Program-specified schedules will determine when you issue progress reports to learners and schedule short one-on-one learner progress conferences.
Programs should set progress report and conference schedules that are consistent with the following criteria:
- Reporting periods should allow sufficient instructional hours so that there is reasonable expectation that learners will make progress to the next benchmark level in one or more skill According to the Watt study (2004, Executive Summary), “Students with 8 to 12 years of education register moderate rates of progress over any 250 hours of instruction, changing approximately .6 of a benchmark level in Listening and Speaking, .9 of a benchmark level in Reading, and .5 of a benchmark in Writing.”
- Reporting periods should allow time to gather sufficient evidence to document progress (aiming towards 8 to 10 entries per skill area).
Teachers should use the above information to apply to their own program situation. The schedules that follow are examples only.
Table 5: Sample Progress Report and Conference Schedules