Do your assessments reflect all the powerful things your students have experienced and accomplished this year?
In this episode of Growing With Proficiency, the Podcast, I’m taking a moment to reflect on how we can make our assessments feel more connected to the reality of our classrooms—especially at the end of the year.
This idea was sparked by something Dr. Beniko Mason once said: “Assessments are more for me as a teacher than for my students.” That quote stuck with me and reminded me that assessments should help us understand what we’ve done, what our students have taken in, and where we can go next.
When Assessments Feel Disconnected
Sometimes, especially with end-of-year tests, our assessments only cover one part of what we do in class. And when that happens, I’ve noticed something: all those meaningful, daily interactions—calendar talks, star student interviews, weekend chats—can start to feel like they don’t matter to students. And that’s a problem.
When students don’t see those moments reflected in the grade book, the relevance fades.
Communication is a big part of what we do in class. In Episode 102 with AnneMarie Chase, we reflected on how assessments should allow students to show us what they can do with the language, and that’s a great first step.
However, there is more.
World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
When I revisited the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages, it hit me. The five C’s—Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities—are all part of the work we do every day. But are they part of our assessments?
In Episode 110 with Cecile Lainé, we talked about the five C’s from the World-Readiness Standards and how they show up naturally in our class routines through things like personal questions and star student interviews to build intercultural competence.
So if we’re already incorporating these powerful elements in our teaching, shouldn’t we also celebrate them in our assessments?
When we don’t, students start feeling that powerful activities like calendar talk or SEL check-ins are filler. But you and I both know: that’s where the real magic happens. That’s where we build community, spark curiosity, and see our students grow.
Bringing It All Together: 3 Ideas for Reflective Assessments
So today, I shared three ways we can make our assessments more reflective, more motivating, and more in tune with everything we do in class.
1. Add Reflection Questions to Your Assessments
At the end of your final assessment or unit test, try asking:
- What did you learn about yourself?
- What did you learn about your classmates?
- What did you learn about the world?
These questions allow students to connect their experiences to what they’ve learned and remind them that learning goes beyond just the “unit.” And yes, I allow students to respond in English—because the goal is understanding and reflection.
2. Gallery Walk with Memory Stations
If your curriculum is built around big cultural themes (like mine), this is a great way to revisit those units:
- Set up stations with images, texts, or symbols from each unit.
- Have students work in small groups to create mind maps about what they remember.
- Rotate through the stations, adding new ideas or questions.
Then, close the activity with a personal reflection: What surprised you? What’s something you’re proud to have learned?
This activity helps students see just how far they’ve come.
3. Personal Prompt Stations
Even if your curriculum is more topic-based (like clothing, family, or hobbies), you can still make space for meaningful reflection through personal prompt stations.
The key here is asking questions that match your students’ proficiency level. In Episode 138 with Maris Hawkins, she shared with s key elements of the updated ACTFL proficiency descriptors.
Understanding what our students should be able to do at each level is key when designing prompts.
For novice students, we should expect our students to use words, short phrases, simple sentences, high-frequency vocabulary when talking about familiar and rehearsed topics
Therefore, our questions might include:
- What’s your favorite subject at school and why?
- Do you have a pet? Tell me about it.
- What’s something you love doing with your family?
At this level, you may want to add sentence starters and sentences frames. And, again, responses might be a word or short sentence—and that’s okay! The goal is to let them feel successful with what they can say.
For intermediate students, you can go a little deeper. I ask questions like:
- What was your biggest challenge this year?
- What is something you feel proud of accomplishing?
- What goals do you have for next year?
Their responses might be some strings of sentences or maybe very short paragraphs, and that’s a powerful way to celebrate how far they’ve come.
The most important part is to create prompts that allow students to succeed at their level.
When we do that, we’re helping our students see their own growth, and that alone is worth celebrating.
✨ Bonus Idea: End-of-Year Survey
This is my go-to. Even when I can’t do the other ideas, I always do an end-of-year survey.
I ask questions like:
- What did you enjoy most?
- What activity helped you the most?
- What do you wish we did more of?
It’s simple but powerful. The feedback helps me reflect, make changes, and celebrate what worked. If you’d like to use the same survey and tools I use, grab my free end-of-year reflection workbook at growingwithproficiency.com/reflection.
Let’s Celebrate Our Growth
This time of year can be busy and exhausting—but it can also be joyful.
Assessment doesn’t have to be disconnected. It can be a celebration of all the learning, all the connection, and all the growth that happened in your classroom.
And speaking of celebrations…
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