ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that at a simple level, assessment should check whether pupils have completed work. MFL teachers will need to record progress in all four-skill areas (reading, writing, speaking and listening) over a period of time. Regular marking and recording enables teachers to see which unit's pupils have missed. Although language learning is not linear, pupils often need to acquire one set of skills in order to move on to the next level. Assessment provides an ideal opportunity to check whether learning has taken place, to test out the success of teaching methods and to tailor provision to meet the needs of individual pupils. When teachers and LSAs start working with a new group, it is important to assess prior knowledge. While reports may be passed on from the previous year, they can be unreliable guides. Some pupils make enormous leaps in their development over the school holidays; while others seem to forget everything they have been taught.
