

Instructions

1. Each student selects one paragraph from their previous writing assignment (e.g., a

homework task or in-class writing).

2. Exchange your paragraph with a partner.

3. Read your partner’s paragraph carefully.

4. Underline grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, or structural mistakes.

5. Provide written feedback with clear suggestions on, What should be changed,

corrected, or omitted, Why the change is needed (e.g., grammar rule, coherence

issue)

6. Return the paper to the original writer.

 Original Paragraph (Unchanged) Revised Paragraph (Improved Version)

Spend 20 minutes completing this task individually.

Justification

As noted by Maamuujav (2019), second language learners often struggle to express their

ideas in a coherent and well-organized way, largely due to the cognitive and linguistic

demands of writing in a non-native language. The re-drafting writing task addresses this

issue by helping learners engage more critically with their own writing and encouraging

them to develop self-editing skills. By focusing on peer-reviewed feedback and rewriting,

students are given the opportunity to reflect on and correct their mistakes, which can

significantly accelerate the learning process. The primary objective of this task is to

enhance learners’ ability to write accurate, well-structured paragraphs. Through active

engagement with their own texts, learners analyze their weaknesses and work toward
improvement. This hands-on process not only promotes grammatical accuracy and logical

organization but also supports the development of a more academic writing style. As

students gain experience with this cycle of drafting, reviewing, and re-drafting, they

become more confident in independently applying these skills to future assignments,

gradually moving from a B1 level toward B2 or even higher. In my context, where

students often struggle to produce full, coherent paragraphs and rarely review their work,

this task introduces a critical shift. It emphasizes the importance of revising as a natural

and necessary part of the writing process. Additionally, the inclusion of peer feedback

encourages collaborative learning. Because feedback is delivered by classmates rather than

solely by the teacher, students tend to receive it more positively, which helps maintain

motivation and fosters a supportive classroom environment. Furthermore, the task aligns

with learner-centered principles. With the teacher acting as a facilitator rather than a judge,

students feel less pressure and more ownership of their learning. This atmosphere of

autonomy and collaboration creates a productive space for improving writing accuracy,

clarity, and confidence—key steps toward academic writing proficiency.

 Reference:

https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/67a0667d3d78861d262d5fd4/unbroken-introduction

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/cefr

https://www.ielts.org/en-us/for-organisations/ielts-scoring-in-detail

Maamuujav et al. – 2019 - The utility of infographics in L2 writing classes A practical

strategy to scaffold.

Lee- 2013 – Thinking Matters Inferencing in ESL Reading Lessons.

Richards, J. C. (2003). Current Trends in Teaching Listening and Speaking. The Teacher,

17–19.