1. Informal Assessment
By: Lisa Swan

2. Analyze social justices issues present in children’s books.
Describe critical literacy learning activities for students that address social justice issues present in children’s book.
Learning Objectives

3. The Problem
Conceptual Misunderstanding

4. NCTE:
race, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, age, appearance, ability, national origin, language, spiritual belief, size [height and/or weight], sexual orientation, social class, economic circumstance, environment, ecology, culture, and the treatment of animals

5. The Problem
Conceptual Misunderstanding
Time

6. The Problem
Conceptual Misunderstanding
Timing
Inexperience

7. Formative Assessment

8. “a set of skills and activities that are undertaken by teachers to provide feedback to students to enhance their motivation and learning by designing instruction to meet student needs” (McMillian, 2007, p. 1).

9. Formative Summative Provides ongoing feedback to improve learning
Documents student performance at the end of an unit or class
Occurs during instruction
Occurs after instruction
Teacher provides immediate, specific feedback
Teacher evaluates and measures students performance
Informal
Formal
“assurance” in learning (William & Leahy, 2007, p. 40)
“quality control” of learning (William & Leahy, 2007, p. 40)
McMillian (2007)

10. Benefits Shows what is important Encourages evaluative thinking
Promotes learning autonomy
Improve motivation and engagement
(Brookhart, 2007; McDowell, 2012; McMillian, 2007)

11. Benefits Provides invaluable feedback about teaching
Opportunities change your instruction
(Brookhart, 2007; McDowell, 2012; McMillian, 2007)

12. Informal Assessment Activities
Quick writes
12 word summary
3-2-1
Idea wave
Clickers, Signal Cards, or Thumbs up

13. Informal Assessment Activities
Four corners
1 minute reflection
Concept maps/web
Test question generators
Analogy prompt
Application Article

14. Successful Oral Assessment
Open questions
Give plenty of time
Try not to evaluate responses

15. Question Heuristic Hodgen and Webb (2008) outline:
“Tell me about the problem.”
“What is similar? What is different?”
“How do you know that”
(qtd. Butt, 2010, p. 60)

16. Self-Evaluation Criteria
Ask yourself:
How integrated in my class is my formative assessment?
How did I change my instruction? Were these changes effective?
Are students learning and engaged?
(McMillian, 2007)

17. References
American Federation of Teachers. “Formative (Informal) Assessment Strategies.” AFT A
Union of Professionals. n.d. Accessed January 20,
Brookhart, S. M. (2007). Expanding views about formative classroom assessment: A review
of the literature. In J. H. McMillian (Eds.), Formative classroom assessment: Theory into practice (pp ). New York, NY: Teachers College Pr.
Butt, G. (2010). Making assessment matter. New York, NY: Continuum Publishing Group.
Haugen, L. “Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATS).” Iowa State University
Accessed January 23,
National Council of the Teachers of English. “Beliefs about Social Justice in English
Education,” NCTE Accessed January 23,
McDowell, L. (2012). Assessment for Learning. In L. Clouder, C. Broughan, S. Jewell, & G.
Steventon (Eds.), Improving student engagement and development through assessment: Theory and practice in higher education (pp ). New York, NY: Routledge.
McMillan, J. H. (eds). (2007). Formative classroom assessment: Theory into practice. New
York, NY: Teachers College Pr.
William, D. W. & Leahy, S. (2007). A Theoretical Foundation for Formative Assessment. In J.
H. McMillian (Eds.), Formative classroom assessment: Theory into practice (pp. 9-29). New York, NY: Teachers College Pr.