Assessment

What are assessments supposed to be used for Group children- reading groups, giving children challenging activities. Group children- reading groups, giving children challenging activities. Select instructional material & strategies to meet goals. Select instructional material & strategies to meet goals. Understand the strategies children are using in order to build on them. Understand the strategies children are using in order to build on them. Individual differences/ strategies. Individual differences/ strategies.

Relevant terminologies: High stakes: standardized measures whose scores might determine major decisions about school districts (e.g. rating of schools, promotion of teachers, retention of students, curriculums to be followed, etc. High stakes: standardized measures whose scores might determine major decisions about school districts (e.g. rating of schools, promotion of teachers, retention of students, curriculums to be followed, etc. A standardized test: a n assessment measure commercially prepared and norm-referenced, that reports scores in terms of grade level scores and percentile ranks. A standardized test: a n assessment measure commercially prepared and norm-referenced, that reports scores in terms of grade level scores and percentile ranks. Authentic assessment: assessment based on activities that represent and reflect the actual learning and instruction in the classroom. Authentic assessment: assessment based on activities that represent and reflect the actual learning and instruction in the classroom.

Advantages of standardized testing Easier for mass administration & reporting. Easier for mass administration & reporting. Are norm-referenced (go with standards). Are norm-referenced (go with standards). Test children’s specific skills of literacy. Test children’s specific skills of literacy. Tell parents & teachers where their children are compared to other children in the state/country. Tell parents & teachers where their children are compared to other children in the state/country. Assists in teacher accountability- very controversial!!! Assists in teacher accountability- very controversial!!!

Disadvantages of standardized tests Are norm referenced. Are norm referenced. Often report an average score. Often report an average score. Might not take cultural (ir)relevance into consideration- children are tested on same material. Might not take cultural (ir)relevance into consideration- children are tested on same material. Lead to high stakes testing (teachers teach for the test). Lead to high stakes testing (teachers teach for the test). Test anxiety. Test anxiety. Teachers’ creativity is thwarted. Teachers’ creativity is thwarted. Often not developmentally appropriate Often not developmentally appropriate

Wrong use of tests Labeling children. Labeling children. Labeling teachers- could argue either way. Labeling teachers- could argue either way. Use of one test score to make decisions about children (grouping, special programs, etc). Use of one test score to make decisions about children (grouping, special programs, etc). Using culturally biased tests. Using culturally biased tests. Developmentally inappropriate. Developmentally inappropriate. Not testing goals of curriculum Not testing goals of curriculum Are not ongoing. Are not ongoing.

Authentic assessment Uses children’s actual day to day skills & literacy products. Uses children’s actual day to day skills & literacy products. Examples include: portfolios, work samples, observations of children learning/performing in their natural setting. Examples include: portfolios, work samples, observations of children learning/performing in their natural setting.

Different types of authentic assessment Anecdotal observations- clear goals, focus on one skill at a time (oral reading, speaking, etc). Anecdotal observations- clear goals, focus on one skill at a time (oral reading, speaking, etc). Performance samples, Performance samples, Audio- and video-tapes Audio- and video-tapes Child self assessment Child self assessment Running record (coding system) to ascertain level of reading for child. More focus on this (p. 34). Running record (coding system) to ascertain level of reading for child. More focus on this (p. 34).

Standards National standards by National Council of Teacher Educators (NCTE) & International Reading Association (IRA) ndards/ htm National standards by National Council of Teacher Educators (NCTE) & International Reading Association (IRA) ndards/ htm ndards/ htm ndards/ htm MN Language arts standards DE/Academic_Excellence/Academic_ Standards/Language_Arts/index.html MN Language arts standards DE/Academic_Excellence/Academic_ Standards/Language_Arts/index.html DE/Academic_Excellence/Academic_ Standards/Language_Arts/index.html DE/Academic_Excellence/Academic_ Standards/Language_Arts/index.html

FYI Close to 30 percent of American students drop out of school, and about 80 percent of them do so because they cannot read the material in their high school courses. Many of those who manage to struggle to the finish line read little better. And it is also true that one of the most widespread complaints about freshman college students, to say nothing of those who do not go to college, is that they cannot write Close to 30 percent of American students drop out of school, and about 80 percent of them do so because they cannot read the material in their high school courses. Many of those who manage to struggle to the finish line read little better. And it is also true that one of the most widespread complaints about freshman college students, to say nothing of those who do not go to college, is that they cannot write