Assessment and Assessment and Differentiation of InstructionDifferentiation of Instruction

Assessment for LearningAssessment for Learning

Where to Begin?Where to Begin?-Cornell University-Cornell University

Goal statement:Goal statement: Start with clear statements of Start with clear statements of your most important your most important goals.goals. (What key things will (What key things will students be able to say, think, or do after students be able to say, think, or do after completing the activity?) completing the activity?)

Opportunities:Opportunities: Provide opportunities for Provide opportunities for students to learn.students to learn.

Assessment: Assessment: Plan your assessments carefully Plan your assessments carefully so that they assess the so that they assess the goalsgoals you have you have articulated. articulated.

Standards:Standards: Define clear, appropriate standards Define clear, appropriate standards for student performance. (What constitutes for student performance. (What constitutes exemplary, adequate, and poor work?)exemplary, adequate, and poor work?)

Assessment PrinciplesAssessment Principles

Consider the strengths and needs of the studentConsider the strengths and needs of the student

Use multiple and varied assessmentsUse multiple and varied assessments

Use ongoing assessmentUse ongoing assessment

Students should receive transparent and Students should receive transparent and ongoing feedbackongoing feedback

Types of AssessmentTypes of Assessment

Summative:Summative: occurs after instruction and occurs after instruction and summarizes learningsummarizes learning e.g., end of semester test, national exame.g., end of semester test, national exam

Formative:Formative: begins before teaching and begins before teaching and continues during the learning process; informs continues during the learning process; informs and helps inform the teaching and learning; and helps inform the teaching and learning; embedded in ALL lessons; observe and modifyembedded in ALL lessons; observe and modify e.g., keeping track of progress toward a short-term e.g., keeping track of progress toward a short-term

goalgoal

Self assessmentSelf assessment

Just like soup…Just like soup…Which one is formative, summative?Which one is formative, summative?

Chef tastes soup… Chef tastes soup… Customer tastes Customer tastes soup…soup…

Robert StakeRobert Stake

Assessments…Assessments…

Formal, norm-referencedFormal, norm-referenced (e.g., published tests (e.g., published tests administered under standardized conditions; for administered under standardized conditions; for diagnostics)diagnostics)

Criterion-referenced;Criterion-referenced; measures the extent which measures the extent which students have mastered a skill; there is a pre-students have mastered a skill; there is a pre-established criterion (e.g., informal reading established criterion (e.g., informal reading inventories)inventories)

Curriculum-based Curriculum-based (e.g., measures a student’s (e.g., measures a student’s progress towards meeting instructional goals)progress towards meeting instructional goals)

Other Tools…Other Tools…

InterviewingInterviewing Surveys, checklists, Surveys, checklists, rubrics,rubrics, retellings retellings BenchmarksBenchmarks Student self-assessmentStudent self-assessment Peer feedbackPeer feedback PortfoliosPortfolios ConferencesConferences ObservationsObservations

What Basic Aspects of Comprehension to Assess?What Basic Aspects of Comprehension to Assess? Cain, 2010Cain, 2010

To understand text, the reader or listener needs To understand text, the reader or listener needs to (word level skills assumed)….to (word level skills assumed)….

Comprehend word meaningsComprehend word meanings Comprehend sentences (grammatical Comprehend sentences (grammatical

understanding)understanding) Process and comprehend discourse (may Process and comprehend discourse (may

include listening comprehension assessment)include listening comprehension assessment) Connect ideas between sentences with general Connect ideas between sentences with general

knowledgeknowledge

What about pre-readers?What about pre-readers?

Oral language abilityOral language ability correlates with later correlates with later reading comprehension skills…reading comprehension skills…

Oral vocabulary skillsOral vocabulary skills Grammatical/Syntax abilityGrammatical/Syntax ability Narrative skill developmentNarrative skill development

Constructing a RubricConstructing a Rubric

Practice making a rubricPractice making a rubric http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.phphttp://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

Differentiation of InstructionDifferentiation of Instruction

Teachers Differentiate for Students’ NeedsTeachers Differentiate for Students’ NeedsWhen They….When They….

React responsively to a learner’s needsReact responsively to a learner’s needs Are flexible (e.g., re: learning goals, materials, Are flexible (e.g., re: learning goals, materials,

modes of teaching, student groupings, etc.modes of teaching, student groupings, etc. Differentiate based on ongoing assessmentDifferentiate based on ongoing assessment Use flexible groupings (i.e., whole, small, and Use flexible groupings (i.e., whole, small, and

individual groupings)individual groupings) Variable groupings; at times homogeneous, Variable groupings; at times homogeneous,

heterogeneous, interest driven, based on heterogeneous, interest driven, based on learning style, etc.learning style, etc.

Finding a ‘good fit’ for task to learnerFinding a ‘good fit’ for task to learner

DifferentiationDifferentiation

CurriculumCurriculum can be can be differentiateddifferentiated…… ProcessProcess can be differentiated… can be differentiated… ProductsProducts can be differentiated… can be differentiated…

• Response to Intervention (RTI)Response to Intervention (RTI)

CurriculumCurriculum can be can be differentiateddifferentiated……

ContentContent (what the teacher plans for students to (what the teacher plans for students to learn; how the student gains access to the learn; how the student gains access to the knowledge; essential facts may be constant)knowledge; essential facts may be constant)

Use manipulatives with some learnersUse manipulatives with some learners Use different reading levelsUse different reading levels Present material using part to whole and whole Present material using part to whole and whole

to part approachesto part approaches Use reading buddiesUse reading buddies Reteach Reteach Use computers, videos to convey key conceptsUse computers, videos to convey key concepts

ProcessProcess can be differentiated… can be differentiated…

Process: how the learner comes to understand Process: how the learner comes to understand the key facts, concepts, generalizations, skills; the key facts, concepts, generalizations, skills; varying the activityvarying the activity

Involve other modalities to support learningInvolve other modalities to support learning Provide options for level of difficulty or for Provide options for level of difficulty or for

individual interestsindividual interests Vary the amount of supportVary the amount of support Provide different choices for response (e.g., Provide different choices for response (e.g.,

verbal open vs. choice; nonverbal; verbal open vs. choice; nonverbal; manipulatives)manipulatives)

ProductsProducts can be differentiated… can be differentiated…

A student’s demonstration of learning, A student’s demonstration of learning, understandingunderstanding

Expressing learning in varied waysExpressing learning in varied ways A good product makes a student rethink about A good product makes a student rethink about

what has been learned; stresses creativity, and what has been learned; stresses creativity, and application and critical thinking skillsapplication and critical thinking skills

Students design products around essential Students design products around essential learning goalslearning goals

PortfoliosPortfolios Varied assessments including student generated Varied assessments including student generated

rubricsrubrics

Differentiation by…Differentiation by…Learning Style and Individual NeedsLearning Style and Individual Needs

Differentiation by Learning StyleDifferentiation by Learning StyleGrade OneGrade One

differentiation video.MOV

Differentiation by Interest…Differentiation by Interest…AcademiesAcademies

Ten Ways to DifferentiateTen Ways to Differentiate

PARTICULAR: group activity pg. 105PARTICULAR: group activity pg. 105 Select a book, a skill, and a student Select a book, a skill, and a student

problemproblem