Should We Grade Speaking at the Novice Level?
I used to avoid novice speaking assessments to keep anxiety low—but I started to wonder if I was missing a chance to build confidence. By making speaking low-stakes and playful for most of the year, then gradually adding informal assessments, students wanted to communicate. The result? More joy, more risk-taking, and real growth.

Assessing doesn’t have to mean hours of grading! These five quick, no-prep formative assessments—like Listen & Draw, 2 Truths & a Lie, and Read & Translate—give you instant insight into student understanding while keeping class fun and low-stress.

“But, I don’t know French!”

I used to hear this from students ALL. THE. TIME. especially during a test. I felt so frustrated because that was what all of the flashcards and worksheets were supposed to be adding up to - actually getting to use the language. This is where Acquisition-Driven Instruction, Comprehensible Input, and aligning my assessments to my goals for students came into the picture. Today, my assessments are task-based and reflect how I teach and how I want my students to be able to use the language.