1. THE COLLEGE-READY PROMISE TEACHER TRAINING MODULE
CHECKING FOR STUDENT UNDERSTANDING Indicators 1.5B, 3.4A

2. Overview
Rationale and Purpose TCRP Rubric Defining Teacher and Student Actions Example Strategies Incorporating into Lesson Plans Adjusting Instruction

3. Rationale Checking for students’ understanding Engages students
Provides real-time data on student understanding
Allows the teacher to determine effectiveness of lesson/instructions
Allows the teacher to adjust instruction

4. Purpose To assess students’ prior understanding
To gauge students’ understanding of concepts during a lesson
To determine whether students understand procedures
To assess students prior to guided practice or independent practice
To delve deeper into students’ understandings and misconceptions

5. Types of Assessments and their Effect on Student Achievement
High Stakes/Public Perception
Checking for Understanding
Benchmark Assessments
Final Exams
Exit Slips
Unit Tests
Quizzes
CST
Frequency/Effect on Student Achievement

6. Teaching Standard Rubric Levels
1.5 B) Progression of Assessments
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
No assessment or a single assessment is planned at the conclusion of the lesson.
Multiple assessments are planned. However, they are not sequenced in a way to provide meaningful information about student progression towards mastery of the learning objective(s).
Multiple assessments are planned and build on each other. They are sequenced throughout the lesson in order to provide meaningful information about student progression towards mastery of the learning objective(s).
All of level 3 and…
Assessments are sequenced to ensure student progression towards mastery. Plans provide opportunities for student choice in, or design of, assessment methods.

7. Teaching Standard Rubric Levels
3.4 A) Checking for understanding and adjusting instruction:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
The teacher does not check for students’ understanding of the learning objectives during the lesson and/or does not adjust instruction.
The teacher has limited techniques to accurately check for students’ understanding of the learning objectives and/or does not use the information gained to make adjustments in instruction.
The teacher uses frequent and varied techniques to accurately monitor students’ progress toward the learning objectives and immediately adjusts instruction to meet students’ learning needs
All of level3 and…
Students self-assess and
suggest
adjustments
in the
instruction
to meet
their needs.

8. Defining Teacher and Student Actions
Teacher question is phrased with several options, i.e.
Multiple choice
Agree/Disagree
True/False
All students respond and provide teacher with feedback
Teacher should check for student understanding at least once every 15 minutes
Teacher utilizes student responses to:
Probe reasons for student responses
Determine next steps for instruction

9. Checking for Understanding
How can teachers effectively increase students’ understanding?
By using different
techniques of oral language
By using quizzes and tests
By using different types of questioning techniques
By using a variety of writing assessments
Accountable talk
Value lineups
Retellings
Think-pair-share
Misconception analysis
Whip around
Multiple choice
Short answer
True or False
Essay
Response cards
Hand signals
Electronic Response
Systems
ReQuest
Socratic seminar
Interactive writing
Read-write-pair-share
Summary writing

10. Using Oral Language Accountable Talk Value Lineups Retellings
Students are taught how to be accountable with each other (staying on task,
using accurate and appropriate information for the topic, and thinking deeply
about what their partner says) to forward the conversation and deepen their
understanding of the topic at hand. One way to teach accountable talk is through
reciprocal teaching.
Value Lineups
Students develop in-depth knowledge by enabling them to explore core
concepts and understanding problems by first analyzing their beliefs and then
listening to positions held by others. (See depth and complexity.)
Retellings
Students process large segments of text, think about the sequence of ideas
or events and their importance, and then have students orally summarize
what they understand. Teacher should take notes as students retell.

11. Using Oral Language Think-Pair-Share Misconception Analysis
Students discuss their responses with a partner before sharing out with the whole
class. Partners can also pair up with another set of partners to discuss in a quad
before sharing out with the class.
Misconception Analysis
Students have an opportunity to discuss, often in small groups, misunderstandings
they have about the topic at hand. Teacher should circulate and take notes on what
the students are saying.
Whip Around
Students make a list of at least three items in response to a question; every student
then stands up and as one student calls out the answer, other students cross that
item off their list. When all items are crossed off their list, that student may sit.

12. What is the purpose or the rationale of Checking for Understanding?
Practice: Whip Around
What is the purpose or the rationale of Checking for Understanding?
Write 3 answers to the question.
Purpose
To assess students’ prior understanding
To gauge students’ understanding of concepts during a lesson
To determine whether students understand procedures
To assess students prior to guided practice or independent practice
To delve deeper into students’ understandings and misconceptions
Rationale
Checking for students’ understanding:
Engages students
Provides real-time data on student understanding
Allows the teacher to determine effectiveness of lesson/instructions
Allows the teacher to adjust instruction

13. Using Questioning Techniques
Response Cards
Index cards, signs, dry erase boards, magnetic boards, or other items are
simultaneously held up by all students in class to indicate their responses to a
question or problem.
Hand Signals
Thumbs up, thumbs sideways, and thumbs down to indicate understanding,
confusion, or a misunderstanding.
Electronic Response System
Electronic clickers can display multiple-choice responses in chart form so students and
teacher get immediate feedback on each problem.
Socratic Seminar
A group of learners engages in conversation and a series of questions.
Reciprocal Questioning (ReQuest)
See next two slides.

