1. Forms of feedback and related assessment

All assessment in the course is formative. The approach is to learn from the contributions of colleagues, from engaging with feedback you receive and giving feedback yourself.

The course offers a range of forms of feedback to support your learning and help you gauge and foster your own progress. The forms of feedback will encompass:

• the model answers to the activities you engage with in each Unit

• your posts on the discussion forum in response to the Application and Reflection task in each unit

• tutor comments on your forum posts

• your constructive comments on other people’s posts on the discussion forum

In order to gain a certificate stating that you have successfully passed the course, you will have to successfully undertake all aspects of at least four out of the five Application and Reflection tasks. Please note that this will have to include the Application and Reflection task in Unit 5. Your tutor will monitor your work on the Application and Reflection tasks throughout the course.

The Application and Reflection tasks will require you to plan language learning  activities for your language learners, try them out with your learners, and reflect on the challenges and successes afterwards. Please share the initial plans (in response to the points listed in the Application tasks of each unit) for your Language learning  activities with your peers and tutor in the course forum, and you will receive feedback and suggestions on your planned activities there. Please check the course timetable for the submission deadlines of this part of the task.

The reflection part of the formative assessment task is specifically designed for you to contribute to the collaborative research project between The Open University and Lingo Flamingo and is an opportunity for you to reflect on your own and your learners’ progress and note down changes you notice, for example an increase in confidence or a difference in the relationship you have with your learners, their families or friends, your work colleagues etc. Please share your reflections in the Reflective Learning Log after you have tried out your language activities. The Reflective Learning Log is not shared with your peers and can only be accessed by you, your tutor and the researchers. We encourage you to submit the reflections soon after you have tried out your language learning activities in each unit. If you wish, you can also share your reflections with your peers in the course forum.

Please make sure to submit all elements which require forum interactions with the group as timely as possible, since a meaningful exchange can only happen when all students engage with each other in the dedicated time frame. Your tutors will remind you of these time frames and moderate the forum discussions.

You will have deadlines for the submission of the Application and Reflection tasks at the end of Units 1 - 5. They are as follows:

• Unit 1 Application and Reflection task by end of study week 3

• Unit 2 Application and Reflection task by end of study week 6

• Unit 3 Application and Reflection task by end of study week 9

• Unit 4 Application and Reflection task by end of study week 12

• Unit 5 Application and Reflection task by end of study week 15

Unit 6 has no Application and Reflection task.

A timetable with the deadlines for the individual tasks can be found in the Assessment Timetable. Please adhere to these deadlines, so that the tutors can submit their feedback to you in a timely manner.

The tutors have 10 working days from the date of your submission to send you their feedback.

Please note: Should you find at any point that you might need an extension for the submission of the reflective tasks, please contact your tutor in advance of the set submission date to arrange this.

2. Feedback criteria for the Application and Reflection tasks are

Knowledge and understanding of the relevant concepts, theories and perspectives discussed in the module material and other relevant sources and use of this knowledge and understanding in an imaginative and creative way, not just reproducing information.

Critical analysis and evaluation based on understanding of relevant conceptual and practical knowledge derived from study of the module and other relevant material. Evidence of engagement with the material and an ability to synthesise and evaluate it to construct an argument that addresses the question and that gives clear evidence of independent engagement with the ideas.

Structure, communication and presentation: clarity and coherence of the argument, and a logical structure; use of correct referencing as specified in the guidance, including bibliography if appropriate.

Click the back button to return.