The Effect of the Learning Targets on Assessment Tasks

Before starting teaching, teachers must establish the needs of the learners and this could be done best by determining or recognizing the learning targets which should be clearly stated and there should be matching between the learning targets and the assessment tasks. Learning targets are the interim academic goals that teachers establish for students who are working toward meeting more comprehensive learning standards. Despite the importance of the learning targets in leaning and teaching in general and for assessemnet tasks in particular , most teachers donot realize this or ignore it or may be donot know how to write learning targets and matching them with the assessment tasks. This study is an attempt to present a framework for understanding the importance of learning targets where they play an integral role in teaching and learning and in assessment tasks .The study also tries to draw the intention to an important view which is involving students by sharing them the learning targets and self assessment. Consequently ,the major aims of this study are to : 1.explore the effect of learning targets on assessment tasks and to 2. present a model of writibg learning targets according to Bloom‘s cognitive domain and machibg them with the assessment tasks. In order to achieve the aims of the study , the following procedures are going to be followed : 1.carry out theoretical review related to learning targets and assessment ,providing satisfactory definitions and identifying types and the importance of them , 2.survey the most prominent taxonomies for educational targets , 3.investigate the effect of learning targets on assessment tasks, 4.apply Bloom‘s taxonomy to write a model of matching learning targets with the assessment tasks. It is hoped that this study will be beneficial to EFL teachers of English language since it deals with two important points that affect the process of learning and teaching :the leaning targets and assessment which fall under applied linguistics.


The Usefulness of the Learning Targets:
Before starting teaching ,one must attempt to establish the language needs of a particular student or group of students as accurately as possible and also determine their entry level.And it seems that the sound approach in language teaching English is to recognize what the targets of teaching are (Wilkins,1974:58). In teaching English, ,targets should be clearly stated and the skills needed are to be well specified (Johnson et al , 1982:6-8).
Learning targets have benefits for teachers , administratives and students,for the teachers,learning targets provide guidance for their planning their instructions. They enable the teachers to plan the steps the students must take to achieve them and to search for the appropraite teaching procedures and techniques (Thangasamy ,2008 : 26 ). It is very important to state explicitly what teachers want students to gain from the lesson .They also help the teachers direct their teaching towards the important students' achievements that the teacher ,the school and parents have in mind (Nitko,2004:30). Guided by learning targets, teachers partner with their students during a formative learning cycle togather and apply strong evidence of student learning to raise achievement ). And they make informed decisions about how and when to differentiate instruction to challenge and engage all students in important and meaningful work to do (Nitko,2004:16).
Guided by learning targets, principals can promote coherence between actions at the classroom level and actions at the school level and centraloffice administrators can implement effective strategies to increase student achievement across buildings with different needs and unique characteristics shaped by the students, teachers, administrators, parents, and community members who work together in each building. They can develop and manage human capital to carry out their strategy for improvement, gain district (Moss & Brookhart,2009). Learning targtes motivate students' learning as the students know beforehand what they must learn in any given unit of instruction ,they can better direct their own attention and efforts(Thangasamy,2008:28). They can also better allocate resources to promote student learning and lead professional development efforts in their building ( Moss & Brookhart2009).Learning targets are student-friendly descriptions-via words, pictures, actions, or some combination of the three-of what you intend students to learn or accomplish in a given lesson. When shared meaningfully, they become actual targets that students can see and direct their efforts toward. They are better able to • Compare where they are with where they need to go; • Set specific goals for what they will accomplish; • Choose effective strategies to achieve those goals.

