Blog 9 Quiz 1 at the CCA

Hello, everyone ✌

For this new entry, I’ll write about one of the most important moments at the CCA: the midterm quiz, or Quiz 1. First, I’ll explain what Quiz 1 is, including its role, organization, and purpose for students. I’ll also describe the preparation process and the importance of checking the quiz beforehand to give students enough review to perform properly during the exam. Finally, I’ll give my thoughs on the exam and the whole process including the review, organization and overall procedures.

The guiding questions for this entry are:

Did you check the quizzes before delivering them?

What is the purpose of having a review activity before administering the quizzes?

What procedures did you observe during the administration of the quizzes?

Quiz 1 at the CCA: purpose and procedures

Quiz 1 evaluates the knowledge students have acquired during the first half of their KTP semestral course. Its main goal is to check students’ overall progress in terms of the topics they’ve been learning. It also helps teachers determine whether students meet the level requirements at that point in the course, since all courses of the same level are evaluated using the same exam. This is because teachers don’t create the exams, but the evaluating committee does.

Even though teachers don’t design the exams, they are still responsible for giving students enough input to prepare. In my case, my team teacher handles the review in two moments. First, she gives students an infographic with useful links to help them prepare outside of class. This includes resources for reading, listening, grammar, and vocabulary. The second moment happens in class, where she organizes different activities to help students get ready for the exam. For example, she started with a reading activity to help students practice scanning skills and grasp the main ideas of paragraphs. Then, she moved on to grammar activities focused on will/going for TB1 1.1 and modal verbs for TB1 1.1.

After the review, the quiz moment arrives. The quizzes are organized by junior teachers, who take into account the floor of the classrooms and level of the exams. The teacher receives the quiz about 10 minutes before the exam time from SP and signs to confirm they received all the copies. The exams aren’t just handed out to students, as there is a set of steps teachers must follow. First, students pack up their things and help form 3 to 4 rows of chairs at the front of the classroom. Then, the teacher organizes them in alphabetical order by last name, and the exam begins.

The exam is designed to be completed in one hour and follows this structure:

1) Students write their name and the teacher’s name.

2) Students do the first section which is listening. Students listen to the audio only twice.

3) After that, they continue at their own pace with the rest of the exam, which includes reading, grammar, vocabulary, and writing.

During the exam, students can ask questions, but teachers cannot answer anything that directly gives away an answer. They can help with vocabulary or give hints.

Once a student finishes, they must remain seated and cannot use any devices or leave the classroom until the full hour has passed.

When the exam ends, the teacher collects the copies in order, and the class is over.

Teachers grade the quizzes over the weekend so students can receive their grades on Monday. In class, students review their exams, ask for feedback, and then return them to the teacher. The exams are stored in a container as part of the Colombos archives.

What did I do in this whole process? What are my thoughts?

As a practitioner, I was in charge of several aspects related to the review and monitoring of the exam. First, I helped create the infographics for TB1 1.1. I also reviewed the exams beforehand to understand what students were being evaluated on and anticipate possible questions. On the day of the class, I led part of the review focused on reading strategies. Finally, I supported students during the exam by giving hints and helping with vocabulary.

Personally, I think the process is very well thought out and follows a clear set of steps to ensure the exam is completed correctly and on time. The review is extremely helpful, and students receive constant input to practice and refresh the topics covered throughout the course. When I'm in charge of the exams, I will make sure to follow all the steps.

I also plan to implement some ideas I discussed with my team teacher. For example, I’m considering setting up a timer so students can keep track of the remaining time during the exam. Another idea is to bring books for those who finish early, so they can stay engaged while waiting for the rest of the class to finish.