Checking For Understanding An Overview of Douglas and Nancy Freys’ Formative Assessment Techniques for your Classroom Craig J. Wisniewski

Why Do We Need to Check for Understanding? In research conducted on closing the achievement gap between racial and ethnic groups, studies found that almost half of African American and Latino students indicate that they understand the lesson about half the time, or less. The same is true for between one-quarter and one third of Asian American and white students. African American and Latino students also reported less understanding of the processes being taught and less comprehension of assigned reading materials. Newsletter of the Minority Student Achievement Network (2003)

how teachers can effectively increase students’ comprehension NAME DATE The Unit Organizer BIGGER PICTURE LAST UNIT/Experience CURRENT UNIT NEXT UNIT/Experience UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS is about... UNIT RELATIONSHIPS UNIT SCHEDULE Checking For Understanding UNIT MAP by using different techniques of oral language by using a variety of writing assessments by using projects and performances by using tests and assessments by using different types of questioning techniques 1. What are the various methods a teacher can use to check for student understanding? 2. How can teachers use these methods to better support our district grading initiative of 80/20? 3. How can teachers help students develop good study skills? 4. How does checking for understanding foster staff collaboration?

hh11 NAME DATE The Unit Organizer NEW UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS Expanded Unit Map Checking For Understanding is about how teachers can effectively increase students’ comprehension. by using different types of questioning techniques such as by using a variety of writing assessments such as by using tests and assessments such as by using different techniques of oral language such as Tests: 1. Multiple Choice 2. Short Answer 3. True or False 4. Essay Assessments 1. Pacing Guides 2. Instructional Materials and Arrangements 3. Common Assessments 4. Consensus Scoring and Item Analysis 5. Revising Pacing Guides, Reviewing Assessments, Reteaching, and Forming Intervention Groups 1. Accountable Talk 2. Value Lineups 3. Retellings 4. Think-Pair-Share 5. Misconception Analysis 6. Whip Around 1. Response Cards 2. Hand Signals 3. Audience Response Systems 4. ReQuest 5. Socratic Seminar 1. Interactive Writing 2. Read-Write-Pair-Share 3. Summary Writing 4. RAFT

Using Oral Language (Speaking and Listening) to Check for Understanding Accountable Talk 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 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 Retellings Students process large segments of text, think about the sequence of ideas or events and their importance, and then summarize, orally, what they understand Think Pair Share Students discuss their responses with peers before sharing with the whole class Misconception Analysis Students have an opportunity to discuss, often in small groups, misunderstandings they have about the topic at hand 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 his/her answer, other students cross that item off their list. When all items are crossed off their list, that student may sit

Questioning Techniques to Check for Understanding 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 Audience Response Systems (ARS) A handheld electronic device commonly used with PowerPoint ReQuest Reciprocal questioning is a process in which students ask and answer questions as they read Socratic Seminar Engaging a group of learners in a conversation and a series of questions

Writing Assessments to Check for Understanding Interactive Writing Allowing students to 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 what they’ve read and written, and then share their ideas with the whole class Summary Writing Students re-write what they have read, viewed, or done RAFT Role: What is the role of the writer? Audience: To whom is the writer writing? Format: What is the format for the writing? Topic: What is the focus of the writing?

Using Projects and Performances to Check for Understanding Readers’ Theatre Students read directly from scripts to tell a story or inform an audience using intonation, facial gestures, prosody and gestures Multimedia Presentations Students share what they know as they combine text, graphics, video, sound and even animation Electronic and Paper Portfolios Students collect items to reflect a body of work Visual Displays of Information Students represent their knowledge in a nonlinguistic fashion using images or movement to do so Graphic Organizers Electronic Software such as Inspiration or Kidspiration Foldables Dioramas Public Performances Students perform their presentation

Using Tests to Check for Understanding (tests should be used to check student understanding and to help plan instruction) Multiple Choice Gauges students understanding fairly quickly Short Answer Measure if students can accurately recall specific information True or False (Dichotomous Choice) Determines 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

Using Assessments to Check for Understanding (assessments should be used to check student understanding and to help plan instruction) Pacing Guides A sequence of Standards-based instruction Instructional Materials and Arrangements Selection of instructional materials, strategies, approaches and arrangements to curriculum Common Assessments Pre-determined points (no less than every six weeks) in which a group of teachers create and administer their own assessments Consensus Scoring and Item Analysis Teachers meet to discuss results, disaggregate it into subpopulations, and do a test item analysis on questions to check for students understanding and misunderstandings Revising Pacing Guides, Reviewing Assessments, Reteaching, and Forming Intervention Groups