1.2.1.The Importance of Learning Targets for Classroom Assessment:
The most effective teaching and the most meaningful student learning happen when teachers design the right learning target for today's lesson and use it along with their students to aim for and assess understanding. Educators focused on raising student achievement through formative assessment processes (Brookhart, Moss, & Long, 2009( 52-67), 2010( 41-58), 2011; Moss, Brookhart, & Long, 2011a, 2011b, 2011c. Learning targets should also determine whether and in what proportion assessments should be administered -on demand.‖ Assessment should be interactive and dynamic (Lunt, 1993).Before crafting any assessment procedures ,teachers need to know what student outcomes they need to assess .They should have clearly in mind the students'' performances they need to evaluate .If teachers are not clear on which important learning outcomes they want to evaluate , they may fail to assess these outcomes validly. (Nitko,2004:17) .
There is emphasis on the need for a closer substantive connection between assessment and meaningful targets. Assessments must mirror important thinking and learning processes, especially modes of inquiry and discourse, as they are valued and practiced in the classroom. The purpose of assessment in classrooms must also be changed fundamentally so that it is used to help students learn and to improve instruction rather than being used only to rank students or to certify the end products of learning .Learning Targets play a central role to recognize if the assessment adequately covers and samples what teachers taught, correctly identify what students know/don't know, and their level of achievement (Nitko,2004: 17) .The learning targets have values for the following aspects of classroom assessment: 1.The general planning for an assessment is made easier by knowing the specific outcomes teachers wish students to achieve. 2.Selecting and crafting assessment procedures depend on the teachers' knowledge which specific achievement teachers should assess. 3.Evaluating an existing assessment procedures teachers already crafted is easier when knowing the specific learning targets. 4.Properly judging the content relevance of an assessment procedures requires teachers to know the specific achievements teachers should assess.(ibid). Leaning Targets help students to assess and adjust what they are doing to get there as they are doing it and the substance of classroom assessments must be congruent with important learning goals. 1.3.Types of Learning Targets: 1.Knowledge Learning Target: The facts and concepts we want students to know Either rote learned or retrieved using reference materials. It refers to the mastery of substantive subject content where mastery incl udes both knowing and understanding it (Ornstein &Hunkins,2009:96 Construct a pargraph, Develop a personal health-related fitness plan ,Construct a physical model of an object ,Write a term paper to support a thesis. 5.Affective: The attainment of affective traits such as attitudes, values, interest and self-efficacy and students' attitudes about school and learning.

Taxonomies of Educational Targets:
Taxonomies of instructional learning targets are highly organized schemes for classifying learning targets into various levels of complexity .Generally, educational learning targets fall into one of three domains: A. A widely used method of classifying Learning Targets is the taxonomy of education .It has been first prepared by a group of college and university examiners in the cognitive domain and edited by Benjamin S. Bloom (Kongwad, 2007: 250).This taxonomy is a comprehensive outline of a range of cognitive abilities. This taxonomy classifies cognitive performances into six major headings arranged from simple to complex.

1.4.1.1.Bloom' s Taxonomy:
This taxonomy is a comprehensive outline of a range of cognitive performance into six major headings arranged from simple to complex (Nitko, 2004:23 ). It is concerned with knowledge outcomes , intellectual abilities and skills. It includes activities such as remembering and recalling , thinking ;the ability to think can range from simple recall of information to complex thinking behavior ,i.e., assimilation of information and evaluation .The major categories are: 1.Knowledge: refers to the simple recall of recognition of previously learned materials .This may involve the recall of terminology ,basic principles , generalizations and specific facts such as dates, events, persons and places .This level focuses on the storage and retrieval of information in memory. (Mrunalini, 2008: 68).
Action verbs that might be used in this level include :define, identify, give, recall dates, find out, employ , inquire, classify categories or names, outline, state, (Kongwad,2007:250), label, select, describe, (Mrunalini, 2008: 68), (Nitko, 2004:23) Students can answer -who, what, when and where''(Thangasamy. 2008:17) Example.The student will be able to define the terms :knowledge, application. 2.Comprehension: represents the first level of understanding , explain and summarize material for future(Mrunalini2008: 68).It is the ability to grasp the meaning of material .It involves activities like translating one form to the other, interpreting, predicting future trends. (Kongwad 2007: 250) refering to a type of understanding or apprehension such that the individual knows what is being communicated without necessarily relating it to other material or seeing its fullest implication . (Nitko,2004:23) . Action verbs that are used in this level are : translate , covert, generalize, rewrite, summarize, distinguish, infer, alter, explain, paraphrase,(Mrunalini, 2008: 69), predict a future, estimate the future sequence of data . (Kangwad, 2007: 250).Questions are usually characterized by words such as ‗'how‖, -why‖ (Thangasamy, 2008:17). Example.The student will be able to summarize a short story.

