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Glossary
Alaska Department of Education & Early Development
English/Language Arts Framework
Chapter 4: Instruction/Assessment
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Introduction
Instruction and assessment are interwoven in this document because
they are not inherently separate experiences. All assessment
tasks are appropriate for instruction, though all instructional
tasks are not necessarily appropriate for assessment.
Assessment is an ongoing process. Because teachers teach, assess,
reteach, and reassess continuously, both formally and informally,
the two (instruction and assessment) cannot usefully be separated.
All terms in bold in print text (or hypertext in CD-ROM
version) are defined in the glossary.
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Assumptions about Instructional Assessment
- Instructional assessment should be a process that allows teachers
to adjust their instruction continuously to match the needs of
students. Assessment should not be seen as siphoning teachers'
energy away from their major task of instruction because assessment is not separate from instruction. Assessmentis instruction, differing only how much it "counts"
and when in the learning process it happens.
- Instructional assessment should help students communicate
what they know rather than what they do not know.
- Assessment for guidance and improvement of learning is done
to determine what development is occurring and to identify a student's
strengths and weaknesses in reading and writing.
- Assessment for the guidance and improvement of instruction
is done to discover the power of teaching, learn more about the
development of reading and writing, and to sharpen the quality
of observations and confidence in them.
- Assessment for monitoring the outcomes of instruction is done
to gather information about a student as a reader and writer to
share with others, assess program strengths and weaknesses, and
guide professional development.
- Innovative assessment practices place a high value on helping
students improve rather than comparing students; providing multiple
opportunities to learn and varied assessment practices; capturing
students' diverse ways of knowing; focusing on what is valued
in learning, rather than what is most easily measured; and data
collection methods that are nearly indistinguishable from the
instructional experience.
- Scaffolding of both instruction and assessment is critical.
If the content is novel and challenging, the assessment task
should be familiar. If content is familiar, then the assessment
task should be novel and challenging.
- Teachers should introduce assessment strategies to students
and, when appropriate, give them samples of student work which
demonstrate a range of performance levels, making the criteria
clear and public.
Instruction and Assessment Considerations
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Diversity
Innovative instruction and assessment strategies shift the focus
from a single instructional style to a diverse set of experiences
to match the unique needs of each student. By using assessment
throughout the instructional sequence, teachers can respond with
appropriate modifications to the needs of students with diverse
languages, cultures, or learning challenges. This is why innovative
assessment strategies are an important part of any curriculum
designed to meet the needs of diverse student populations.
Things to Consider
- The primary language of the child and his or her proficiency
in that language
- The child's proficiency in English
- The culture and demographics of the communities within the
district
- Multiple indicators of student performance which better
reflect the diversity of cultures, languages, learning styles,
and challenges
- The limits of standardized tests, which contain knowledge
that is common to the dominant culture and may be culturally insensitive
or inappropriate for many Alaskan students.
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Developmental Issues
When people hear the phrase developmentally appropriate practice,
they often think it applies only to young children. The phrase,
however, applies to children not only at primary and intermediate
levels, but to middle level and high school students as well,
and our curriculum and assessment techniques must reflect this.
Things to Consider
- Developmental stages of expressive linguistic proficiency (see chart at end of Content Section).
- Developmental expectations as presented in student performance standards developed by state or district levels.
- Developmental continua as exemplified in the Juneau Portfolio
Handbook (See Reference Kit.)
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Technology
Electronic technology has an important role to play in assessment.
It can be used to assist with grading and record keeping, journals,
self evaluations, tasks, and portfolios. Technology has helped
to launch a revolution in the ways that students demonstrate their
learning. Technology is helping to create new ways of thinking,
communicating, teaching, and assessing.
Things to Consider
- Electronic portfolios may encourage students to use technology
effectively and explore ways to express themselves.
- Electronic technology (personal digital assistant, bar code
readers) can record learning and behavioral observations in the
classroom.
- Modern technology (calculators, computers, touch-screen monitors)
can help all students succeed in problem solving tasks by allowing
them to bypass certain motor frustrations.
- Research shows that the use of electronic technology by some
students and not by others may bias the scores. Electronically
generated products tend to be more strictly scored.
- Conversely, experience shows that some scorers can be dazzled
by technological bells and whistles. Remember that technological
hype is no substitute for substance.
- Computer software should be selected that emphasizes conjecture
and discovery.
- Telecommunications options allow students to share what they
and others are learning.
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Collaborative Learning
Expressive and receptive skill development require both an expresser
and a receiver. (Most people talk to someone besides themselves.)
