GENERAL INFORMATION

Evaluation

A. General criteria for evaluation on courses

Passed by the Rector's Commission on the Servei d'Idiomes Moderns/UAB Idiomes,
on 26 November 1996

1. Passing a language level is determined by the mark obtained in the final examination and, in addition, in face-to-face courses, by the mark awarded for the progress in the student's learning during the course (continuous assessment).

2. The UAB Idiomes Junta Acadèmica will determine for each year, language and particular level, what weight continuous assessment and the final examination will have in the final mark. In no case will continuous assessment be weighted more than the final examination.

3. The final continuous assessment mark will also give consideration to both the marks obtained in mid-course examinations and to the overall evaluation the teacher makes of the student's progress. In order to be entitled to this final mark, the student has to accredit attendance at a minimum 75% of the classes or, in cases of attendance failing to reach that figure for justifiable reasons, have agreed with the teacher a system of tasks or projects in lieu of attendance that permit an objective, weighted mark.

4. In the final examination, the four basic language skills (speaking, writing, listening and reading comprehension) will be evaluated. The Junta Acadèmica will determine, for each year, language and particular level, the proportions assigned to each of these abilities, depending on the specific characteristics of the course. In all cases, the students will be evaluated with regard to the achievement of the objectives described in the syllabus for each course.

5. In order for it to be considered that a student has passed a given level, it is necessary to have obtained a minimum overall mark on the examination as a whole, as well as a minimum mark - which may be lower in percentage terms than the overall mark - on each of the tests evaluating the different abilities, independently of whatever mark for continuous assessment may have been obtained or the overall mark obtained on the final examination. The Junta Acadèmica will establish this minimum mark for each year, language and particular level.

6. The speaking and writing tests will, respectively, evaluate:

• Fluency, formal correctness (of vocabulary, grammatical structures, prosodic features and cohesion of discourse), the coherence and appropriacy of the message to the context (register, style, functions) and the communication strategies used.
• The appropriacy of the text to its communicative purpose, syntactical cohesion, coherence and formal correctness (vocabulary, grammatical structures and orthography).

7. The criteria and scales established by the Junta Acadèmica for each year, language and particular level will be adhered to by all teachers giving the same level and producing the corresponding examinations.

8. Once the final mark has been awarded, students have the right to review the examination with their teachers in order to resolve any doubts they may have over the examination and, if necessary, to discuss the result of the final mark. To this end, the teacher will establish a day and time for the said review.

9. Any appeal that a student may wish to make regarding the final mark will be made to the Head of UAB Idiomes, through an application addressed to the Head of Studies, which will specify, in reasoned fashion, the causes of the appeal. Within a period not exceeding two weeks after the final examination, an evaluation review commission will be constituted, comprising three members of UAB Idiomes staff, nominated by the Director, which will study and resolve each of the appeals that may be presented.

10. September examinations will follow the same criteria as those described for the final examinations for face-to-face courses, as regards both their writing and their evaluation criteria and appeals procedure.

B. Final examination and continuous assessment

In the final examination, which will have a single sitting, evaluation will be made of the achievement of the objectives described in the programmes for each language. In the series of tests comprising the final examination, evaluation will be made of

1. Ability demonstrated in spoken expression, in a test consisting of:

• a brief individual interview.
• the resolution of a task in a pair or group.
• individual oral presentation on a given subject.

2. Ability demonstrated in listening comprehension in a test consisting of listening to a number of recorded texts with questions relating to what is heard.

3. Ability demonstrated in written expression, in a test consisting of writing two texts on different subjects that require the use of different registers.

4. Ability demonstrated in reading comprehension, through response to questions on a number of written texts, one requiring skim/scan reading, the other a more detailed reading.

5. Optionally, some languages may also evaluate the student's grammatical and lexical competence, with a series of different activities.

The Head of Studies, in agreement with the coordinator for each section, will determine the examination dates and those for the publishing of marks. These dates will be communicated to the students at least two weeks in advance of the day assigned to the first part of the examination.

When the course has been passed, the Servei d'Idiomes Moderns will provide a certificate stating the mark the student attained. On passing the courses corresponding to "terminal levels" (Elementary and Advanced), the academic certificate corresponding to that level will be provided, if requested by the student.

C. September examinations

During the month of September, there will be an examination sitting in order to pass each of the levels envisaged in ordinary courses. Inscription for this sitting is open to all those who wish to obtain accreditation for a particular level, on payment of the corresponding enrolment fees. It is thus not necessary to have previously been enrolled at UAB Idiomes.

The September examinations will follow the same criteria described for examinations in ordinary courses and passing them provides entitlement to the corresponding academic certificates. The September examinations will take place during the first two weeks of September. The calendar and timetable for the said examinations can be obtained from the Secretary, UAB Idiomes from the beginning of June onwards.

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