3.Application:
The use of abstraction in particular and concrete situations(to solve new or novel problems). The abstraction may be in the form of general ideas , rules of procedure or generalized methods. (Nitko,2005:23 ).It is the ability to use learned material or information in new and concrete situations (Kongwad 2007: 250).Verbs of actions that could be used within this level include: use, operate, produce, change , solve, show, determine, compute,(Mrunalini 2008: 69). Example: Giving a quadratic question, the student will be able to determine its two roots. 4.Analysis: refers to the break down of the material into its constituents parts or elements(Mrunalini 2008: 68, Kangwad 2007: 250, Nitko,2005:23 ).Verbs of action within this level are; discriminate, select, distinguish, separate, analyze, break down, identify, subdivide, compare) (Mrunalini 2008: 69). Example.The student will be able to write the simplest elements of a chemical compound.

5.Synthesis:
It is putting together the elements and parts so as to form a whole .This involves the process of working with pieces, parts, elements, etc. (Nitko,2005:24), Kongwad, 2007: 250).This is the ability to produce a unique communication , production of a plan or proposal of operations and development of a set abstract relations. It emphasizes on the creation of a new pattern or structure (Kongwad,2007:250).
Verbs used are : design , plan, compile, compose , organize, conclude, arrange, construct, devise. Example. Given a problem, the student will be able to propose at least two possible solutions to the problem. 6.Evaluation: Judgments about the value of material and methods for given purpose. Quantitative and qualitative judgments stated about the extent to which material and methods satisfy criteria. The criteria may be those determined by the students (internal) or those which are given to them (external) (Nitko,2005:24 );it is the highest order of learning in the cognitive hierarchy. This involves the elements of all the other categories along with value judgment ( Kongwad ,2007: 250). Verbs used in this level may include the following: appraise, compare, justify, criticize, explain, interpret, conclude, summarize, evaluate (Mrunalini, 2008: 69).Evaluation questions are characterized by such words as ‗should, could, in your opinion, etc. (Thangasamy, 2008:17). Example. By viewing a football match, the students will be able to rate the match in form of its skills and tactics required for it. Figure (2) Bloom's Taxonomy and Levels of Difficulty:

1.4.2.Affective Domain
It is concerned with feelings .It includes the targets which describe the change in interests, attitudes ,appreciation and modes of adjustment (kangwad2007:251) .The targets in this domain are concerned with the

1.4.3.Psycho motor Domain:
Objects or targets in this domain are related to perceptual and motor skills areas. It requires a higher order of thinking , ability and doing .It deals with areas involving varied types of muscular skills and coordination ( Kongwad ,2007, 251) . This domain is very useful and relevant in physical education ,music, drama, art and courses. (Mrunalini . 2008: 71). Many attempts are made to present classifications of the targets or the objects of this domain. First:Simpson (1972) classified the psycho motor domain as : 1.Perception refers to the use of organs to obtain cues that guide motor activity. 2.Set means readiness to take a particular type of action .A learning situation requires the physical, mental and emotional readiness of the learner. 3.Guided response refers to the early stages in learning a complex skill.When a learner learns a complex skill drawing a diagram ,he learns through imitation and trial and error. 4.Mechanism: is the process by which the learned response becomes more perfect and habitual. 5.Complex overt response refers to the skillful performance of motor acts that involve complex movement patterns. 6.Adaptation is the skill to adjust to the novel situation .It is the skills that are so well developed that the individual can modify movement patterns to fit special requirements or to meet a problem situation. 7.Orgination refers to creative performance skills .It is the new movement pattern to fit a particular situation or specific problem (Kongwad,2007, 260). Second: Harrow (1972) and Mullan(1977) presented a four level of taxonomy which can be seen as follows: 1.Fundemental movements: are those that form the basic building blocks for the higher level movement .For example the ability to trace objects , grasp objects or crawl and walk. Example:The student will be able to properly hold a tennis racket for the back hand. 2.Generic Movements: refers to the ability to carry out the basic rudiments of a skill even when giving directions under supervision. Awareness of the body in motion and arrangements and use of the body parts is learned. 3.Ordinate movements :marks the competence in performing a skill and independently. The skill is mastered and there is precision of performance. Example:The child performs step by step.