Much of the work we do in life is done in groups or teams. Effective
communication assumes that students will be involved in group/collaborative
work.(Standard C) Instructional assessment must model appropriate
evaluation in group situations.
Cooperative group instruction is used for a number of different
reasons:
- to develop collaborative behaviors,
- to improve content understanding through peer interactions,
- to create a product that is large in scale and requires teams
working simultaneously on different components, and
- to capitalize on the natural social tendencies of our students.
Things to Consider
If you are going to be using assessment groups, be sure students
have instruction and experience in working constructively in groups.
- Provide a balance of individual and group accountability.
Some students may become frustrated with too much emphasis on
one or the other.
- If the goal of the group work is a large-scale product or
performance, then the assessment should address individual contributions
and should provide feedback to the whole group of the quality
of the product.
- Never give a group a task that can be done better by individuals.
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SAMPLE INSTRUCTION/ASSESSMENT TASKS
Standard A: A student should be able to speak and write well
for a variety of purposes and audiences.
TASK
What is the student doing? |
INSTRUCTION/ASSESSMENT PURPOSE
Why is it performed? |
SUPPORTIVE INSTRUCTION/ SCAFFOLDING
How do we as teachers and students get there? |
ASSESSMENT TOOL
How is it measured? |
|---|
| Using a journal/learning log |
Instructional Reason:
- To clarify thinking and prepare for discussion
- To apply elements of effective writing
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate language proficiency and clarity
- To evaluate student attitudes
|
|
- Checklist
- Rubric
- Self evaluation
- Peer response checklist
|
| Discussing a video | Instructional Reason:
- To comprehend content
- To extend thinking
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate ability to apply to life
- To evaluate analytical and oral skills
|
- Preview discussion
- Viewing and stopping video, modeling discussion
- Note taking
- Venn diagram
|
- Anecdotal record
- Note taking rubric
- Observational checklist
|
| Preparing exhibitions | Instructional Reason:
- To read effectively/thoroughly
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate synthesis of information
|
|
- Checklist of strategies
- Anecdotal notes/running records
- Self/peer analysis
- Analysis of student response journal
|
| Writing a descriptive essay | Instructional Reason:
- To clarify thinking
- To apply elements of effective writing
Assessment Reason
- To evaluate writing skills
|
- Guided practice
- Writing process practice
- Modeling application of rubric to one’s own and others‘ writing
|
- Self/peer analysis
- Checklist
- Rubric
|
Cautions: 1. This list contains suggestions. It
is intentionally incomplete. 2. No instruction or assessment
strategy is necessarily better than any other. They should be
selected or designed to fit the purpose and content. 3. Tasks
and tools are elaborated in the next section.
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SAMPLE INSTRUCTION/ASSESSMENT TASKS
Standard B: A student should be a competent and thoughtful
reader, listener, and viewer of literature, technical materials,
and a variety of other information.
TASK
What is the student doing? |
INSTRUCTION/ASSESSMENT PURPOSE
Why is it performed? |
SUPPORTIVE INSTRUCTION/ SCAFFOLDING
How do we as teachers and students get there? |
ASSESSMENT TOOL
How is it measured? |
|---|
| Viewing and discussing a video |
Instructional Reason:
- To develop listening skills
- To gain information
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate viewing skills
- To evaluate comprehension and analysis of information
|
- Reflecting on prior knowledge
- Stopping video periodically and modeling discussion
- Note taking during viewing
- Fast write practice
|
- Checklist of listening skills
- Anecdotal map on fishbowl discussion
- Quiz
|
| Selecting and reading aloud a piece of fiction in a small discussion group | Instructional Reason:
- To develop reading strategies
- To develop ability to respond orally to literature
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate use of reading strategies
- To evaluate skill to respond to literature, both literally and inferentially
|
- Teacher reads aloud and models personal use of reading strategies
- Student analysis of tape recording of own reading and discussion
- Coaching during reading
- Fishbowl
|
- Checklist of reading strategies
- Analysis of student response journal
- Running record
|
| Reciprocal reading/teaching |
Instructional Reason:
- To develop listening skills
- To develop note taking ability
- To formulate questions
- To comprehend while reading
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate use of reading strategies
- To evaluate skills of responding to literature both literally and inferentially
- To evaluate listening skills
|
- Reviewing and modeling listening skills
- Questioning during reading
- Note taking during reading and listening
- Guided practice
|
- Peer observation with anecdotal notes
- Checklist of reading strategies
|
Cautions: 1. This list contains suggestions. It
is intentionally incomplete. 2. No instruction or assessment
strategy is necessarily better than any other. They should be
selected or designed to fit the purpose and content. 3. Tasks
and tools are elaborated in the next section.
