COURSE INFO

Grading: A Fresh Approach

How are grades determined in German@ETHS courses?

To answer this question, we must first answer another one-What do we KNOW about grading in general?

Research shows that students of all identities perform best when grades are accurate, bias-resistant, and motivational. We also know that students can be hurt by inequitable grading practices that emphasize subjective things like completion and participation. This research is eloquently outlined in the book Grading for Equity by Joe Feldman (2018). This book is the foundation for the grading practices we are implementing in all our German courses this school year.

That sounds good, but what does that mean for day to day practice?

The most important thing for students and families to know is that students’ grades in their German classes reflect ONE thing only: Their ability to make meaning from spoken and written German and to communicate with spoken and written German. That’s it. 

There are two categories of “work” students will do in their German courses:

UNGRADED Formative Work Focused on LEARNING:

This work includes all the work of learning the content of this course. Some examples include (but are not limited to):

• Daily class activities, participation, and FUN

• Homework assignments

• Projects and group work

• Vocabulary study and learning 

• Focused practice with grammar structures

• Formative assessments of all varieties 

Students will get plenty of FEEDBACK both in Google Classroom and in HAC on this type of work so that they (and their families) can monitor their learning. However, they will NOT receive weighted grades in HAC for any of this work. 

GRADED Summative Assessments:

Students will have TWO Integrated Performance Assessments each Marking Period. These grades will be weighted in HAC and will be the basis for a student’s Marking Period grade. 

These grades will be transparent and predictable. Students may retake assessments for a higher grade. A calendar of assessment dates is available in Google Classroom for each course of German@ETHS.

So wait… homework is not graded??

No. Students will receive LOTS of timely instructor feedback on all their work, including on any homework that is assigned. However, this feedback is for the purpose of learning and will not be weighted in HAC. 

So the grade is determined by summative assessments alone? Isn’t that a lot of pressure on these tests? What about test anxiety?

This is a VERY important question! We are very aware of how anxiety-producing assessments can be. Therefore, we allow ample time after students receive their assessment grades to RETAKE their assessments for a higher grade. In fact, retakes are mandatory if students do not meet the minimum expected performance. In this sense, failure is almost impossible. Students will be given every chance possible to demonstrate their mastery of the material and hopefully, their grades should reflect this mastery.