(in)formative assessment: changing classroom practice

(IN)FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT:

CHANGING CLASSROOM PRACTICE

Define Formative Assessment

Identify the Elements of Formative Assessment

Explore Formative Learning and

Assessment Tasks

Operationalize Formative Assessment

in the Classroom

Session Goals

• Skilled in gathering accurate information about student learning?

• Using that data effectively to promote further learning?

Are teachers assessment savvy?

Wiggins, 1998

Or…do teachers

TEACH, TEST, AND HOPE FOR THE

BEST?

http://www.alite.co.uk/readings/black.htm

Assessment Cycle

• Teachers gather and interpret evidence to create a roadmap for optimal student learning.

Formative Assessment:

Finding “Just the Right Gap”

Formative assessment is the means to identify the “gap” between a learner’s current status

and the desired goal.Different students will have different “gaps.”

Sadler, 1989

• The zone of proximal development• Scaffolding instruction

Matching Action to the “GAP”

Matching Action to the “GAP”

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CURRENT KNOWLEDGE

A student who is ready to move beyond this or is

above grade level.

PROXIMAL ZONE

A student who is ready to learn this

or is on grade level.

DISTAL ZONEA student who will be challenged to learn the material or lacks the pre-

requisite knowledge.

Developing Learning Progressions

• Clear, descriptive, criterion-based feedback to students that indicates:

√ where they are in the learning progression

√ how their response differed from that reflected in desired learning goal

√ how they can move forward

Giving FEEDBACK to Students

Rubrics and the Feedback Process

http://flenj.org/CAPS/?page=147

• Teachers and students share understanding and ownership of the learning goals

• Students self-assess progress toward specific goals

• Teachers give feedback to students; students give feedback to teachers

• Students make more knowledgeable decisions about learning strategies

Sharing Ownership

Good learning tasks are good formative assessments.

Teaching/Learning Process

– On-going, day-to-day classroom assessment• Informal

– Class discussions– Teacher – student dialogues– Observations– Student groups– Bell-work and/or exit strategies– Self- and peer-assessments

•Formal– Quizzes and/or tests – graded or non-graded– Writing assignments w/descriptive feedback– Presentations, speeches, etc.

Concept MapsDrawing related to topic or

contentGuess Box

Surveys/Questionnaires/Inventories

Interest surveyKWL charts and other graphic

organizersOpen-ended Questioning

PredictionStudent interviews

Teacher observation/checklistsWriting prompts/samples or any

Pre-writing activity

Pre-AssessmentSurfacing Learners’ Prior

Knowledge

Mind Mapping

Pre-Assessment: Mind Mapping

Comprehension of words, concepts, ideas, meaning of written and oral texts that are

culturally authentic and produced for native speakers

• • Text, poem, film, work of art, song, poem,

advertisement, music video, book • •

Translation is not an Interpretive mode task.

Formative AssessmentInterpretive Mode

• Fill in graphs, charts, forms, graphic organizers• Follow a route on a map from oral/written

directions• Check-off items in a list• Draw what is described• Put events from a story in logical order• Listen for the gist—identify main idea• Create questions from info in the piece• Compose a title or headline for a reading or

listening selection

Sample Formative Tasks in the Interpretive Mode

-“Traffic Light” Cards – Red, Yellow, Green

– White boards– Stand up if…– Finger Signaling– Ripped Vocabulary

Sample Formative Tasks in the Interpretive Mode

Ripped Vocabulary

• After searching online about events in Munich, create a two-day itinerary for you and your family.

• Create a web or a cinquain poem that captures what we’ve learned today about…

• Draw a symbol that best portrays this story’s character as you now understand him (her), and write a brief explanation as to why you chose that symbol.

• ?

Sample Formative Tasks in the Interpretive Mode

• Exclusion Brainstorming

Ras-le-bol des mots qui blessent !• Appartenir à un groupe insulter le look • L’individualisme une enquête être nul • préjugé l’affaire du foulard le jugement• Grosse tête des moqueries l’apparence • L’injustice l’ambiance positive les ados • Protester le silence la bonheur • Le bouc émissaire la solidité blesser

Directions: Cross out the words you don’t think will be found in this selection and circle the words you think you will find.