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Standard C: A student should be able to identify and select
from multiple strategies in order to complete projects independently
and cooperatively.
SAMPLE INSTRUCTION/ASSESSMENT TASKS
TASK
What is the student doing? |
INSTRUCTION/ASSESSMENT PURPOSE
Why is it performed? |
SUPPORTIVE INSTRUCTION/ SCAFFOLDING
How do we as teachers and students get there? |
ASSESSMENT TOOL
How is it measured? |
|---|
| As a group, developing a rubric to evaluate an independent project | Instructional Reason:
- To use task analysis skills
- To select and use appropriate decision making process
- When working on collaborative projects, to
- take responsibility for individual contributions to projects;
- share ideas and workloads, incorporating individual talents and perspectives;
- work effectively with others as active participants and as responsive audiences; and
- evaluate the process and work of self and of others
- To set high standards for project quality
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate task analysis skills, selection and use appropriate decision making processes, (a) - (d) above, and/or standards for project quality
| Guided practice in rubrics
- Definition of quality
- Analysis of projects
- Task analysis
- Practice in self/peer evaluation
- Cooperative skills
|
- Checklist
- Peer review rubric
- Panel of experts from community
|
| Selecting a project | Instructional Reason:
- To make meaningful choices
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate choices among a plethora of choices
|
- Brainstorming
- Prioritizing
- Evaluating resources
- Time management
|
- Teacher observation
- Conferencing
- Parental involvement
- Rubric
|
| Developing a plan for independent project | Instructional Reason:
- To understand and execute directions
- To make and keep deadlines
- To seek, select, and use relevant resources
Assesment Reason
- To evaluate understanding and execution of directions, ability to set and keep deadlines, and/or ability in seeking, selecting, and using relevant resources
|
- Note taking skills
- Library/research technology
- Problem solving
- Keeping deadlines
- Following directions
|
- Teacher observation with mental notes
- Conferencing
- Community involvement
- Project rubric
- Peer response
|
| Completing an independent project |
Instructional Reason:
- To make choices about projects after examining a range of possibilities
- To organize a project by understanding directions, making and keeping deadlines, and seeking, selecting, and using relevant resources
- To set high standards for project quality
- To evaluate self
- To select and use appropriate decision-making processes
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate choices, organization, self evaluation, ability to set high standards, and/or decision-making processes
| Guided practice and modeling in
- Time management
- Evaluating resources
- Interview techniques
- Library/research
- Technology
- Problem solving
- Goal setting
| Response form
completed by
- Community member,
- Parent,
- Self,
- Mentor,
- Teacher, and/or
- Independent boards
|
Cautions: 1. The following list contains suggestions. It
is intentionally incomplete. 2. No instruction or assessment
strategy is necessarily better than any other. They should be
selected or designed to fit the purpose and content. 3. Tasks
and tools are elaborated in the next section.
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Standard D: A student should be able to think logically and
reflectively in order to present and explain positions based on
relevant and reliable information.
SAMPLE INSTRUCTION/ASSESSMENT TASKS
TASK
What is the student doing? |
INSTRUCTION/ASSESSMENT PURPOSE
Why is it performed? |
SUPPORTIVE INSTRUCTION/ SCAFFOLDING
How do we as teachers and students get there? |
ASSESSMENT TOOL
How is it measured? |
|---|
Writing a persuasive essay based on research
| Instructional Reason:
- To use logic to persuade
- To apply research skills
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate ability to reason
- To evaluate how students do and use research
|
- Model the steps necessary to write the piece
- Note taking
- Use of research library
- Conducting of an interview
- Practice web, map, fishbone
|
- Writing rubric
- Interview checklist
- Peer response scoring form
|
Debating a topic based on above research
| Instructional Reason:
- To learn to support one’s position orally
- To use research and realistic evidence
- To construct a persuasive argument
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate ability to state their position and support it
- To evaluate ability to select reliable information
- To evaluate persuasive skills
|
- Teacher/peer modeling
- Watching a debate or video
- Tutoring on debate techniques
- Cross - age coaching models
|
- Class vote
- Peer/self evaluation based on rubric
|
Group fishbowl discussing an author’s purpose in a text
| Instructional Reason:
- To work with texts to determine author’s purpose
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate thinking and listening skills for outer circle
|
- Practice finding appropriate evidence or support
- Practice fishbowl discussion
- Practice writing observations
|
- Listeners’ written observations
- Teacher rubric
- Anecdotal map
|
Taking a position on a controversial issue and writing a letter to a policy maker to explain position
| Instructional Reason:
- To develop a position by:
- reflecting on personal experiences, prior knowledge, and new information; formulating and refining questions;
- identifying a variety of pertinent sources of information;
- analyzing and synthesizing information
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate the validity, objectivity, reliability, and quality of information read, heard, and seen
|
- Guided practice working with elements listed in column two
- Model letters to editors and legislators
|
- Rubric to assess logical position, appropriate support, evidence, and explanation
|
Cautions: 1. The following list contains suggestions. It
is intentionally incomplete. 2. No instruction or assessment
strategy is necessarily better than any other. They should be
selected or designed to fit the purpose and content. 3. Tasks
and tools are elaborated in the next section.
