Assessment that Informs Instruction

Presented by:

Jonathan Vervaet@jonathanvervaet

Assessment that Informs Instruction

Knowing my students as thinkers, readers and writers…

“Assessment is the beginning and the end of my teaching. It defines my culture, my relationships, my learning community, my values, and my beliefs about teaching and learning.” - Matt Rosati

How the worlds best schools come out on top.

1.Get the right people to become teachers.2.Develop them to be effective.*3.Ensure the system is able to deliver the best

possible instruction for every child.

* Coaching classroom practice.• Move teacher training to the classroom.• Strong School Leaders• Teachers learn from each other –

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

Becoming Otherwise

How do we ensure the system is able to deliver the best

possible instruction for every child?

*

“If students have not been told where they are going, it is

unlikely that they will arrive.” – Shirley Clark

Learning Intentions“I can find evidence of current

assessment research in my practice.”

Learning Intentions“I can identify ways to use

assessment to inform my instructional decisions .”

Learning Intentions“I can become curious about

something in the research I want to inquire further into.”

The Myth of the Average Student

In schools today, diversity is the norm….

Table Talk Who are your

students?

How are they

diverse?

The Bridge Between the Students and the Curriculum

What is my content?

Who are my students?

.

The Bridge Between the Students and the Curriculum

Strategic teaching requiresyou to know your students.

What are some ways you can get

to know your students both as learners and as

people?

Proficient Readers Research

Successful readers – regardless of age – are active, purposeful, strategic, and metacognitive.

Proficient Readers Research

They construct meaning and learn from text by using cognitive strategies before, during, and after reading.

“No matter what grade level you teach, no matter what content you teach, no matter what you teach with, your goal is to improve students’ comprehension and understanding.”

“Student learning is enhanced when teachers at all grades, teaching all subjects, see themselves as teachers of literacy.”

Instructional Design

The 8 Cognitive Functions Good Readers Use

1. Setting a purpose / Reading with purpose in mind

2. Activating background knowledge to enhance understanding

3. Monitoring comprehension and awareness of how to repair comprehension problems

4. Determining what’s important

5. Making inferences and drawing conclusions

6. Visualizing mental images7. Synthesizing and accurately

summarizing information8. Making connections

What is the most important cognitive reading function for students?

Performance Based Reading Assessment

- Curriculum based reading assessment, created around grade level expectations for proficient reading.

- Reading literature, reading for information, reading poetry etc.

Performance Based Reading Assessment

It’s a snapshot of independent thoughtful reading.The intent is to see if students are independently and thoughtfully applying the skills and strategies required – at this particular grade level, in this particular subject.

Helps teachers:- collect information about their

students’ reading level and ability.

- inform their teaching.

Administered early in the school year or term.

Examined to identify areas of strength and challenge.

This is NOT FOR MARKS!

Used to help target specific areas of instruction.

Repeated to help teachers monitor the effectiveness of their instruction and adjust

teaching plans.

What does good look like?

What does good look like?

The Use ofPerformance Standards

Descriptive Scoring – based on performance standards

Reading Performance Standard Grade 2

Keep the numbers and letters out of it!

“Is this for marks?”

Differentiated Instruction (D.I.)

Pre-assessments help teachers “start where they are.”

- Karen Hume

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Good planning requires clear thinking, captured in a well-constructed, precise, written plan, and is a prerequisite to the art of effective teaching.

Thinking is fundamental to planning.

“Covering” Curriculum

Cover – to hide or conceal

The Prescribed Learning Outcomes are the goals, not content coverage.

Use the textbook as a resource, not the syllabus.

Approaches1. AFL Strategies

2. Open-ended Strategies3. Gradual Release of Responsibility

4. Co-operative Learning5. Information / Literature Circles

6. Inquiry

Instructional Design

The Science of Learning

Instructional Design

90% of what we know about the brain we have learned in approximately the last 2 years

Instructional Design

The same will be true 10 years from now

Carol Dweck (2006)

Fixed vs. Growth Mindset.

Fixed – Believe they have to work with whatever intelligence they have because it

can’t be increased.

They resist novel challenges if they can’t succeed immediately.

They’d rather not try than be perceived as dumb.

Carol Dweck (2006)

Fixed vs. Growth Mindset.

Growth – Believe intelligence can be built through life.

See working harder as a way to improve.

They persist and try a wide variety of solutions when given novel tasks.

Carol Dweck (2006)

Csikzentmihalyi (1990)

Flow Theory – The exhilarating moments when

we feel in control, full of purpose, and in the zone.

Csikzentmihalyi (1990)

Skill Level

Challenge Level

Take 3!

How is the science of learning

connected to assessment?

The Benefits of Formative Assessment

Constantly weighing the pig won’t make it fatter...

The Latin root word for assessment is "assidere" which means to sit beside.

"We must constantly remind ourselves that the ultimate purpose of evaluation is to have students become self evaluating. If students graduate from our schools still dependent upon others to tell them when they are adequate, good, or excellent, then we’ve missed the whole point of what education is about.”

- Costa and Kallick (1992)

You must use the research to support your practice to avoid being a well intentioned “Enthusiastic Amateur.”

- Fullan and Hargraeves “Professional Capital”

Teaching is not rocket science. It is, in fact, far more complex and demanding work than rocket science.

- Richard Elmore (Professor of Education Leadership at Harvard Graduate School of Education)

Contact Information

Jonathan VervaetEmail:

jonathanvervaet@gmail.comTwitter: @jonathanvervaet

Blog: jonathanvervaet.wordpress.com