Tricks of the Trade: Embedding Meaningful Assessment into the Components of Balanced Literacy

Tricks of the Trade: Embedding Meaningful Assessment into the Components of Balanced Literacy Jennifer Haws Creeds Elementary @jehaws (Twitter)

Overview • Background • Vocabulary Review • Learning Targets (UBD Framework) • Embedding Assessment into Balanced Literacy Components • Low Tech and High Tech Options

Assessment Terminology • Pop Quiz • Write 2 things you know about formative assessment.

Assessment Terminology Card Matching Resources: • Understanding Assessment : Center for Applied Linguistics http://www.cal.org/flad/tutorial/resources/7keyterms.html • Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation – Carnegie Melon http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/glossary.html

Two Formative Options • Which was better? • Why?

Diagnostic Assessments • First assessments of the school year • More global – focused on strengths/weaknesses Examples • Developmental Reading Assessment • Qualitative Reading Inventory • Fountas and Pinnel Benchmark • PALS * • TOPA • Kindergarten Spelling Inventory • Developmental Spelling Assessment • Thrively

Formative assessment • UBD Framework (Sources: Wiggins/Chappius) • Know your expectations • Learning Targets • Formative assessment informs instruction!

Formative Assessment in Whole Group REading • Strategies for Shared Reading or Read-aloud • Need to move beyond the hand raising – consider engagement

Formative Options for Whole Group Low Tech • Reading Buddies – Turn and Talk • Four Corners – visit a corner for an answer that you support • Wipe Boards • Thumbs up / Thumbs down • Yes / No Cards • Exit Tickets / Post-it Notes • Retelling Shapes (Shape Go Map) • Poll / Voting • Checklists • Timely Tips

Formative Assessment Whole group reading High Tech • Ipad camera / video • Apple TV – use Airplay to project anything from an Ipad • Plickers • Active Expressions: Clickers • Socrative • Kahoot! • Quizziz

Using Formative Data • Must provide specific feedback in relation to the learning target • Students share in the process and take ownership of their learning • New instruction is shaped by results

Feedback • Education expert Dylan William identifies two key aspects of effective feedback: it must “identify any gaps between a desired learning goal and the student’s present status towards that learning goal, and 2) students must take action to close that gap. • https://www.nwea.org/blog/2015/7-ways-understand-classroom-assessments-working/#sthash.aM5BcOjn.dpuf

MindFul Moment • Take a moment to reflect on what you have heard/learned so far. • Share with a partner • What will you try? • Do you have other formative assessments to suggest?

Small Group Reading • Size helps! Easier to provide feedback with fewer students Learning Targets • Oral Reading : Running Records and Anecdotal Notes • Ideas for organization • Retrospective Miscue Analysis • Comprehension: use whole group formative assessments

Formative Assessment Options for Small Group Low Tech (Same as Whole Group +) • Fan and Pick • Story Elements • Question Stems • Organization: Reading Notebooks or Post-it Notes to save responses High Tech • Ipads/ Clickers • Fry Words App

Formative Assessment for Independent Reading • Goal is student independence and ownership. • Consider the learning target when determining the appropriate assessment. • Is your focus stamina… reflection… connections… lifelong reading…??

Formative Options for Independent Reading Low Tech Options (All others plus) • Reading Journal • Reading Log High Tech Options • Razkids • Edmodo • Voice Thread • Book Recommendations with QR code access

What about rubrics? Formative or Summative? High tech and low tech? http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/5-tips-more-meaningful-rubric http://www.brilliant-insane.com/2014/10/single-point-rubric.html

Final Reminders! • Formative assessment is a part of regular instruction. • Formative assessment must be driven by learning targets. • Our goal is “Spend less time assessing and do more with the information you already have.” • Hattie (Visible Learning) found that formative evaluation had a significant instructional impact (.9).

REsources • Hattie http://www.teacherstoolbox.co.uk/T_effect_sizes.html • https://www.nwea.org/blog/2012/dylan-wiliam-the-5-formative-assessment-strategies-to-improve-student-learning/ • https://www.graphite.org/top-picks/top-tech-tools-for-formative-assessment • http://blog.web20classroom.org/2014/06/why-formative-assessments-matter.html?m=1 • http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct07/vol65/num02/The-Perils-and-Promises-of-Praise.aspx • http://www.edutopia.org/blog/providing-feedback-as-formative-assessment-troy-hicks • http://www.risemodel.com/

Disclaimer • Reference within this presentation to any specific commercial or non-commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer or otherwise does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Virginia Department of Education.

Contact Information Jennifer Haws • Jennifer.haws@vbschools.com • @jehaws Annette Conley • Annette.conley@vbschools.com • @Amconley49

Tricks of the Trade: Embedding Meaningful Assessment into the Components of Balanced Literacy