Standard E: A student should understand and respect the perspectives
of others in order to communicate effectively.
SAMPLE INSTRUCTION/ASSESSMENT TASKS
TASK
What is the student doing? |
INSTRUCTION/ASSESSMENT PURPOSE
Why is it performed? |
SUPPORTIVE INSTRUCTION/ SCAFFOLDING
How do we as teachers and students get there? |
ASSESSMENT TOOL
How is it measured? |
|---|
Students creating and presenting a skit that illustrates communication styles in different cultures
| Instructional Reason:
- To recognize communication styles in different cultures and their possible effects on
others
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate awareness of styles
|
- Use guided practice with Venn diagrams
- Brainstorm commonalties in cultures
|
|
Given an example of a culture other than their own, students brainstorming a list of communication style elements which are different from their own
| Instructional Reason:
- To recognize communication styles in different cultures and their possible effects on others
Assessment Reason
|
- Use guided practice in analysis of one's own communication style
- Making generalizations
- Recognizing exceptions to generalization
|
- The list generated by the group
- Outside expert to provide feed back
|
Reading a newspaper editorial, identifying the bias, and supporting it with examples in the text
| Instructional Reason:
- To recognize bias in a written editorial
Assessment Reason:
| - Comparing an editorial and news story for identifying bias
|
- Checklist
- Peer review
- Rubric
|
Reading a non-fiction article set in a different culture and completing a Venn diagram of cultural values
| Instructional Reason:
- To use information and literature of many types and cultures, both oral and written, to understand self and others
Assessment Reason:
|
- Guided practice with applying to an article or video
|
|
Using the diagram above, writing a letter to yourself as if you were the narrator of the article and describing how your cultures are alike and different
| Instructional Reason:
- To explore speaker’s or author’s point of view
Assessment Reason:
- To evaluate ability to determine point of view
|
|
- Rubric for evaluation of ideas and content
- Response to letter by peers
|
| Writing and dramatizing first person narratives of unpopular characters | Instructional Reason:
- To express oneself from another’s point of view
Assessment Reason:
- To assess student’s understanding and application of point of view
|
- Dramatization practice
- Guided practice in character analysis using a smaller piece
|
- Teacher observation
- Peer evaluation
- Rubric
|
Cautions: 1. The following list contains suggestions. It
is intentionally incomplete. 2. No instruction or assessment
strategy is necessarily better than any other. They should be
selected or designed to fit the purpose and content. 3. Tasks
and tools are elaborated in the next section.
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Assessment Strategies
An assessment strategy is an assessment task performed
by a student, yielding data collected by one of several
methods and analyzed by an evaluator using an assessment
tool. A teacher will mix and match as appropriate from the
columns below. Each of these can be used to assess any content
standard or combination of standards in one or multiple content
areas.
ASSESSMENT STRATEGY=
ASSESSMENT TASK+DATA COLLECTION METHOD+EVALUATOR+ASSESSMENT TOOL |
| ASSESSMENT TASKS | DATA COLLECTION METHODS | EVALUATORS | ASSESSMENT TOOLS |
|---|
| | | |
| performances and exhibitions | observation | self | scoring guides |
| journals/logs | listening | peer | analytic rubrics/scales |
| graphic organizers | reading/reviewing | teacher | holistic rubrics/scales |
| complex tasks over time | questioning: | outside expert | checklists
|
| familiar assessment tasks: | direct questioning | older student | anadotal notes |
short answer quiz | conferencing | community panel |
miscue analysis |
essay | interviewing |
|
|
| surveying |
|
|
Note that what is often called "professional judgment"
is the delayed recording of an assessment of student work by the
teacher using one or more data collection methods and applying
a scoring guide. These judgments are valid and useful to the
extent that the scoring guide has been made clear to students
and parents before they are applied.
While the types of data collection methods and evaluators are
self evident, the range of assessment tasks and tools has expanded
in recent years as we have moved toward increasingly rich assessment
strategies. Samples of assessment tasks and assessment tools
follow.
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