4.Creative Movements:
The individual will be able to invent unique motor options or improve originality into movement or combine several movements into a personal unique motor design or invent new movements. Example:After giving a sequence of dance , the child will perform dance by incorporating its own personal talent.

Criteria For writing Learning Targets:
Allen(1986:6-7) mentions that learning targets should be decided first in line with the overall aim of teaching programme and then should be selected and graded to meet these objects. They should be formulated hand in hand with the particular teaching situation which the teacher faces (Wilkins,1974:58). The followings are minimum criteria for learning targets that ensure their usefulness as a basis for classroom instruments and crafting assessment (Lindvall,19964,1967cited in Nitko, 2005:28). a.Student centered : learning targets should focus on students and the changes in their performance. (Nitko,2005:28).They are most clearly captured in terms of what students will do Brown :150) Example:Poor_____provide for students participations in classroom discussion . Better____ A student will participate in classroom discussion. b.Performance centred: learning targets should state a performance that is an observable activity.This can be accomplished by being sure that the statements include an action verb that specifies a student performance .A balance is necessary between verbs that are too broad( and thus imply many nonequivalent performance) and those that are too specific and (which are often just ways of marking answers) Example: Poor______The student is able to put an x on the picture of the correct geometric shape (circle,rectangle ,tiangle) when the name of the shape is given. The learning targets is too specific. Better_____ The student is able to identify a picture of a geometric shape (circle, triangle, rectangle ) when the name of the shape is given. The following are some specific but acceptable verbs: (Add ,total ,choose, complete, supply, make, construct, convert, count, delete ,describe, divide, draw, explain, identify, label, list, match, measure, multiply, name, order ,arrange, pick out, regroup, rename, rephrase, select, sort, state, weigh).  defines it as -a means of checking or measuring the general level of performance which is concerned with teaching and learning‖. From the previous definitions ,it can be concluded that assessment is a way to collect information about everything related to teaching and learning including the student, the teacher, syllabus and method of teaching ) , starting from the simplest start to design a lesson plan up to the educational policy of the state. Assessment techniques include paper and pencil tests, formal and informal observations , homework, exercises and research papers, projects and exhibits performances portfolios, oral questioning and analysis of students' records. Several important principles guide the selection and use of particular assessment techniques include being clear about the learning targets , matching the assessment techniques , using multiple indicators of achievement and recognizing the limitations of each technique. (Nitko,2005:13)

2.2.The Use and Significance of Assessment:
One use of assessment is to make inferences about abilities or attributes such as lexical knowledge ,sociolinguistic awareness , language aptitude or motivational orientation. Assessment can provide information about attributes of individual such as their weaknesses and strengths , their achievement in language course or their level of proficiency in a language.
The importance of assessment lies in its use of forming certain types of decisions. Assessment is used as a basis for making decisions about programs or about individuals , educational decisions or decisions about curricula and programs related to the district and national policy which include formative and summative evaluations . Formative relating to making changes to improve an existing programs, summative relating to contribution on existing program or implementing a new program(Bachman, 2008:9_12) And to make decisions about individuals such as students' planning instruction activities, placing students into learning processing , monitoring students' progress and diagnosing learning difficulties, it helps in offering evaluation for the purpose of feed back to the students about achievements and to the teachers whether in the effectiveness of their technique or assigning grades , placing students into programs classifying students and credentialing or certifying them (Nitko 2005:13). Bachman(2008:9-12) adds also decisions about individuals or students including: selection for admission or employment , placement diagnostic and certification.  (Hughes 2003:26). b. Construct validity refers to the fit between the underlying theories and methodology of language learning of the type of assessment :the matching of the approach with the principle in testing (Coombe etal :xxii). c.Face validity refers to the degree to which a test looks right and appears to measure the knowledge or abilities it claims to measure ,based on the subjective judgment of the examinees who take it , the administrative personal who decide on its use and other psychologically unsophisticated observers(Mousavi 2009: 247 cited in Brwon 2010:33, ibid). It remains a notion that cannot empirically measured or theoretically justified under the category of validity as it is a purely factor of the eye of the beholder(Bachman 1990:285-288). d.Consequencial (Impact ) Validity encompasses all the consequences of a test , including such consideration as its accuracy in measuring intended criteria ,its effect on the preparation of test takers and the(intended and unintended ) social consequences of a test's interpretation and use (Brown 2010:34).The impact of test taking and the use of test scores can be seen at both a macro level(the effect on society and educational system) and a micro level ( the effect on individual test takers)(Bachman and Palmer1996:30).

