PORTFOLIO: AN
ASSESSMENT TOOL
FOR COMPOSITION
COURSES
Sylvia M. Eliza, Ph.D.
English Department
University of Puerto Rico at Humacao
March 6, 2006
ASSESSMENT
Assess: to evaluate
Assidere (L.): to sit by (as a judge)
Judge (L.): judex, judicis
ius: right
+
dicere: to speak
Funk & Wagnalls Standard
Desk Dictionary, Vol. 1 (1984)
pp. 38; 352
Assessment
Systematic process that
provides information about
what or how much the
student has learned; allows
the teacher to make
important decisions to
improve the teachinglearning process
Assessment
Evaluation
Collect information to determine
whether the students are learning
what they are supposed to learn
Judgement
Improve
Assign a
grade
Alternative Student
Assessment
Ways to document what
students know and can
do; not just traditional
exams
Portfolio
A portable case for
holding drawings,
paper, etc.
Funk & Wagnall’s
Standard Desk
Dictionary, Vol. 2,
1984
Portfolio
An alternative assessment
technique
Collection of samples of
student’s works and
documents that represent
learning experiences
Works in progress, projects
carried out, student
reflections about the
learning process
Portfolio English 3201
Objective
Determine student’s progress
developing effective writing
skills
writing different kinds of
essays
Portfolio English 3202
Objective:
Determine student’s
progress in reading short
stories and writing
interpretive essays about
them
Portfolio
What is included
1.
Writing Samples




Pre-writing exercises
Drafts
Graded essays:
teacher’s corrections
Refined essays:
computer
Portfolio
What is included
2. Self-assessment chart
for Portfolio
3. Final Reflection:
How has the portfolio
helped you improve
your writing skills?
Evaluation Criteria
Presentation (50 points)
1.




Clean and attractive
Complete: all samples
Refined essays in computer
Handed in time
Self-assessment (25 points)
2.

Effort to improve
Final reflection (25 points)
3.


Well-written
Convincing
Portfolio
Implementation
March 8
to
May 12, 2006
Portfolio
Implementation
March 6
to
May 12, 2006