I’m off to give a test to my class. It’s the first test for this Freshman screen English class where nobody speaks more than few words of English, it takes a team effort to translate a phrase like “Next week,” and the students have trouble following the video.

The test is fair, but I suspect they’re going to have a lot of trouble with it. Here’s hoping I’m underestimating their level. (But in the end, I did warn them that the class would be difficult.) I hope leveling limits are applied next semester when students register for classes.

UPDATE: Well, a couple of students passed, anyway.

But more useful, I had them hand in the original test, and then work in groups and do it together, a second time. The second time around, together, they did a lot better. I just hope they have a clearer sense of the fact they need to study all the way along, instead of just for big exams. Since this doesn’t count much for their final grade, they’ve just gotten a taste of what’s to come, at very little cost to their grade. As long as a few of them shape up, it could be worthwhile. We’ll see, I suppose.