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    • LEARNER ASSESSMENT
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    CORRELATIONS
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    CULMINATING ASSESSMENT TASKS

    What is a culminating assessment?
    The culminating assessment tasks in the REEP Curriculum are extended performance-based assessments.  This type of assessment is more complex and elaborate than restricted performance-based assessments, which are often used to assess mastery of individual language and lifeskills. Extended performance-based assessments capture a broader range of student performance. The task is often completed over time, e.g. a project and provides an opportunity for students to practice EFF non-language skills, i.e. Interpersonal skills, Decision making skills, and Lifelong learning skills. Students are often involved in planning the task and in assessing their own performance.

    What is the goal of the culminating assessments?
    The overall goal of a culminating assessment task for a lifeskills unit (e.g. work or health) is to:
    Enable students to demonstrate their ability to access and navigate a particular system (e.g. the health care system or the employment system) as appropriate to their level using level appropriate language as well as non-language skills.

    What are the assessment standards?
    The standards for evaluating student performance on culminating assessment tasks are the REEP Level Descriptors and students' demonstrated ability to access and navigate the U.S. system as described in the unit objectives.

    How does the REEP Program recommend using these assessments?
    At REEP, classes run in 12 week cycles. While learner assessment is on-going, more formal assessment occurs at three intervals. During the first two weeks, teachers conduct assessments to verify correct level placement. At the 6 week mark, teachers assess student progress date and towards the target instructional level for the following cycle. Teachers conference individually with students to review their progress and give suggestions for the remaining 6 weeks of the cycle. At the end of the 12 weeks, teachers assess students to determine the best level placement for them in the coming cycle.

    The culminating assessments are designed to provide a rich picture of student performance that can inform decision-making at critical junctures. REEP, therefore, recommends that a minimum of two culminating assessment tasks be conducted each cycle - one at the mid-point to inform mid-cycle assessments and the other at the end of the cycle to inform promotion and retention decisions. It is not necessary to conduct the culminating assessment task directly following the coverage of lifeskills objectives for a particular topic. In fact, conducting the assessment at a later date may better indicate students' retention of the language and lifeskills needed to complete the task. However, if done at a later date, sufficient review should be conducted prior to the assessment task.


    Where can I find samples of these assessments?
    Each health and work unit in this curriculum includes a culminating assessment task. The assessments can also be found under Resources, as well as here.

    How can I develop my own culminating assessments?

    The following guidelines were used in developing the culminating assessment tasks for the health and work units and are included here as guidelines for teachers wishing to create additional assessment tasks of this type.

    The assessment task should exhibit these characteristics of effective assessments:

    • Be level appropriate.
    • Assess performance in a new way, but measure what has been taught and learned. These tasks should not introduce new skills.
    • Enable students to demonstrate language proficiency as described in the REEP Level Descriptions.
    • Enable teachers to assess students’ language proficiency.
    • Enable teachers to assess students’ performance on unit goal.
    • Enable teachers to document performance and provide feedback to students. See Assessment Sheet for Culminating Activity.
    • Simulate a real life task.
    • Be practical in terms of administration time and necessary resources.
    • Be reliable. Someone else rating the learner would make the same decision about the learners’ performance.
    • Be acceptable to the learners as a valid activity.
    The culminating assessment tasks should also:
    • Provide students with an opportunity to practice EFF non-language skills, e.g. students involved in planning the task, learner self-assessment, working together, report back, learning from one another, voice their opinions, etc.

      • Include technology, where appropriate (e.g. Internet tools, digital photography, digital recording). See Technology Curriculum under Instructional Planning.
    Click here for a template for culminating assessments.

    Arlington Education and Employment Program
    2801 Clarendon Blvd., Room 218, Arlington, VA 22201

    Contact REEP: reep@arlington.k12.va.us