14. Using Questioning Techniques
Reciprocal Questioning (ReQuest)
Students take on the role of the teacher by formulating their own list of questions about a reading selection. The teacher then answers the students' questions. This exercise assists reading comprehension at two levels. Students deeply analyze the reading selection to extract their "teacher" questions. The teacher, in turn, reinforces learning by answering the questions and, if necessary, helping students to refine their work into more focused questions.
Procedure:
Divide the class into small groups and provide each group with a reading
selection.
2. Explain the ReQuest process: students read a selection and develop
discussion questions directed toward the teacher. Students should be
familiar with the Bloom’s question stems.
continued

15. Using Questioning Techniques
Reciprocal Questioning Procedure (continued)
3. Allow time for students to read their selections independently and to
write their own list of potential questions.
4. Have the groups combine and revise the team members' questions into
a final form.
5. During the class discussion, a spokesperson for each group asks the
questions to the teacher. The teacher answers the questions to
reinforce learning.
6. In a post-exercise discussion, ask students to identify strategies they
used in writing and refining questions.

16. Reciprocal Questioning
Read the TCRP rubric descriptors of practice for Standard 3.4,
Indicator A. Follow the procedure for ReQuest.
3.4A Checking for Understanding
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
The teacher does not check for students’ understanding of the learning objectives during the lesson and/or does not adjust instruction.
The teacher has limited techniques to accurately check for students’ understanding of the learning objectives and/or does not use the information gained to make adjustments in instruction.
The teacher uses frequent and varied techniques to accurately monitor students’ progress toward the learning objectives and immediately adjusts instruction to meet students’ learning needs
All of level3 and…
Students self-assess and suggest adjustments in the instruction to meet their needs.

17. Using Writing Interactive Writing Read-Write-Pair-Share
Students share the pen or dry erase marker with the teacher in whole
or small groups.
Read-Write-Pair-Share
Students read the material, write in response to the information, engage in a partner
conversation about they’ve read and written, and then share their ideas with the whole
class.
Quick Write-Pair-Share
Several times throughout the lesson, students are given 1 minute (or 2 minutes) to
write about what they’ve learned. They then engage in a partner conversation about
what they’ve written, and then share their ideas with the whole class.
Summary Writing
Students write a summary about what they have read, viewed, done, or learned. Could be used as an exit slip or as a Do Now.

18. Practice: Quick Write-Pair-Share
Take one minute to write about what you’ve learned
so far in this presentation.
When the time is up, share your writing with a partner or a small group.

19. Using Quizzes Multiple Choice Short Answer True or False Essays
Gauges students’ understanding fairly quickly.
Short Answer
Measures if students can accurately recall specific information. Can also be used
to measure higher cognitions.
True or False
Determine if students understand the correctness of statements of fact, if they
agree with opinions, if they can define terms, or if they understand a principle.
Essays
Requires students to consolidate their understanding of a topic, organize their
thinking, and present it by providing an opportunity for students to synthesize or
evaluate information.

20. Practice: Multiple Choice and Short Answer
In indicator 3.4A, at a level 2 practice the teacher uses ______________
techniques to accurately check for students’ understanding.
Frequent
Varied
Limited
The four categories of checking for understanding are writing, questioning, quizzes and ______________________.
Response cards
Oral language
Quick Write

21. Practice: Multiple Choice and Short Answer
Teachers should check for understanding at least every ____ minutes. 15 30
Only as needed
The type of assessment that has the most direct effect on student achievement is _______________________________.
checking for understanding

22. Incorporating into Lesson Plans
Identify which strategies fit your style
Determine when during the lesson the checks should be included
Write out the questions to ask students
Over time, as you become comfortable with using them, the need to plan out your strategies in detail will decrease.

23. Checking for Understanding
Sample Plan
Checking for Understanding
oral language
quizzes
questioning techniques
writing
After I present the Powerpoint and have given students the information about the topic, I will have them do a WHIP AROUND
Before students exit the class, they will answer 5 MULTIPLE CHOICE questions.
Before students begin their group work, I will ask questions and students will hold up their RESPONSE CARDS
When students are finished with their group work, I will have them WRITE A SUMMARY of what they learned. Students will share their summary in a pair-share.

24. Adjusting Instruction
Plan your checks at strategic points in your lesson, so if you
need to re-teach a few students, the remainder of the class
can continue independent or group work.
Anticipate that not all students will demonstrate understanding.
Budget time in your lesson plan to accommodate re-teaching.

25. Adjusting Instruction
If only a few students don’t understand, immediately bring
them forward for re-teaching. Have at least two more
strategies to use. Try teaching with different modalities.

26. Adjusting Instruction
If half the class doesn’t understand, try having students
who do understand explain it in their own words. If that
doesn’t work, allow the proficient students to continue their
work and you re-teach the students who still need it. Have
at least two more strategies to use. Try teaching to different
modalities.

27. Adjusting Instruction
If most of the class doesn’t understand, group the students
by readiness or common misunderstandings and assign the
few students who do understand to re-teach a group. You
work with the most intensive learners. As students show
understanding, they can continue with their independent work.
Eventually you will have only a few students to call up for
further re-teaching. Have several strategies ready, including
teaching to the students’ learning modalities or to Garner’s
multiple intelligences.

28. Checking for Understanding Checking for Understanding
Sample Plan
Sample Plan
Checking for Understanding
Checking for Understanding
oral language
oral language
quizzes
questioning techniques
writing
After I present the Powerpoint and have given students the information about the topic, I will have them do a WHIP AROUND
Before students exit the class, they will answer 5 MULTIPLE CHOICE questions.
Before students begin their group work, I will ask questions and students will hold up their RESPONSE CARDS
When students are finished with their group work, I will have them WRITE A SUMMARY of what they learned. Students will share their summary in a pair-share.

29. Evaluation What did I learn? What do I still need to know?
How could this module be
improved?
What did I learn that I will
use tomorrow?