How to Grade Participation More Objectively: A Grading Participation Scheme

In an ESL classroom participation is highly important. Not only is it important in the student’s language development, but a participation grade is also a valuable tool for the teacher in urging the student’s lingual development. Without participation the student’s basis of the language would be almost wholly in writing, and as we all know, that simply isn’t realistic for one seeking fluency in the English language; or any language for that matter. However, the problem that seems to arise in grading participation is the subjectivity of it. One teacher may grade leniently while the other may grade more harshly. The result? A group of students upset with their marks, and a group of teachers unable to prove why the students were graded the way they were.

As far as participation goes, there will always be a little subjectivity. However, as with any grading scheme, it cannot wholly be based on it. There has to be some sort of solid evidence and proof to show for the students grades. A teacher should be able to sit down with the student and explain why they obtained the grade they did. This includes showing them the proof of their marks, what is there and what is missing. What can they do to raise their score? Furthermore, teachers should be grading on the same scale, and they should be able to show that.

One way to create an effective and more objective grading scheme for participation is to base it on physical, tangible things. Things that can be recorded and measured accordingly such as: attendance (including tardiness to class), homework submission, quiz submission, and daily review/in class questions. The last of the list, the daily questions, can be recorded as they are answered, and an allotment for how many points a student can get can be set. In order to effectively implement this system of daily participation points, the teacher must explain the point system to the class. They should know how they are being graded, and they each question allotted to them, or answered during class is given points that work toward their weekly participation grade. An example scheme is as such: