Transcript Learning is like putting together a puzzle. You need all

The Assessment Investigation
Sue Taylor-Foley
Consultant for Research, Planning
and Technology
South Shore District School Board
Assessment is like solving a
puzzle. You need to collect all
the pieces so that you can
evaluate the whole picture.
Agenda
What is
assessment?
What is Evaluation?
How do teachers
use these to inform
inform instruction?
What is the Grade 6
Literacy
Assessment?
How can this be
used in context of
classroom
assessments?
Others here will likely have no
problem with reading this…
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K3 *P2tog, YO*P2tog, K3 (33st)
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K3 *inc1, K1*inc 1, K3 (47 st)
Still others will understand this
without any difficulty.
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WRK NW
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But, what if you didn’t
understand those???
Does it mean you are not literate?
What does it mean?
“The longer I write and read,
the more I learn; writing and
reading are lifelong
apprenticeships…”
By Donald M. Murray
Student literacy
Reflects previous
years of schooling
Experiences at
Home
Communities
Experiences
Varied background
experiences
Teachers address learning
strengths and needs in the
classroom.
They use curriculum guides that are
based on outcomes.
They assess and evaluate students to
inform their instruction.
They build on student strengths and
teach to develop their areas of need.
What is Assessment?
Assessment is the
process of gathering
information on
student learning.
What is evaluation?
The process of
analyzing, reflecting
upon and summarizing
assessment information
and making judgments
and/or decisions based
on the information
collected.
Assessment and
Evaluation are not
an issue of trial
and error but one
of informed
decision making
by looking at the
whole student in a
variety of ways.
Assessment + Evaluation (of
outcomes being taught) =
Informed Instruction
Your task during this
presentation
Is to put the pieces
together.
Evaluate each new
piece of information that
you gather to make an
informed decision.
Keep track of your
observations on the
record sheet provided.
Variety of methods that teachers use
to assess student literacy
Portfolios
Anecdotal Records
Teacher made tests
Checklists
Outcomes tracking
Analysis of written work
Running records
Miscue analysis
Conferences
Demonstrations
Journals
Presentations
Rubics
Observation
Stage of reading
development
Stage of writing
development
Benchmark materials
Self-assessments
Surveys
Questionnaires
Video/audio tapes
Projects
We also use…
Standardized testing
information when available.
Grade 6 Literacy Assessment
October 14-17/03
-measured selected grade 5
Language Arts Outcomes
For 10 of the grade 5 LA Outcomes
34
Language Arts
Outcomes in the Grade 6 Guide
Language Arts Outcomes
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Gr. 6
Assess.
Total
Purpose of Assessment
To monitor progress of students in meeting
selected reading/viewing and writing
outcomes from the ELA curriculum
To identify struggling students so that support
can be provided
Also “assessing education system… let’s us
know if system is working as we expect”
Who took the assessment?
All grade 6 students in Nova Scotia
Exception- students who have
documented Individual Program Plans
in Language Arts
Students on Modified Programs did
write with modifications noted on
student response sheet
What was provided by the Department prior to
the assessment?
For Students
an information
pamphlet to take home
to their parents prior to
testing
A practice test and
practice scantron sheet
to complete ( on one
poem section) the week
prior to the assessment
For Teachers
An information meeting
(attended in June or on
Oct. 6)
A teacher information
guide received in Sept.
A practice test to use
with students the week
prior to testing
Website on the Dept of
Ed. for assessment
Test format- referenced to specific
outcomes
Reading and Viewing section (6 parts)



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
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Short story
Information text (e.g. following instructions)
Visual media text
Information text (e.g. non-fiction)
Poetry
Information text (e.g.. Table of contents)
Questions are at Comprehension and Analysis levels
This section was answered on the scantron sheet
provided
Specifically
Students answered questions about a story they
read about a Baby-Sitter
Students answered informational questions about
the inform found on a box of Kraft Dinner
Students answered questions about an
advertisement from a Zoological Society on
Giant Pandas
Students answered questions on a pamphlet
about Bats
Students answered questions on a poem also
about Bats
Writing
Transactional writing
(e.g.. Letter)



Ideas
Organization
Matters of
correctness
Literary Prose (e.g..
Narrative story)



Ideas
Organization
Matters of
correctness
Specifically
Students had a letter writing task they were given






information to read before writing
planning to write
wrote a first draft
used a checklist to review their first draft
wrote their second and final draft
used a checklist to review their final draft
Students were also asked to write a creative
writing piece (some supports and guidelines
were also given for this)
Now what happens?
In November there was a marking session for the
two writing sections. These were marked by
grade 6 teachers from around the province.
A computer at the Department of Education will
mark the Scantron section of the Assessment.
In the new year, it is expected that the results will
arrive at schools.
Teachers will receive an outcome by outcome
report.
It is expected that Parents will receive a report
that indicates if their child has met expectations
or not in reading and viewing and in writing in
February 2004.
Outcomes measured by
Grade 6 Literacy Assessment
Provides an additional piece of information
Results can be used with other assessment
information the teacher has collected
Can be used when assisting students to
reflect on and assess their own learning
Data can be used to help reflect on ways to
continuously improve the school program
May identify students who are struggling.
Items to consider
Classroom assessment is not based on a
single test or measure
Test results for the Grade 6 Literacy
Assessment are received at least 4 months
after students have taken the assessment
and are based on outcomes from Grade 5
Only selected items that can be measured in
this type of assessment are included
Student results will be reported in limited
terms.
This student has…
Met the
expectations in
Reading and
Viewing.
Met the expectation
in Writing.
Not met the
expectations in
Reading and
Viewing.
Not met the
expectations in
Writing.
Supports for Struggling
StudentsAssessment
Instruction
Evaluation
Support is to
begin/continue in
Grade 6
Support is to
continue in junior
high
What is happening
currently to support
readers and writers at
your school?
Reading Recovery in
Grade 1
Reduced class size in early
grades
In depth training on
teaching reading in P-3
(AYR)
Training in reading and
writing teaching in 4-6
(AYR & WIA)
Implementation of Active
Readers in Junior High
November Inservice
focused on assessment,
and the reading and writing
connections.
Additional classroom
resources received
from Province to
support teacher
professional growth
and classroom reading
collections.
Literacy Mentor
Consultant of Program
Support
Over 50 teachers
involved in Leadership
Teams
Technology Mentors in
most Elementary
Schools
Those supports are in addition
to…
What your child’s
teacher is doing to
support learning on
a daily basis in the
classroom.
What supports do you want
for…
Staff
Students
Literacy Assessment
Parents
Inform your school community
about student assessment
Include assessment information in-school and classroom communication plans
-classroom letters
-school newsletters
-parent / teacher conferences
-discuss this topic at SAC and H&S meetings
-look at your school improvement plan
-discuss ways that parents can support their
children
What have you decided after
looking at all the puzzle
pieces?