My First Experience As An Assessor

Skill in Village (SiV), an education initiative by MANAVLOK in collaboration with the Deshpande Foundation. It is designed as a before-and-after school program. SiV equips 5th to 8th-grade students in vernacular medium government schools with essential English communication skills while fostering the 3 Cs—Critical Thinking, Creativity, and Culture. By being activity-based, interactive, contextual, level-appropriate, and outcome-oriented, the program ensures comprehensive development. With a participatory approach that includes small contributions from students, accountability becomes ingrained in the process.

Last year, MANAVLOK piloted this program in five centers. It benefited 500 students with life-changing skills like leadership, interpersonal communication, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving. This year, when I learned that a baseline assessment would be conducted for the students, I eagerly expressed my interest in participating as an assessor. The team also entrusted me with selecting other assessors and coordinating with trainers to ensure the assessment process ran smoothly.

To select the required 12 assessors for six centers, I worked alongside the SiV program lead. Together, we approached the principal of MANAVLOK’s social work college and requested permission to engage with the students there. After explaining the opportunity to them, around 20 students expressed interest. We conducted brief interviews to shortlist candidates. This was based on their communication skills, understanding of the program’s goals, and ability to engage with young students effectively.

2-Days Training: Gearing Up For Assessments

The two-day training conducted by trainers from the Deshpande Foundation was pivotal in equipping us for the assessment process. They emphasized the importance of clarity, consistency, and creating a welcoming environment for students. The assessment was divided into two parts: the LSR (Listening, Speaking, and Reading) and the LS (Life Skills). A key instruction was to communicate in the students’ local language. This was to remove any language barriers, ensuring we focused on understanding their responses rather than their proficiency in English.

The trainers also underscored the importance of neutrality throughout the process. The instruction was to not read the answer options aloud, to avoid guiding the students in any way. The trainers also taught us to pay close attention to body language and avoid subtle cues like nodding our heads. These could influence the students’ responses. These guidelines emphasized the value of objectivity, as the students’ answers would serve as the foundation for evaluating the SiV program’s impact. There were specific instructions for each section of the assessment. We practiced how to handle hypothetical scenarios delicately, ensuring students felt comfortable and respected throughout the process.

2-Days Of Conducting Assessments

The school in Radi village was the center assigned to me for conducting the assessment, alongside another assessor. As a part of the assessment process, we were provided with a pre-selected list of 30 students. This was comprising 6 students from each class/level. The selection was thoughtfully carried out by the Deshpande Foundation to ensure a representative sample for the baseline assessment.

While the day brought its fair share of challenges, we managed to resolve these hurdles with the assistance of our school trainer. Despite the rocky start, the initial moments with the students proved critical for building rapport. The first step was setting a comfortable tone for the students, many of whom were apprehensive about being tested in English. Following the trainers’ guidance, I introduced myself in a mix of Hindi and Marathi, engaging the students with light conversation to ease their nervousness.

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Before starting the assessment, we ensured that each student’s basic details were accurately recorded. Adopting a calm and positive demeanour, I patiently explained the steps involved. At the same time, I reassured the students that there were no right or wrong answers. Encouraging them to give their best, I created an environment where they felt at ease and ready to participate.

Competencies

The various sections were designed to measure different aspects of language proficiency, from comprehension to expression. This provided a holistic view of the students’ abilities.

Listening: The listening section involved short audio clips followed by questions to assess students’ understanding of what they had heard. This task varied in difficulty depending on the level of the students. Some students excelled at grasping the main ideas, while others struggled to recall specific details. This variation highlighted the importance of both general listening comprehension and the ability to pay attention to finer details. In general, the students were able to follow the main points of the audio. But there was a noticeable gap in their ability to retain and respond to specific information.

Speaking: This required students to respond to questions, describe pictures, or express their opinions on a given topic. This section tested their ability to communicate effectively in English, using proper sentence structure and vocabulary. Here, I observed significant differences in confidence and fluency. While some students spoke clearly and confidently, others hesitated.

Reading: Here, students were asked to read words, phrases, and passages aloud and then answer questions to assess their pronunciation, fluency, and comprehension. Many students showed good pronunciation and reading fluency. The real challenge lay in their ability to understand and interpret what they were reading. Some students could read the text with ease. But when it came time to answer comprehension questions, their responses indicated a lack of full understanding of the material.

The LS assessment consisted of a series of questions that focused on real-life situations. The students’ responses in this section were especially poignant, showing that while they may not have formal training in life skills, many had already adopted strategies for emotional self-regulation. This section also made it clear that the SiV program’s life skills component is essential, giving students tools to understand and manage their emotions in challenging situations.

Reflecting On The Impact: Key Take-aways

The assessment experience was an eye-opening reminder of the power of education tailored to both academic and personal development. This kind of educational intervention not only helps bridge the urban-rural divide; it also nurtures children’s ability to handle real-life situations with maturity and confidence. Three insights stood out to me:

1. Building English Proficiency Can Boost Self-Esteem: Many students expressed feeling more confident as they improved their English skills, reinforcing the link between language acquisition and self-esteem. This confidence will be crucial as they seek educational and career opportunities beyond their village.
2. Life Skills Are Already Present, Waiting To Be Enhanced: Students displayed empathy, self-regulation, and responsibility in their responses, indicating that they have foundational life skills that programs like SiV can further develop.
3. Students Thrive With Interactive, Activity-Based Learning: As the trainers from the Deshpande Foundation emphasized, an activity-based approach is key to student engagement. The open-ended, scenario-based questions encouraged students to think creatively and allowed them to feel validated in their unique perspectives.