ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT - SONIYA JAYARAMAN

DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT…. PURPOSE seeking and interpreting evidence for learners and teachers to decide…… where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go, and how best to get there. NATURE OF ASSESSMENT occurs before instruction begins teachers can determine students’ readiness to learn new knowledge and skills, obtain information about their interests and learning preferences. USE OF INFORMATION is used by teachers and students to determine what students already know and can do with respect to the knowledge and skills identified in the overall and specific expectations, teachers can plan instruction and assessment that are differentiated and personalized and work with students to set appropriate learning goals.

THREE KEY ELEMENTS – CRITICAL TO THE PROCESS. Personalization – the learner is at the centre, providing assessment and instruction that are tailored to students’ particular learning and motivational needs. Precision – provide instruction that is precise to the level of readiness and the learning needs of the individual student. Professional learning – Focused, ongoing learning to link new conceptions of instructional practice with assessment of student learning.

SOURCES TO GATHER INFORMATION…….. Diagnostic assessment helps identify what the student brings to his or her learning, in general or with respect to a specific subject….. from the student, the student’s previous teachers, and the student’s parents, from formal sources, such as the Ontario Student Record. The information gathered provides a baseline that informs further assessment, the results of which can be used in developing a student profile and/or a class profile.

TOOLS AND MEASURES Review of recent report cards. Consult with previous teachers, parents and special education teachers. Classroom Observation (eg: Anecdotal notes). Classroom assessments(pre-tests for assessment of students prior knowledge) Commonly used school board assessment(eg oral language screening and reading comprehension tools),assessment of achievements of alternative learning expectations(relating to daily living and social skills). Professional assessments (if needed) Review of any existing transition plans.

CHECK LIST SERVES AS A GUIDE… ❏ Break and/or combine curriculum expectations to create appropriate learning goals. ❏ Collaborate with students to construct learning goals and success criteria. ❏ Apply assessment strategies that are closely tied to the learning goals of each lesson and that can accurately reflect student progress and achievement. ❏ Provide students with timely descriptive feedback, modelling the thinking processes that will help them become more independent in assessing their own progress. ❏ Monitor students’ progress, gather evidence in a variety of forms, illustrate students’ learning and growth through ongoing documentation, and help students understand their personal learning process through dialogue, reflection, and analysis. ❏ Adjust instruction – and, if appropriate, learning goals – on the basis of assessment data in the context of a cyclical, integrated process of assessment and responsive, precise, personalized instruction. ❏ Engage students as partners in the learning process by encouraging them to take responsibility for their learning; to celebrate and take pride in their achievements; to communicate with their peers, teachers, and parents about their learning; and, in general, to develop their sense of efficacy with respect to improving their achievement.

CONFERENCING The teacher and student meet to exchange information, to explore the students thinking and suggest next steps ;assess the students level of understanding of a particular concept or procedure and review, clarify and extend what the student has already completed. Example Teacher asks the student to- name all the organ systems (circulatory system…..) Name the organ involved in circulatory system( heart) Size of the heart(Fist) Location of the heart…..

PLACE MAT This cooperative learning strategy allows students to think about, record (usually around the outside area of a large piece of paper), and then share their ideas. Afterwards, they may compare what each group member has written, and compile the common items in the centre of the paper. What happens to the food that we eat ? Can you name the organs in the digestive system? Compare the functions of large intestine from small intestine?

MIND MAP Students place the central topic in the center of a page. Student write one word or short phrases that relate to main topic Teacher can assess how much students know that particular topic. Topic- Brain, different parts of brain and its functions.

ANTICIPATION GUIDE It activates students prior knowledge and builds curiosity about a new topic.. It stimulates students interest in a topic and set a purpose for reading Read several statements about key concepts like….. CEREBRUM: This is the largest brain structure in humans BRAIN STEM: The brain stem controls functions basic to the survival of all animals, such as heart rate, breathing, digesting foods, and sleeping. The Temporal Lobe controls memory storage area, emotion, hearing, and, on the left side, language.

WORD SPLASH Students are given key words from the unit of study prior to learning.(four chambers- heart beat, Auricles and Ventricles, Small Intestines and Large Intestines ) Students are to write about their understanding What the word means? How the words are related? Understanding about the words?

ASSESSMENT BY DRAWING Students draw what they know about the topic. Example – digestive system Brain Heart Lungs

KWL CHART STUDENTS ARE GIVEN THE POTENTIAL TOPIC.(RESPIRATORY SYSTEM) STUDENTS ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT……. WHAT I KNOW WHAT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAVE I LEARNED

OTHER DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS TO INCLUDE BASED ON TOPIC, STUDENT INTEREST AND CHANGES IN UNIT PLAN Brainstorming Observation of learning skills Pretests Journal entries Quiz Think- pair share

TASKS TO INCLUDE PARENTS IN DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT Parent note- can provide feedback to teachers about their child’s learning and development as part of his/her daily interactions with them. Parent-Teacher Conference- Parents can provide insights about their child’s learning and give valuable suggestions/clues/ideas of areas of improvement, strengths and weaknesses. Agendas - give parents opportunities to share information about their child’s learning and development. All the above can be obtained on teacher’s request.

REFERENCE eced/learningforall2013.pdf eced/learningforall2013.pdf