2.Reliability: refers to the consistency of test scores which simply means that a test would offer similar results if it were given at another time(Coombe etal 2010:xiii).
A reliable test is consistent and dependent if the test is given to the same student or matched students on two different occasions, the test yields similar results (Brown 2010: 27) There are several factors that affect test reliability such as the format and the content of the questions , the time given to the students to take the exam must be consistent (Coombe etal 2010;xxiii), uniform rubrics for scoring /evaluation , consistent application of the rubrics by the scorers. There are also factors that may cause unreliability , these are: a.The Student: A variety of changes may take place within the learner that may change a learner's true score from test to test : additional learning or forgetting, fatigue , sickness, emotional problems or practices effect(Coombe etal 2010:xxiii). b.Rate Relaibility: subjectivity in scoring or mechanical errors in the scoring process may introduce errors into scores and effect the reliability of the test result within intra-rater or between inter-rater ,the raters themselves. c.Test Adminisration: In consistent administrative procedures and testing conditions will reduce test reliability .This problem is most common in situations where different groups of students are tested in different locations on different days(Coombe etal 2010:xxiv).
Reliability focuses on the empirical aspects of the measurement process, validity focuses on the theoretical aspects and interweavers these concepts with the empirical ones (Davies etal 1999:169).And there is no validity without reliability.

4.Authenticity
refers to the degree of correspondence of the characteristics of a given test task to the features of a target language task(Bachman and Palmer 1996:23).A test is said to be authentic if it contains language that is as natural as possible , has items that contextualized rather than isolated , it includes meaningful, relevant ,interesting topics , offers tasks that replicate real world task(Brown 2010:37).

5.
Washback refers to effect of testing on teaching and learning .It is generally said to be positive or negative. Negative effects of testing such as -test driven‖, curricula and only studying and learning -what they need to know for the test‖. Positive wash back (guided wash back) benefits teachers, students and administrative because it assumes that testing and curriculum design are both based on clear course outcomes that are known to both students and teachers(testers).Students should perceive these tests are markers for achieving the outcomes.(Coombe etal 2010:xxv).

Evaluation,Assessment, and Testing
A number of terms that are associated with Assessment are testing and Evaluation. Evaluation which involves making value judgments and decisions , can be understood as one possible use of assessment ((Bachman,2005:9).It is all inclusive and is the widest basis for collecting information in teaching .It includes factors that influence the learning process(syllabus, objectives, course design and material behind the learners' achievement. It is the process of making a value judgment about the worth of some one or something .It may be based on information obtained from tests and other assessment (Nitko,2004:13). Assessment is an ongoing process that encompasses a wide range of methodological techniques (Brown,2010:3).It is a process of collecting information on a learners' language ,ability or achievement. It is an umbrella term for all types of measures used to evaluate the students' progress. (Coombe etal,2010:xv). Another term that needs to be clarified is test as assessment and test are often used interchangeably and tests are a subcategory of assessment and it is a genre of assessment techniques (Brown,2010:3) .Carroll(1968:46) defines test as ‗'a procedure designed to elicit certain behavior from which one can make inferences about certain characteristics of an individual‖. It is a prepared administrative procedure that occurs at identifiable times in a curriculum when learners muster all their faculties to offer peak performance knowing that their responses are being measured and evaluated (Brown , 2010:3) .They are instruments used for describing one or more characteristics of a student using either a numerical scale or a classification scheme (Nitko,2004:13). In summary, evaluation includes the whole course or progaramme and information is collected from many sources including the learner .While assessment is related to the learners and their achievements ,testing is part of assessment and it measures the t learners' achievements.

