Vanessa M. Johnson
Introduction
In TASC Standard #6, it requires that I use multiple methods of assessments to engage learners in their own growth to monitor learner progress and to guide decision making for me and the students. It is important to use multiple methods of assessments because the students have various learning styles, requiring teachers to accommodate and address the students learning needs. Providing students with a variety of assessments helps teachers to identify student needs to develop differentiated learning experiences and gives students the feedback they need to take ownership of their learning.
In this section, I have included materials that surround the first District Level Assessment. I have first included a blueprint of the test, assessment results and data, and a goal setting & action plan for moving forward. I then include multiple means of assessments to address the lowest performed standards.
Table of Contents
Assessment Blueprint
Assessment Data
Test Questions
Goal Setting & Action Plan
Methods of Assessment
Conclusion
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Assessment Blueprint
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Prior to giving the students the Snapshot Assessment, we are provided with an Assessment Blueprint that outlines the standards that we need to teach to best prepare our students. In this blueprint, I saw that four standards needed to be taught. To begin, the students need to be able to use a dictionary and how to analyze literary essays through close reading skills. The students also needed to make complex inferences and to revise essays.
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In the image to the left, I have used the red X to indicated the lowest performing standards. I think it is important to analyze the data from the assessment to find out how to approach the standards going forward and to consider misunderstanding before reassessing. I find that when you dive into the standards, new methods of assessments can be used to address areas of concern.
Assessment Data
In the Item Analysis chart to the left, the blue circles indicate the lowest performing questions compared to the percentage correct. From this chart, I was able to take those questions and figure out what standard they supported to further analyze question misconceptions.
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In TASC Standard #6, the teacher must be able to analyze assessment data ti best understand patterns and gaps of learning to further plan and provide feedback to the students. In the chart below, he pattern that I saw right away was that questions 10 and 12 address the same standard, which was alarming to me.
In the Item Analysis chart to the right, the red arrows indicate that questions 1, 10, and 12 were the lowest performing questions. For question #1, only 41% of the students answered the question correctly. For that question, the standard required that the students knew how to use a dictionary. For further analysis of the question, see Item #1.
Question #10 was the most missed question on the test with only 24% of the students answered correctly. This question required that the students make a revision to a sentence in a text. See Item #10 for further analysis of the question to understand student misunderstanding.
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Question #12 was also a revising question as well, where only 29% of the students answered correctly. See Item #12 below to dive further into the assessment.
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Test Questions
Item #1 Preview focuses on the use of dictionary. It wasn't that my students were unable to use a dictionary for this question, but had difficulty using context clues in the passage to understand how the word volatile is used in the passage. To help students to answer questions like these, it is important to have students practice dictionary skills outside of just looking up words to understand meaning. I think that engaging learners in multiple ways to address this standard could improve performance. Some of these methods include incorporating visuals, using technology, and continued practice.
Item #10 Preview focuses on revising. In this standard students are expected to revise drafts to improve style, sentence variety, and use figurative language. When reviewing with the students, some of them did not know what effective meant. This to me spirals in the dictionary use standard. It also means that, my students struggle with revising for sentence structure. Using assessments methods that require students to work on sentence variety would address this standard.
Item #12 Preview focuses on revising and editing. In looking at the question, the word "redundant". If students don't know the meaning of the word, they would not be able to answer correctly. In reviewing the data, the majority of the students chose answer choice F, probably because it was the longest. Continued practice would help support student learning for revising a text.
Goal Setting & Action Plan
In the Goal Setting & Action plan for Snapshot 1 pictured left, this is a documented deep analysis. During our small learning community (SLC) meeting, we discussed our lowest standards, and planning for reassessing. From here, we discussed multiple methods of assessment to support student learning needs and develop differentiated learning experiences.
Methods of Assessments
Warm Ups: A quick way to check for understanding or reassess is to provide students with a quick warm up over the content that was taught. Based on Snapshot Assessment 1, I found that my students struggled with the questions on the test because of their inability to use context clues. To get my students to practice, I felt like it was important to assess them directly.
