Assessment Activity - Mid-term Exam Review for Adult ESL Learners

Sep 30, 2026

Lesson plan for an adult ESL international classroom in the US (usable in any language-learning setting) designed to prepare low-beginner students for a mid-term exam in reading, writing, and vocabulary. Guided by Assessment for Learning principles, students co-create their own mid-term review by selecting favorite subject areas, generating key concepts, drafting creative test questions, and producing poster-based study materials. A student-led review session then prompts peer questioning and answers, informing both further study and the teacher’s exam development.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

Learner audience and level

Activity type and goals

Activity: "Mid-term Reviews"

Pre-activities

During-activities

Post-activities

Group review instructions

Assessment Activity Overview: Learner Audience & Level: Adult ESL international classroom in the US, but can be implemented in any language learning classroom All levels This lesson plan was devised after the assessment lecture in order to help students study for and create a mid-term exam. The class (and the exam) was for low-beginner ESL students in a Reading, Writing, and Vocabulary class (all three are taught together in one, 2-hour a day, daily class. Activity Type: Class study review for mid-term exam Activity Goals: Implementing the Assessment for Learning principles, the goals of this activity is to incorporate students into self-assessing their own language abilities and achievements by being responsible for designing their mid-term exam. Activity: "Mid-term Reviews" PRE-Activities 1. The teacher provides students with a study guide containing everything that has been covered in class up until the midterm. This study guide serves as a frame for students to know what to study for, and to prepare for the “Midterm Review” Activity. 2. Students form groups of three. Each student receives the instructions (Attach:TestQuestionsInstructions.pdf) . Groups are given one copy per group of the collaborative worksheet: Attach:TestQuestionsGroupProject.pdf 3. Each of the three people in the group chooses his or her “favorite” subject (Reading, Writing, or Vocabulary) . That person is the leader of that subject and writes his or her name under the Reading, Writing, or Vocabulary headline on the worksheet. Leaders are responsible for helping every person in the group share ideas, talk about the topic, stay on task, and develop questions. DURING-Activities 4. For each subject (Reading, Writing, Vocabulary), each group member gives a word, idea, topic, or skill (‘A’ on worksheet) that he or she thought was a valuable lesson from the semester. Each group member writes his or her idea in own handwriting (to ensure that everyone is participating) . 5. The group discusses why those things are important, and writes them in section ‘B’ of the worksheet. 6. The group then discusses possible test questions that could be used to test the class on the topics written down in ‘A’ and ‘B’. Students should be encouraged to be creative with their questions and to have fun. 7. The completed worksheet’s test questions serves as a draft for a final write up of the student-created test questions and answers. After accuracy checking with the teacher, Foreign Language Teaching Methods [http://tltc.la.utexas.edu/methods](http://tltc.la.utexas.edu/methods) groups write/draw their questions and answers on a poster board that will be hung on the classroom wall for all students to see and use to review for the test. POST-Activities 8. In a student-run test review, student groups present their posters to the rest ofthe class, ask the questions, and probe classmates for the answers. 9. From the questions and answers in the review, every student in the class has several pertinent topics to study for the exam. Students study using the test questions that they or their peers created, alongside the teacher-produced study guide. 10. The teacher uses the questions and answers that the students created when developing the test. Foreign Language Teaching Methods [http://tltc.la.utexas.edu/methods](http://tltc.la.utexas.edu/methods) GROUP REVIEW INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Each person chooses their “favorite” subject (reading, writing, or vocabulary) . a . You are the leader of that subject. b. Write your name under the subject (reading, writing, or vocabulary) . c . You must help every person in the group i. share ideas ii. talk about the topic iii. stay on task (do the activity) and pay attention 2. For each subject (reading, writing, vocabulary): a . Each group member gives a word, idea, topic, or skill (A) . b. Each group member writes his or her idea in own handwriting. 3. Group discusses WHY those

FAQs

What is the purpose of the “Mid-term Reviews” activity?

It helps low-beginner ESL students prepare for a mid-term exam by using Assessment for Learning principles to take responsibility for designing their own exam review.

How do students participate during the group work?

Students form groups of three, choose a favorite subject (Reading, Writing, or Vocabulary), then generate key words/ideas/skills, explain their importance, and brainstorm creative test questions.

What happens after students create the posters?

Groups present their posters in a student-run review, ask their questions, and probe classmates for answers so everyone identifies relevant topics to study for the exam.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by mieayamfan