Types and Purposes of Assessment
Different types of Assessment are used at various points throughout a language progress for various purposes .These types and their purposes areas follow: 1.Pre-Course Assessment: At the beginning of a course of a course, teachers usually want to ascertain the learners' ability to use a language for particular communicative goals regardless any instruction they may have had previously .For this purpose, proficiency test is Test Evaluation used(Nunnan,2003:317).It assesses the overall language ability of students at varying levels .A typical level of a standardized proficiency test is the test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL) produced by the Educational Testing Service (Brown, 2004:390) and IELTS which is intended for those who wish to study in United Kingdom and Australia (Coombe etal, 2008 : xvii). A proficiency test may also be used a placement test to sort learners into groups of similar proficiency level or as a selection test to ascertain whether a person has sufficient language proficiency to begin a particular course of study or to practice a given occupation (Nunnan 2003:317). In designing a placement test , the test developer may base the content either on a theory of general language proficiency or on learning targets of the curriculum(Coombe et al 2008:xvi). The result of the proficiency assessment may be interpreted in two ways : First , the learners' scores or grades can be compared with each other and this is known as a Norm-Refrence interpretation (Nunnan 2004:317).The purpose of this interpretation is to spread students out a long continuum of scores so that those with low abilities in ascertain skill are at one end of the normal distribution and those with high scores are at the other end with the majority of the students falling between the extremes (Brown ,J.D. 2005:2).Such tests must have fixed predetermined responses in a format that can be scored mechanically at minimum expense. Cost and efficiency concerns in these tests (Brown 2010:8). Second:The students' performance may be compared with an external standard or criterion which has already been defined such as a particular course targets or description of a performance (e.g. can give simple personal information ).This is known as a Criterion Refrenced interpretation (Nunnan 2004:317). Such tests are usually developed to measure how much learning has occurred. True C criterion referenced are devised before instruction is designed s that the test will match the teaching targets , as this will lessen the possibility that teachers teach to the test( Coombe etal 2010:xviii).

2.In Course Assessment:
Once learning is under way , there is an intention to find out how much a student has learned in a particular unit of instruction, Achievement tests are used for this purpose (NUnnan 2004 : 318). The content of the achievement test is generally based on the specific course content or on the course targets .They are often summative (Brwon 2010:9) cumulative, administrated at mid and ended point of the semester or academic year (Coombe etal 2008:xvii, ibid). An informal way of keeping track of progress over a period of time is by giving Progress tests (Nunnan 2004:318) which measure the progress that students are making towards defined course or program goals are administrated at various stages throughout a language course to determine what students have learned(Coombe etal 2010:xvii).The results of these tests can be used to give students feedback on their progress in relation to the course targets and help them identify any areas were they might need to do more work (Nunnan 2004:318). Used this way, the tests have a Diagnostic function. Such tests are designed to diagnose a particular aspect of language (Brown 2004:390).Another purpose of the Progress achievement is to motivate learners by allowing them the opportunity to determine what they have learned (Nunnan 2004:318).

End of Course Assessment:
At the end of a period of instruction, teachers will usually need to report the learners' achievement to external authority (e.g. At the end of a school term) .This is known as Summative assessment .For this purpose , final Achievement test would be used (Nunan 2004:318). Summative assessment, then, aims to measure or summarize what a student has grasped and to determine whether the students have achieved the course targets (Coombe et al 2008:xiv). On the other hand ,Formative assessment which refers to evaluating students in the process of formatting their competencies and skills given during a course and feedback is provided to students with the aim of using the results of tests to improve the learning process (Coombe etal 2008:xix, Brown 2010:7). The last type of test is Aptitude which measures the capacity or general ability to learn a foreign or a second language(Coombe etal 2008:xvi).It predicts a person's future success and it is considered to be independent of a particular language (Brown 2010:11). Within each of the previous categories of assessment and tests , there are a variety of different possible techniques and procedures .These range from: -objective to subjective scoring procedures, -open-ended to structural response options, -multiple -choice to fill in blanks item design formats, -written or oral performance modes (Brown 2004:391).