Sample Formative Tasks

• Exclusion BrainstormingThe student identifies the word/concept that does not belong with the others, then orally

or in writing explains his reasoning:

• My Carbon Footprint – pollution, land usage, overpopulation, geography

• Living a Healthy Life – food pyramid, texting, leisure activities, allergies

• Getting Ready for School – doing homework, playing a video game, packing a school bag, taking a shower,

• ?

Sample Formative Tasks

Spontaneous exchanges that involve negotiation of meaning between people.

They are unrehearsed, non scripted.

Come with information the other learner does not have, creating an info gap to provide and obtain

information

Memorized, scripted dialogue readings, or skits are not Interpersonal Mode tasks.

• •

Interpersonal Mode

•Info Gap•Socratic Circle

•Pick roles from a story and have a conversation between the two characters

•Blog with teens in the target culture•Share information on a Facebook page

•Make a purchase •Order in a restaurant

•Obtain directions •Converse Face to face or by telephone

•Debate issues •Make plans

Interpersonal Mode

Sample Interpersonal Tasks

Sample Interpersonal Tasks Ask your partner

questions to find 5 differences

between your pictures.

Remember that you cannot look at each

other’s pictures.

Learners solve problems, create a new product, use the content for a real world

purpose other than display for the teacher or classroom.

Learners have time to rehearse, revise, rewrite, consult sources, or otherwise

prepare ahead of time.

Presentational Mode

Presentational Mode•Demonstrate how to prepare a recipe

• Create a guide or school/town for an exchange student

• Write a letter of introduction to a school in the target country

• Develop a web page (mock facebook or my space page)

• Design an advertisement or classified ad• Write a new beginning or ending of story, song

• Solve a problem• Take part in a TV or radio spot

• Design a survey and present findings• Create a Public Service Announcement

• Write Poem, Song, Rap• Design a Storyboard

Presentational ModeYou are a travel agent with clients who have different interests and need. Create an itinerary suited for each

group, keeping in mind the possible interests and needs of the client.

1. A family of 5 with young children.

2. A businessperson who is a history buff.

3. Three college students with a limited budget.

4. Grandparents who love small towns, local crafts, and

music. • • • •

• 3-2-1-Identify 3 characteristics of Formative Assessment that differs from Summative.-List 2 important ideas about Formative Assessment that you will share with colleagues-Provide one good reason why teachers should alter their classroom practice to include formative tasks.

Sample Presentational Task

Checking for UnderstandingDefinition (in own words)

The ideas, beliefs, and ways ofdoing things that a group ofpeople who live in an area share.

Characteristics * Shared ideas

* Shared beliefs* Shared practices

(CULTURE)

Examples (from own life) * What my friends and I wear * Music we listen to

Non-Examples * Color of my hair

* Color of my eyes* Nature* Weather ..........................

Checking for Understanding

More effort has to be spent in framing questions that are worth asking: that is, questions that explore issues that are critical to the development of student understanding.

(Black et al., 2003)

Bloom’s

Taxonomy

Questions (Tuffin, 2003)

Original Reframed Strategy

Which words are used to describe the

main character in the story?

Why is the word “ambitious” used to describe the main

character?

Providing the vocabulary, asking why it is appropriate or how

it was arrived at.

Why do you think there are so many

people interested in reducing pollution in

large cities?

What argument would car drivers in Los Angeles have

against the wishes of the anti-pollution campaign who are

trying to reduce the number of cars in

the city?

Asking a question to be answered from an

opposing standpoint.

ClosureEXIT PASS: Please fill out COMPLETELY and THOUGHTFULLY and turn in before you can leave.

What are four things that really squared in your head today?1.2.3.4.

Name one question that you have going around in your head from what you learned today.Q:

What are three things you want to remember from the lesson/presentation today?1.2.3.

Priscilla RusselSupervisor of World Languages, ESL, and

Bilingual EducationPrinceton Regional School District

Priscilla_russel@monet.prs.k12.nj.us

Rosanne ZeppieriSupervisor of World Languages K-8

West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District

Rosanne.zeppieri@ww-p.org