Pictured right is a student sample of a warm up I used to assess the use of context clues. In the sample, the student circled and underlined context clues which helped them to find the word meaning. I provided the student with corrective feedback and support using a dictionary. InTASC #6 teachers must provide positive descriptive feedback on formative assessments, and utilizing warm ups is a great method to assess.
Mini Lesson Checks for Understandings: To quickly reteach prior to assessment, it is important to offer short lessons that include a variety of checks for understanding. In these lessons, desired skills, vocabulary, and opportunity to practice is given to the students. In teaching these lessons, teachers can assess in multiple ways to best support all student learning needs.
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In the mini lesson pictured right, the students engage in practice using context clues. The lesson includes vocabulary, visuals, and interactive opportunities to show understanding.
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Open Ended Responses: The following three screenshots are of warm ups where I asked the student to answer the question, "How does the author use imagery to express the character's feelings?" In previous lessons, the students learned three literary devices: imagery, repetition, and theme. The students also read and analyzed the fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin. In screenshot #1, this student properly identified the repetition as a literary device and provided evidence to support understanding. When providing student feedback, it is important that I address spelling, grammar, and sentence structure with the students so that responses clearly state that they understand. To provide differentiation, it is also essential to provide the students with sentence stems to guide their writing as well.
In Screenshot #2, the student clearly identified imagery as a Literary Device. The student not only provided evidence to support understanding, but they also explained how the evidence was an example of imagery. To provide all of the students with feedback, I would share this response with the students as a whole because it serves as a model example. Together we could edit and revise for spelling, grammar, and sentence structure.
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In Screenshot #3, the student does identify that repetition is used in the story, but the response lacks evidence to support understanding. To quickly respond to this student, I would ask them if they have any evidence of repetition and ask that they include it. Offering sentence stems that incorporate evidence would also be introduced to the student.
Exit Tickets: Using Exit Tickets is a great way to assess students after learning has occurred. In the begging of the lesson I asked the student to identify as shown in the warm up example above. To assess a second time, I included an exit ticket in the lesson. In the video pictured right, I am going over a quiz i created for a a student to complete at the end of the lesson on context clues. This question is open ended requiring the student to use context clues to define the word infrequent. Through this assessment, I have taken the time to develop and align an assessment that directly supports instruction and addresses the standard.
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Technology Based Assessments: InTASC #6 requires that a teacher use technology to support assessments to engage learners and their needs. To build vocabulary, I include the use of vocabulary.com, which is an online instructional tool that helps learners unpack the complexity of words and engage in activities that allow them to visualize, discover and practice unfamiliar words.
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Considering the data from the Snapshot assessment, my students struggled with questions that had unfamiliar vocabulary that they will continue to see on future assessments. I have developed a list of Test Buzz Words (pictured right) to help them remember these words and be assessed along the way.
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Pictured to the right, is how the online assessment looks. If you notice, redundant is one of the words that was used in item #12 of the Snapshot assessment.
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What I like about vocab.com is that it continuously assesses students in multiple ways, while challenging them and updating students on their progress. Pictured Right is an an additional image of the online assessment. Not only are students able to choose the correct word meanings, but they can also use context clues as well. Students also receive immediate and feedback which is also pictured here.
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Conclusion
In exploring Standard #6: Assessments, I discovered the importance of using multiple assessment to engage students. Throughout my years of teaching, I have found that students have different learning styles which means that they should be assessed differently. Just like engaging students in lesson, we as teachers must engage students in assessments which cause for a variety of different practices. In going through this section, I have found that assessments must be purposeful, must align with the given standard, and must be appropriate for the learner. I like that this standard encourages positive feedback and technology because it truly encourages students to take ownership of their progress and informs future instruction.
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Collectively, these pieces of evidence demonstrate how effective assessments are and forces the teacher to be committed to creating ethical assessments that are customized by learner strengths and promotes growth, which is our overall goal as teachers.