2.3.2.Types of Alternative Assessment
Several types of alternative assessment can be used with great success in today's language classrooms:  Self-assessment,  Portfolio assessment ,  Student -design tests,  Learner-centered assessment,  Projects,  Presentations.

Matching Learning targets with the Assessment Tasks:
A model for classroom assessment based on writing specific learning objects or targets is elaborated, for the substantive reform of assessment and for its use in classrooms to support learning. The sample is based on Bloom's taxonomy and basically on the cognitive domain .Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice is a story used to be taught in the Iraqi schools for the 6th preparatory stage few years ago and it is used here as a model of how to match learning targets and the assessment items.

5.synthesis:
A sample Learning target :Describe the general approach that characters used to solve their problems successfully. In merchant of Venice characters were able to solve the personal problems she\he faced. A sample assessment item :What were the ways these characters tried to solve their problems ? what do theses successfully ways to solve problems have in common?

6.Evaluation
A sample Learning target: Develop one's own set of three or four criteria for judging the quantity of a short story. A sample assessment item: what are the traits that make a short story high quality? Use the traits to develop three criteria that you could use to evaluate the quantity of any story.

Conclusion:
It is concluded that learning targets are student-friendly descriptionsvia words, pictures, actions, or some combination of the three-of what teachers intend students to be able to do or value or feel after they have been taught in a given lesson. Based on the conducted data (the learning targets and assessment), certain points of significance have arisen. The most important conclusions are: 1.In teaching English, targets should be clearly stated and the most effective teaching and the most meaningful student learning happen when teachers design the right learning target for the lesson and use it along with their students to aim for and assess understanding.
2.The quality of both teaching and learning is enhanced when we have clear targets to help teachers recognize if the assessment adequately covers and samples what they taught. This will result in correct identification of what students know/don't know, and their level of achievement . 3.There must be emphasis on the need for a closer substantive connection between assessment and meaningful targets. Classroom assessments must be congruent with important learning targets. 4.The purpose of assessment in classrooms must also be changed fundamentally so that it is used to help students learn and to improve instruction rather than being used only to rank students or to certify the end products of learning and to promote meaningful learning that raises student achievement. To reach a destination, teachers need to know exactly where they are headed, plan the best route to get there, and monitor their progress along the way.

