J Brown (Eau Claire, Wisconsin), B Brunow (Spartanburg, South Carolina) p.94-117
2014 Issue 1
Abstract
Communicative language teaching has been a hallmark of foreign language pedagogy in the US and abroad since the 1970s. Although classroom instruction and teaching materials are based on communicate teaching methods and ACTFL’s five Cs and standards for foreign language learning, assessment warrants additional attention. Most forms of assessment in the communicative classroom still coincide with grammar-translation and audio-lingual methods. This article presents a model for a learner-portfolio in a Business German class as a form of assessment that can mend the disconnect between instruction and assessment by focusing on communicative abilities, cultural awareness, and real-world application, while also integrating skill-based knowledge. Although the portfolio project is conceived for the Business German classroom, its structure is readily applicable to other German courses. The article invites instructors to carefully examine the relationship between instruction and assessment and proposes ways of addressing the potential gap between the two.