Forms of Assessment

Forms of Assessment

If one was to draw a continuum on a piece of paper to plot out the different methods of language education the transactional method would be close to the center of the line, with the transmissional method and organic/Romantic method on the opposing ends. The transmissional method of instruction stresses direct instruction, usually with drill and practice type of exercises. The lessons are skills based with a stress on “part to whole” language. This refers to experiencing words as their individual graphophonemic parts. The transactional method of teaching stresses the facilitation of information from the teacher to the student. Learning for the transactional teacher is a social process with the learner. Knowledge is constructed by the learner and language is taught from “whole to part”. Whole to part refers to the context with which the learner sees text. Rather than learning words and graphemes individually, the learner sees them in full texts. These language methods are often shaped by the particular paradigm that each teacher chooses.

The search for truth forms the various paradigms that we have discussed in class. According to Realism, truth can be found only in the real world. The quest for knowledge ends with what we can see and feel and touch. Realism is very empirical and scientific therefore translates into a transmissional view of language. An example of a philosophy that comes from this paradigm is Essentialism. In contrast to Realism, Pragmatism holds that there is no truth. Truth is not found in the real world, but truth is relative. It is defined and constructed by the learner. The Pragmatist view translates into a transactional method of language instruction. The transaction between the teacher and the learner is a mutual quest for knowledge. The prime example of a philosophy of education that arises from Pragmatism is Constructivism. The third out of the three main paradigms that form educational thought is Idealism. Unlike Pragmatism, Idealism says that there is truth. Also, unlike Realism, Idealism says that truth can be found in the metaphysical.

So where does that leave Christians? Christians find knowledge in both the metaphysical (from God) and from the real world (His creation). That means that there must be a middle ground between Realism and Idealism. This middle ground is called Christian Theism. Christian Theism holds that there is truth and that it can be found, through God and His works.