Formative Assessment in the context of multilingual education

Abstract

In the article, on the basis of the review of the tendencies of the development of modern education in the world and Ukraine, and the studies of the model of multilingual education in experimental general secondary education institutions with instruction in the languages of national minorities, the role of formative assessment in the programs for multilingual education is defined, its basic principles are considered, the interplay between formative and summative assessment are characterized; the major techniques of formative assessment are provided. In the process of formative evaluation, instead of detecting and documenting learning shortcomings, it is necessary to analyze the reasons that led thereto. Moreover, learner self-analysis is to precede teachers evaluation. The core feature of the formative assessment is that learning is viewed as involvement into everyday activities, while monitoring and evaluation procedures are regarded as a part of the process of acquisition of cognitive experience.
The content and structure of the language portfolio is a technology for evaluation the maturity level of multilingual competence of learners. The language portfolio provides an opportunity to define the level of learners skills, which demonstrate the formation of multilingual competence; learners motivation in learning languages and using them in everyday activities; learners reflection relating to their own academic achievements.
The example of the language portfolio for 3rd‑4th grades of the primary schools of general secondary education institutions with instruction in the languages of national minorities is provided; the context of the effective implementation thereof is analyzed. The trends of the further research of formative assessment and the forms of its implementation into the practice of teaching in general secondary education institutions are defined. Thus, an important challenge for pedagogical science is further comprehension of theoretical aspects of formative assessment in the context of reform of Ukrainian school, notably in the process of implementation of multilingual education and providing the respective scientific and methodological support at all stages of general secondary education in Ukraine.