Bibliography:
you cannot marry anyone for the rest of your life. We see suitors fail when they choose the wrong caskets. Meanwhile, Jessica (Shylock's only child) tells us that living in Shylock's house is pure hell and that she's ashamed to be his daughter. Ouch. She has decided to elope with Lorenzo and convert to Christianity. Jessica gets her chance to carry out her rebellious scheme when her dad leaves the house to go to dinner. As soon as he is out the door, Jessica steals off with her lover, Lorenzo, and helps herself to a chunk of Dad's cash. Bassanio and some of his pals set off for Belmont in hopes that Bassanio will snag the beautiful and rich Portia. We also learn from some gossipy cats in Venice that Shylock was livid when he learned his daughter ran away, screaming "'My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! / Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats!" (2.8.15-16). (Check out the priorities here-he's about as angry about the fact his gold is gone as he is about the fact his bouncing baby girl is gone.) This is good news for Antonio, who hates Shylock. But Antonio doesn't stay happy for long, as he is too busy recovering from the fact that Bassanio has gone off to woo Portia. Back in gossipy Venice, we hear that Antonio's ships have been sinking left and right. Shylock shows up, still mad about his daughter's rebellion, but he's excited to hear that he'll get to take a pound of flesh from his enemy Antonio. He explains to the gossipy men that he hates Antonio because Antonio hates him for being Jewish. Shylock then gives a beautiful speech in defense of the humanity of Jews, including the well-known line "if you prick us, do we not bleed?" He concludes that a Jew is not unlike a Christian, and a Christian in this situation would seek revenge. Therefore, he will do the same, because the Christians have taught him hatred with their cruelty. Shylock is further angered to hear reports that his daughter is off lavishly spending his money, so he sets up arrangements to have Antonio jailed, cut, and killed. Back in Belmont, Portia is batting off the men. But she is truly excited by Bassanio. Bassanio impressively chooses the lead casket (correct!) and wins Portia and her wealth. Portia is falling all over herself with love for Bassanio when Lorenzo and Jessica arrive with news that Antonio is about to die at Shylock's command. Portia offers to pay off Antonio's debt, and she and Bassanio have a quick (as in shotgun-quick) wedding before she sends Bassanio back to Venice with twenty times the debt owed to Shylock. Portia gives Bassanio a ring and makes him promise never to take it off, which we're sure is going to be significant sometime soon. Meanwhile, Portia has hatched a plan to cross-dress and pose as a lawyer to argue Antonio's defense at his trial. She tells Lorenzo to look after her house, disguises herself and Nerissa as men, and sets off for Venice in a hurry. Also, Graziano randomly marries Nerissa. The scene moves to the court in Venice. Everyone has tried to plead with Shylock, but he won't hear reason. He wants justice, and that means having a pound of Antonio's flesh, as promised. It seems there's no hope until a young, effeminate-looking man shows up who happens to be a learned lawyer. He is called Balthazar (a.k.a. Portia). Portia (as Balthazar) then begins to argue that Shylock should have mercy on Antonio, as mercy is a higher order good than justice. Shylock says he doesn't need mercy, he's fine with just justice, thank you very much. There's no way anyone can get around it-Antonio signed the bond, the Duke won't bend the rules, and Shylock won't relent. Antonio doesn't care if he dies. Bassanio says he wishes he could trade his wife and his life for Antonio's, which does not please his wife, but she doesn't say anything because she's disguised in drag. Portia (as Balthazar) gets Antonio ready to go under the knife, but she stops just short as Shylock is sharpening his knife. She says the bond entitles Shylock to a pound of flesh, but if he spills a drop of Christian blood, then he'll be guilty of plotting to murder a Venetian Christian, the penalty for which is losing everything he has. Shylock says something like, "Fine, just give me the three-times-the-debt cash you offered me earlier," and Portia replies, "Actually, that offer's not on the table anymore." Then he says, "Okay, just give me the 3,000 back," and she returns, "Actually, that's not on the table either." The slippery downward slope continues until Shylock declares that, fine, he'll just leave, and Portia stops him and says since he conspired to kill a Venetian he actually has to forfeit everything he owns. And beg for his life. Finally holding the upper hand, Antonio decides that as punishment, Shylock has to sign an agreement saying that when he dies, all his money will go to Jessica and her new Christian husband. Also, Shylock must convert to Christianity. Shylock leaves a totally broken man. Portia grabs Nerissa and tries to get home before the men return and find out their wives were the ones in court that day. Antonio and Bassanio try to get Balthazar to accept a gift before he goes, and though Portia (as Balthazar) tries to refuse it, the men press her. She asks for Bassanio's ring (which is really her ring, symbolizing their marriage trust). Bassanio refuses to give it to her, but then Antonio suggests he's whipped and foolish, so Bassanio caves in and gives Balthazar the ring at the last minute. Finally everyone gets home to Belmont; the women have narrowly arrived before the men. Nerissa launches into a fight with Graziano about the missing ring (as it turns out, she also gave a ring symbolizing marital fidelity), accusing him of giving it to a woman. Portia then lights into Bassanio for the same thing. Portia complains about the men breaking faith for this lawyer guy, and she pledges to sleep with this learned man too, breaking her marriage vows like Bassanio did by giving up her ring. Antonio has come home to Belmont with them and he feels responsible for the fights. To make up for it he promises his soul as a guarantee that Bassanio will be faithful to Portia. Portia accepts the offer of Antonio's soul and she gives him a ring to give to Bassanio. Turns out it's the original ring. Portia explains that she and Nerissa were the young lawyer and the clerk who rescued Antonio from Shylock. Also, she's got a letter that says some of Antonio's ships have come home with cash after all. The play ends with happiness for most of the characters in the play-all except Shylock.